Sun Sep 07 03:29:29 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**”Voice of Hind Rajab” Wins Silver Lion at Venice, Director Calls for Accountability for Israeli Actions in Gaza**

**Venice, Italy** – “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a harrowing docudrama by French-Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania about the killing of a five-year-old Palestinian girl by Israeli forces in Gaza, was awarded the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday. The film, which uses audio from Hind Rajab’s desperate calls to rescuers as she was trapped in a car with her murdered family, was narrowly edged out by Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother” for the top prize, the Golden Lion.

Ben Hania dedicated her award to Hind Rajab, stating that her story represents “an entire people enduring genocide” and demanding accountability for the killings. “Cinema cannot bring Hind back… but cinema can preserve her voice, make it resonate across borders,” she said. “Her voice will continue to echo until accountability is real, until justice is served.”

Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of over 64,000 Palestinians, including more than 18,000 children, has been a prominent theme at this year’s festival. Golden Lion winner Jim Jarmusch expressed his opposition to the conflict by wearing a badge that read “Enough.”

Several other award winners also spoke out about the situation in Gaza, including Toni Servillo, who won Best Actor for his role in “La Grazia,” and Annapurna Roy, who won Best Director in the Horizons sidebar for “Songs of Forgotton Trees.” Roy declared her solidarity with Palestine, stating, “Every child deserves peace, freedom, liberation, and Palestine is no exception.”

The Venice Film Festival is considered a key indicator for the upcoming awards season, with past premiers often receiving significant Oscar attention. Other notable winners at the festival included Benny Safdie for Best Director (“The Smashing Machine”) and Xin Zhilei for Best Actress (“The Sun Rises On Us All”).

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