Lahore Film Festival Highlights Palestinian Human Stories Amid Gaza Crisis

Lahore, Pakistan – The sounds of horror and Israeli bombardment filled a screening room in the eastern city of Lahore last week as attendees watched powerful documentaries about the atrocities in Gaza.

Seven Palestinian films were shown at the Simurgh International Film and Arts Festival, held at Olomopolo Media, an interdisciplinary cultural and social venue in Lahore. The festival ran from October 23 to November 1.

Each film, centered on Palestinian characters, presented a distinct narrative about life in the region, as curators sought to let Palestinians speak for themselves.

Screened on Friday were titles such as Gaza’s Patient Heart, Abu Jabal, The Hidden War on Palestinian Women, Write My Name, Born Free, and Hind Under Siege. The stories examined displacement, the impact on women and families, and daily life in Gaza under Israeli conflict.

Saadat Munir, the festival’s curator, noted that most of the stories were told from the perspective of those suffering in Gaza.

“This isn’t about Palestinian cinema; it’s about Palestinian voices,” Munir said.

Kanwal Khoosat, executive director of Olomopolo and co‑curator, said the festival highlighted resistance narratives.

“Palestinian narratives, particularly concerning the genocide that has persisted for roughly two years, have always been historically relevant,” Khoosat said.

“But now that the genocide is unfolding actively, when else will we speak up and share their stories with the world?”

Ali Raza, a student organizer with the left‑wing Progressive Students Collective, observed that people often become desensitized to mass murder or genocide, viewing victims merely as numbers.

“When lives appear as rising numbers, people stop caring,” he said. “The intensity and pain diminish.”

He added that films can reverse this effect by connecting viewers with personal narratives and characters.

“It’s important that we enter each person’s life and understand their feelings,” Raza said. “How does a child feel? An elderly person? A young person?”

Pakistan’s government has no diplomatic ties with Israel and has consistently advocated for a two‑state solution to the Middle East conflict. Since October 7, 2023, thousands of students, politicians, civil‑society members and citizens have staged protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza and elsewhere in the region.

Pakistan has repeatedly condemned Israel, which has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023.

Audience members said the screening moved them. Sana Zahra Hussain, a 30‑year‑old filmmaker and educator, noted that hearing Palestinians tell their own stories created an intimacy she rarely feels when consuming news.

“When we watch the news, we see them as numbers,” she said. “But when we view these documentaries — a mother speaking about her son, a young girl recounting the loss of her brother — it gives them greater humanity.”

’NO LONGER NUMBERS’

Faisal Ghani Qureshi, a 48‑year‑old freelancer, said the screenings provided a perspective that goes beyond the broader picture usually presented in daily news reports.

“Here you see the human aspect of what each individual is facing now,” he said, pointing to homelessness, displacement and uncertainty about survival.

“That’s what connects you to them.”

Gaza may be thousands of miles from Hussain and others, yet when she watches the pain and suffering portrayed on screen, she feels an immediate connection to each individual.

“They are no longer numbers to us,” she said. “They are real people, and their grief feels more tangible, with much greater depth.”

For Munir, the purpose of such festivals is simple: keep people alert and ensure continued discussion of human tragedies.

“There’s famine, there’s genocide,” he said. “Children aren’t receiving any medication. Nothing is being done. So we must talk about it to stop it.”

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