Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir’s latest film PALESTINE 36 has officially been submitted by the country’s Ministry of Culture to compete for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. The film is due to have its world premiere on September 5th at the 50th annual Toronto International Film Festival.
 
PALESTINE 36 follows Yusuf as he drifts between his rural home and the restless energy of Jerusalem, longing for a future beyond the growing unrest of 1936 Mandate Palestine, where several villages were rising up against British rule. But history is relentless; with rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping an increasingly fascist Europe and Palestinian calls for independence, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region.
 
It includes a roster of A-List actors, with many of Palestinian origin, including Hiam Abbass (PARADISE NOW, BLADE RUNNER 49), Palestinian cinema and theater icon Kamel El Basha, Saleh Bakri (SALT OF THE SEA), Yasmine Al-Massri (Netflix’s CASTLEVANIA, THANK YOU FOR BANKING WITH US!), alongside top shot British actor Jeremy Irons, the acclaimed Tunisian actor and model Dhafer L’Abidine, Billy Howle, GAME OF THRONES stars Liam Cunningham and Robert Aramayo, Syrian actor Jalal Altawil, as well as the debuting Yafa Bakri and Karim Daoud Anaya.
 
The film is produced by Ossama Bawardi and Azzam Fakhrildin, with co-production by Cat Villiers, Hani Farsi, Nils Åstrand, Olivier Barbier, Katrin Pors, Hamza Ali, and Elissa Pierre (through Philistine Films, Autonomous, Corniche Media, MK Productions, and Snowglobe); cinematography by Hélène Louvart; and music by Ben Frost.
 
Speaking on her film, director Annemarie Jacir has stated, “The story follows a group of people who each find themselves in a position they never asked for, and with something so much bigger than they know hanging over them. Making PALESTINE 36 has been the most challenging endeavor of my life. I never imagined this past year of blood, violence, and death would be the year I would create something made with so many collective hands and hearts, and so much love and defiance.”
 
Annemarie Jacir has written, directed, and produced over 16 films, with premieres at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, and Telluride. All three features she directed were Palestine's Oscar entries. She also directed the first feature by a Palestinian female director, the acclaimed SALT OF THIS SEA — a FIPRESCI winner and her second work to debut at Cannes. WHEN I SAW YOU won Best Asian Film at the Berlinale, and WAJIB garnered 36 awards, including those at Mar Del Plata, Dubai, and London.
 
As the founder of the independent production company Philistine Films, Jacir frequently collaborates with Arab filmmakers in roles including editor, screenwriter, and producer. She is deeply committed to working with local crews and nurturing emerging Arab talent through mentorship and training, actively supporting the growth of independent cinema across the region.
 
Jacir lives in Palestine and has served on juries for major film festivals, like Cannes, Berlin, and Sundance. She is a member of several prestigious film academies, including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, BAFTA, and the Asia Pacific Screen Academy.
 
In her hometown of Bethlehem, she co-founded Dar Jacir, an independent, artist-run cultural space. Her work has been celebrated in retrospectives at venues like the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York and the Toronto International Film Festival.