Two prominent films — “Palestine 36” directed by Annemarie Jacir and “All That’s Left of You” by Cherien Dabis — are being screened this year at the 43rd Fajr International Film Festival. Both titles are part of the festival’s competitive section, The Broken Olive.
“Palestine 36,” a historical drama set against the 1936 Arab revolt in Mandatory Palestine, has enjoyed an impressive festival run. The film has collected major awards, including the Special Jury Prize at the Asia World Film Festival, the Grand Prix and the Governor of Tokyo Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival, and has been selected as Palestine’s official submission for the 2026 Academy Awards. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before holding its European premiere in London. This marks the 18th Oscar submission from Palestine and is Jacir’s fourth feature following “Salt of This Sea” (2009), “When I Saw You” (2013), and “Wajib” (2018).
“All That’s Left of You,” directed by Palestinian-American filmmaker Cherien Dabis, is another major highlight of this year’s lineup. The film, which follows three generations of a Palestinian family through seven decades of displacement and survival, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival to strong critical acclaim. It is Jordan’s official submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film and has already won several honors, including the Golden Gate Award and the Audience Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Sydney Film Festival, and two awards — Best Film and Best Screenplay — at the Malaysia International Film Festival.
The 45th Fajr International Film Festival, directed by Rouhollah Hosseini, is taking place from 25 November to 2 December in Shiraz.
More than 60 films are being screened across sections including International Competition, Eastern Vista, Future Frame, and The Broken Olive, as well as the non-competitive Retrospective & Restorations and Festival of Festivals showcases.
