The film follows a six-year-old trapped under fire in Gaza as Red Crescent volunteers race against time to save her.
Cinema Akil is set to premiere The Voice of Hind Rajab (صوت هند رجب) on December 17, marking the film’s first public screening in the UAE. Directed by filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the documentary, which held audiences standing for 20 minutes at the Venice Film Festival, will debut at Cinema Akil’s Alserkal Avenue location.
The film’s arrival at Cinema Akil underscores the venue’s long-standing role as a cultural home for independent Arab cinema.
Following the premiere, which includes a Q&A session, the film will screen daily from December 18 to 28 across both of Cinema Akil’s locations: the flagship venue at Alserkal Avenue and the outpost at 25hours Hotel One Central. The back-to-back screenings reflect the strong anticipation surrounding the film, fresh from its Silver Lion win at the 2025 Venice Film Festival.
A co-production between Tunisia and France, The Voice of Hind Rajab is a deeply moving film that blends fiction and documentary to recount a real-life tragedy. It tells the story of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl trapped in a car amid relentless shelling in Gaza after losing her family. As she desperately called the Palestinian Red Crescent for help, rescue teams struggled to reach her under fire. Using the authentic audio recording of Hind’s call, Ben Hania crafts a poignant and haunting cinematic experience that transforms the child’s voice into a universal symbol of innocence facing unimaginable violence.
Cinema Akil’s December programming will give Dubai audiences multiple opportunities to experience a story that has sparked international conversation and continues to linger long after viewing.
