Palestinian children participated in a jury comprising of 45 children at the 12th Cairo International Festival for Children’s Films held during the period between 14-21 March.
Among the 33 Arab and foreign nations that participated in the festival Iran, Egypt and Greece won prizes. Palestine won the golden prize in the festival’s Arabic contest for the film Ahlamona Mata (Our Dreams, When?) directed by Hisham Kayed.
About the City of Ramallah where he was born, Shadi al Naser, 13 years, said, “everything has been destroyed…when they see us crossing the roadblocks they shoot at us claiming that we cross security blocks and threaten the Israeli security. My father died as a martyr seven months ago while he was playing football.”
Child Jamal al Khalili said, “we have some clubs which will be destroyed also.”
“There is only one screening venue in Ramallah called al Aqaba that was destroyed by the Israeli tanks along with the entertainment city,” said Lina A’rouri, 14.
Despite horror in the Palestinian territories, the Palestinian children are still full of life.
The festival organizers specified a special ceremony for the Palestinian children under the banner “Ghosn al Zayroun.. Tahiyya Le al Somoud” (Olive Tree Branch.. Salute for Resistance) during which seven shows on the Palestinian issue and children were performed. These include the documentary film al Tayr al Akhdar (Green Bird) by Palestinian poet and director Liana Bader through which she depicts the suffering of the Palestinian families in the City of Ramallah in the West Bank and their simple hopes to achieve their rights in education and life.
The Egyptian film al Ghadahab (Anger) by the director Muna Abu al Naser depicts the resistance of the Palestinians to the Israeli occupation while the film Madrasat al Shuhada (Martyrs’ School) by the director Sherif Ramadhan tells about a Palestinian kid whom an Israeli soldier prevents from reaching school -- Albawaba.com
