Natalie D.C.
On January 29, 2024, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl named Hind Rajab was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) alongside six of her family members while fleeing from the Gaza City neighborhood of Tel al-Hawa. After staying on the line with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) for hours, she was almost rescued by paramedics minutes away from her location before they, too, were killed by the IDF.
After hearing the over-70-minute recording of Hind’s call to the PRCS—which was published online in the twelve days when her fate was unknown—Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania was inspired to write, direct, and co-edit the genre-bending, nail-biting docudrama The Voice of Hind Rajab (2025) which features real audio recordings of Hind’s call, footage of the Red Crescent volunteers who answered her call, and a testimonial from Hind’s mother in the aftermath of her daughter’s and family members’ murders.
Harrowing and timely, The Voice of Hind Rajab is a film like no other as it amplifies not only the story of one little girl, but also the stories of tens of thousands of children who have been slain during Israel’s escalated genocide in Gaza.
A co-production between Tunisia and France, The Voice of Hind Rajab has been shortlisted for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards and opens in U.S. theaters in January courtesy of Willa.
One of the most admirable qualities of this film is its determination to humanize everyone trapped in this unimaginable situation, from Hind and her family members’ disembodied voices to the Red Crescent volunteers whose response is passionately reenacted by a small, yet mighty cast.
Despite barely getting to know them, viewers immediately get a sense of each volunteer’s distinct personalities and roles within the tightly-woven narrative: righteously angry Omar (Motaz Malhees) who establishes first contact with Hind; sweet Rana (Saja Kilani) who connects with the frightened girl the most; no-nonsense Mahdi (Amer Hlehel) who has seen too many of his paramedic colleagues get killed; calm Nisreen (Clara Khoury) whose counseling binds the team together; and disconnected Leila (Nesbat Serhan) who helps amplify Hind’s voice across social media.
By distinguishing and spotlighting everyone’s roles, hopes, and fears, Ben Hania succeeds in packing each moment of The Voice of Hind Rajab with mind-numbing tension, a sense that never weighs the film down, but, instead, propels it forward at a lightning-fast pace. Another highlight of this film is its ability to use voice as a conduit for storytelling. While The Voice of Hind Rajab is shot beautifully, its true substance lies in sound.
As its title asserts, Hind’s confused, petrified cries shape the film’s narrative—the urgency of the Red Crescent volunteers’ individual responses as well as viewers’ proximity to unraveling Hind’s devastating fate. Hind’s voice is her only connection to the outside world and the world’s only connection to her and every other child mercilessly victimized by the IDF, making her story and subsequent last hours of life all the more heartbreaking to listen and bear witness to.
The voices of the Gazan population are not the only ones amplified. As Mahdi explains in a frantic phone call with Hind’s safe, yet terrified family member, the West Bank-based PRCS’s process is best represented by an infinity symbol; their volunteers’ voices cry out into the void as they desperately attempt to “coordinate” with the IDF to ensure safe passage for paramedics stationed in Gaza, a task that, far too often, proves impossible.
Finally, the film proves itself as a modern-day masterpiece through its genre-bending nature. From the beginning, on-screen text outlines the context behind Hind’s call and the authenticity of her voice. Towards the end, the film’s drama evolves into a documentary.
First, a disembodied hand breaks the fourth wall by silently holding a phone up to the camera with video of the real life Red Crescent volunteers answering Hind’s desperate pleas, their doppelgangers flawlessly reenacting the scene in the background. Then, viewers learn of Hind’s fate through a series of textual explanations, footage of her family’s car (riddled with 335 bullets) and her almost-rescuer’s truck (bombed beyond recognition), and, finally, a heartbreaking testimonial from Hind’s mother herself.
The Voice of Hind Rajab is not only a technical feat of filmmaking, but also a filter through which the world can finally bear witness to Hind’s story. A must-watch for every film-lover regardless of political affiliation, this docudrama, above all else, underscores the need for awareness, justice, and a free Palestine.
