“Palestine 36” by Annemarie Jacir to Open the 36ᵗʰ Edition of the Carthage Film Festival

The 36ᵗʰ edition of the Carthage Film Festival will open on Saturday, 13 December 2025, with Palestine 36, the latest feature by acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir. Produced in 2025, the film brings together an exceptional ensemble cast, including Kamel El Basha, Hiam Abbass, Yasmine Elmasri, Saleh Bakri, Karim Daoud Anaya, Dhafer El Abidine, and international actors William Cunningham and Jeremy Irons. The film is written and directed by Jacir.

Palestine 36 is a historical drama set during a pivotal moment in Middle Eastern history: the year 1936, when the first major Palestinian uprising against British rule called for independence and reshaped the region’s political landscape. The story follows Yousef, who moves between his rural home and a tense, fast-changing Jerusalem, driven by a longing for a future beyond the growing turmoil in Palestine, especially as increasing numbers of Jewish migrants arrive, fleeing the rise of fascism in Europe.

Representing Palestine in the 98ᵗʰ Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film, Palestine 36 had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, marking another milestone in Jacir’s distinguished career.

Trained in the United States, Annemarie Jacir has been working in independent cinema since 1994. She is a screenwriter, director, and producer with more than sixteen films, documentaries and fiction, screened at major festivals worldwide. Her four feature films, Salt of This Sea (2007), When I Saw You (2012), Wajib (2017), and Palestine 36(2025), were all selected to represent Palestine at the Oscars, establishing her as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Palestinian cinema.

Jacir’s debut feature Salt of This Sea (2007) marked a breakthrough for Palestinian cinema, while When I Saw You (2012) won the Best Asian Film Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. Her third feature, Wajib (2017), toured the world and earned 36 international awards.

Beyond her work as a filmmaker, Jacir is the founder of the independent production company Philistine Films, as well as Dar Jacir, an independent artistic platform dedicated to supporting emerging creative voices. She has served on the juries of major international festivals including Cannes, Berlin, and Sundance, and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and the Asia Pacific Screen Academy.

Palestine 36 is not Annemarie Jacir’s first participation in the Carthage Film Festival. Her debut feature, Salt of This Sea, was previously awarded the Randa Chahal Prize, a distinction introduced during the festival’s 22nd edition in 2008