Mark your calendars, film lovers. The 13th Palestinian Film Festival Australia is making its return from 1–11 May 2025, bringing an unmissable lineup of cinema that is as powerful as it is thought-provoking.
Spanning five cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Canberra – this year’s program promises an extraordinary exploration of resilience, love, and freedom in the face of war and dispossession, all through the lens of Palestinian storytelling.
For over a decade, the Festival has been a beacon for creative and critical expression, and 2025 might just be its most ambitious year yet. With a captivating lineup of feature films, documentaries, and shorts, the Festival continues to elevate stories of Palestinian life and culture while connecting audiences in Australia to the depth and humanity so often overlooked.
“This year’s program is guided by a deep emotional pulse,” says Festival Director Naser Shakhtour. “It’s about the power of Palestinian cinema to speak from the rubble, to conjure memory, and to imagine freedom. These films reflect not just the struggles, but the resilience, beauty, and strength of Palestinian culture.”
Must-see feature films
The 2025 program is filled with films that resonate long after the credits roll. Some of the highlights include:
- The Teacher | Dir. Farah Nabulsi
From the Oscar-nominated filmmaker comes this gripping drama of a Palestinian schoolteacher caught between compassion and resistance. Premiered at TIFF and already earning acclaim for its moral complexity and powerhouse performances, this film is one for the ages. - To A Land Unknown | Cannes Directors’ Fortnight Selection
This poignant tale follows two Palestinian friends stranded in Athens and driven to extremes in their desperate quest for escape. - Passing Dreams | Dir. Rashid Masharawi
A lyrical road movie following a 12-year-old boy, Sami, as he searches for his missing bird across the West Bank. Shot in Bethlehem and Haifa, this bittersweet adventure balances humour with quiet melancholy. (Sydney exclusive) - Thanks for Banking With Us | Dir. Laila Abbas
This darkly funny feminist drama follows two sisters wrestling for their inheritance amid patriarchal law and political turmoil. A sharp portrait of sisterhood and resistance. (Sydney and Melbourne only) - Upshot | Locarno Winner
This tightly scripted short drama unpacks buried secrets during a journalist’s visit to a remote farm.
A showcase of documentaries
The Festival also features boundary-pushing documentaries that highlight both personal and collective stories:
- From Ground Zero
A gripping anthology of 22 short works by displaced Gaza-based artists, painting an evocative picture of life lived under bombardment. - Gazan Tales
Created in a filmmaking workshop with non-professional locals, this documentary captures the daily lives of four men in Gaza before the most recent war. (Screens in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth only) - A Fidai Film | Dir. Kamal Aljafari
This investigative piece revisits the 1982 looting of Palestinian archives in Beirut and confronts the institutions that still hold them. By reclaiming lost footage through radical editing, Aljafari reclaims what was taken. (Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth only) - Yalla Parkour | Dir. Areeb Zuaiter
Blending nostalgia with strength, this film captures the relationship between a Gaza filmmaker and a parkour athlete, weaving a visually powerful tale of youth and survival. (Melbourne and Perth only) - An Orange from Jaffa | Clermont-Ferrand Grand Prix Winner
A riveting short fiction about a young man’s desperate bid to cross a checkpoint, distilling the collective Palestinian experience into a single tense taxi ride.
A festival rooted in humanity
Since its launch, the Palestinian Film Festival Australia has gone beyond being just a showcase for cinema. It’s a vital cultural platform celebrating Palestinian life and creativity while inviting Australian audiences into deeply human stories. Films like these remind us of cinema’s ability to bridge divides, spark empathy, and honour the resilience of those often unheard.
Festival details
Here’s everything you need to know to catch these powerful films:
- What: The 13th Palestinian Film Festival Australia
- When: 1–11 May 2025
- Where:
- Sydney | Dendy Newtown | 1–4 May
- Perth | Luna Leederville | 2–4 May
- Melbourne | Cinema Nova Carlton | 8–11 May
- Brisbane | Dendy Coorparoo | 9–11 May
- Canberra | Dendy Canberra | 9–11 May
- Tickets: On sale April 2025 via palestinianfilmfestival.com.au
- Follow the Festival: Instagram & Facebook
Don’t miss it
Whether you’re a cinephile searching for the next standout film or someone eager to connect with stories of resilience and hope, the Palestinian Film Festival is your chance to experience some of the most moving, innovative, and universally resonant works of cinema on offer today.
Make it a priority to engage with these stories and celebrate the undeniable artistry of Palestinian filmmakers. See you at the movies.