Brad Pitt, Joaquin Pheonix backs Oscar-nominated Tunisian director’s Israel-Hamas war movie at Venice Fest

Dubai: Oscar-nominated Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania returns to the global stage with her Israel–Hamas conflict drama The Voice of Hind Rajab, which will debut in Venice Competition before screening in Toronto.

According to a report in Deadline, the movie is backed by Hollywood heavyweights Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, and Rooney Mara and is directed by Oscar-winning directors Jonathan Glazer and Alfonso Cuaron.

The drama chronicles the story of six-year-old Hind Rajab, whose voice was heard around the world after an emergency call she made in January 2024. The film reconstructs the events of that day through testimonies and real audio recordings, focusing on themes of hope, fear and resilience.

Ben Hania said the project was born from a moment of profound emotion: “When I first heard Hind’s voice, I felt I had to stop everything else and make this film. I wanted to create a space where her words, and the silence around them, could be remembered.”

Shot in Tunisia with a single-location approach, the film intentionally avoids graphic imagery. “What matters is the waiting, the fear, the unseen,” Ben Hania explained. “Sometimes what is left out is more powerful than what is shown.”

The cast includes Saja Kilani, Motaz Malhees, Clara Khoury and Amer Hlehel.

Ben Hania is widely regarded as Tunisia’s leading director on the global stage. Her previous films Four Daughters and The Man Who Sold His Skin were both nominated at the Academy Awards, establishing her as a singular voice in contemporary cinema.

Plus, Paris-based The Party Film Sales has confirmed a raft of distribution deals across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.