Seaside Screen Brings Magic of Movies to Gaza Years after Cinemas Closed

Palestinian children watch a movie at a pop-up open-air cinema at the beach in Gaza City on July 28, 2023; there are no movie theaters in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Mohammed ABED / AFP)
Palestinian children watch a movie at a pop-up open-air cinema at the beach in Gaza City on July 28, 2023; there are no movie theaters in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Mohammed ABED / AFP)
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Seaside Screen Brings Magic of Movies to Gaza Years after Cinemas Closed

Palestinian children watch a movie at a pop-up open-air cinema at the beach in Gaza City on July 28, 2023; there are no movie theaters in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Mohammed ABED / AFP)
Palestinian children watch a movie at a pop-up open-air cinema at the beach in Gaza City on July 28, 2023; there are no movie theaters in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Mohammed ABED / AFP)

With car tyres, rocks and mounds of sand as seats, Palestinians of all ages have been enjoying a rare trip to the movies at a big-screen event on the Gaza beachfront.
The open-air show - with a playlist including the animated children's comedy "Ferdinand" - was for many viewers a first experience of a projected film since the impoverished enclave's last cinema closed more than three decades ago, Reuters said.
Hosted by "The Sea is Ours" cafe, the screenings were designed to promote issues of culture and history approved by the conservative Hamas government.
They left some in the audience longing for more.
"I hope one day there will be a cinema, so I can go to the cinema and eat popcorn," said 13-year-old Mohammad Zidan as other children lolled in the sand, giggling at the cartoon.
Cinema once flourished in Gaza, with Palestinians flocking to see Arab, Western and Asian films, but the movie houses were torched in the First Intifada in 1987 and then burned down again in 1996 during a wave of internal violence.
The last cinema, long abandoned, is now a haven for bats.
While Gazans have been able to go to movie screenings which are held from time to time at theaters and other venues, such a full bill of films, being shown over several weeks at the venue, is a rare treat.
"We can get movies on mobile phones, but this is something new and is nice," said 15-year-old Hadeel Hejji.
Ali Mhana, 35, the cafe owner and local playwright, said he had never been to a regular cinema.
"At the sea, you don't need to look for an audience, the sea has its own. People are here all the time, including children, who get attracted by the sound and image and come to watch the movies," Mhana said.



21 Short Films to Compete at Saudi Film Festival

21 Short Films to Compete at Saudi Film Festival
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21 Short Films to Compete at Saudi Film Festival

21 Short Films to Compete at Saudi Film Festival

The Saudi Film Festival announced on Monday the participation of 21 short films in its competition lineup, produced by Saudi, Gulf, and Arab filmmakers.

The 11th edition of the festival, organized by the Saudi Cinema Association in partnership with the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) and supported by the Film Commission, will be held in Dhahran from April 17 to 23.

It will feature a variety of topics and themes addressing loss, internal transformations, personal memories, and social experiences reflecting daily life in all its details. The films showcase a broad range of storytelling and visual styles, with a mix of realist, experimental, personal, and socially driven narratives.

Several of the participating films will have their international premieres at the festival this year. The competition will be judged by a jury of distinguished professionals with diverse expertise in directing, screenwriting, and content development.