A powerful new film about the tragic death of five-year-old Hind Rajab is coming to UK cinemas this month. The Voice of Hind Rajab has attracted global attention and has Hollywood support from Brad Pitt and Joaquin Phoenix as executive producers.
Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, the film combines Hind’s real voice with dramatic performances, telling her story through her desperate cries for help. Most of the story takes place in the PRCS call centre in the West Bank, showing how staff tried to negotiate a safe passage with Israeli forces.
The scenes are heart-wrenching. Hind repeatedly pleads, “Please don’t leave me, I’m afraid of the dark.”
Actor Motaz Malhees, who plays Omar—the first call handler to answer Hind’s call—said filming took a heavy emotional toll. “Hearing her voice begging for help made me feel powerless,” he said. “Sometimes it felt like my heart was going to explode.”
“Cinema has a magical power of empathy,” she said. “It lets you live the life of others.”
The film premiered at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, earning a 23-minute standing ovation and winning the Grand Jury Prize.
