Documentary on Gaza photojournalist Fatma Hassona to screen at Cannes and Rome film festivals

A documentary titled "Put your soul on your hand and walk" about 26-year-old Gaza photojournalist Fatma Hassona, who was killed on April 16 by a missile attack, will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and later screen at the Festa del Cinema di Roma, with a theatrical release in November by Wanted. The film, directed by Sepideh Farsi, originated from video calls between Farsi and Hassona over 200 days, documenting life under siege in Gaza. Farsi, an Iranian-born director, began the project after the October 7, 2023 attack on Gaza, when she could not enter the territory and instead connected with Hassona through displaced Palestinians. Hassona had learned the day before her death that the film would be presented at Cannes. The documentary includes Hassona's reflections on the constant threat of death from bombings, fear, and hunger. Farsi stated, "Fatma became my eyes in Gaza. I, from my exile, have been her open window to the world. This film is an urgency of memory, a way to ensure her voice is not erased." The article also calls attention to the broader context of the genocide in Gaza and criticizes the Italian government and European Union for inaction.