“Palestine 36” Reclaims a Forgotten History Amidst Contemporary Conflict
Palestine’s official entry for the Oscars’ international feature film race, “Palestine 36,” offers a timely and powerful reconstruction of the 1936 Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule – a period largely absent from mainstream historical narratives. Directed by Annemarie Jacir, the film is described as a “passion project” deeply rooted in exploring Palestinian identity, but presented on a scale far exceeding her previous works like “When I Saw You,” “Salt of This Sea,” and “Wajib.”
The historical epic centers on Yusuf, a young man caught in the escalating political turmoil in Jerusalem and his village, fueled by British crackdowns in response to the influx of Jewish immigrants fleeing antisemitism in Europe. A high-profile cast, including Jeremy Irons as a colonial commissioner, Hiam Abbas (“Succession”), Liam Cunningham, and Saleh Bakri (“The Teacher”), brings this complex story to life.
Production of “Palestine 36” faced unexpected disruption when the Israel-Hamas War erupted on October 7, 2023, just one week before principal photography was slated to begin in Bethlehem. According to reports, filming was initially paused and then relocated to Jordan before resuming in Palestine.
The film recently premiered in the Middle East at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, following successful launches at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Marrakech Film Festival, where it served as the closing film. Watermelon Pictures will release “Palestine 36” in the U.S. in early 2026, accompanied by a series of conversations featuring prominent figures like Mark Ruffalo, Diego Luna, Susan Sarandon, Riz Ahmed, Ava DuVernay, Mira Nair, Julie Delpy, and Ramy Youssef.
Jacir discussed her extensive research process and initial reactions to screenings for U.S. audiences with Variety. A central character, Khuloud, a “feisty female journalist,” is inspired by numerous real women working in Palestine, Lebanon, and Egypt during that era. These women, she explained, often adopted male pseudonyms for two key reasons: to gain credibility in a male-dominated field and to protect themselves from a censoring colonial government – a danger that, as she pointed out, “is still the case today.”
The film delves into the complex political landscape of the time, revealing a surprising element of collusion. Jacir uncovered evidence of a “Zionist Commission for Arab Affairs” actively placing articles in Arabic newspapers to influence public opinion. “That’s so modern,” she remarked, noting the parallels to contemporary disinformation tactics. She further explained that the Zionists established a Muslim Association to undermine the solidarity of existing Palestinian national parties – the Muslim Christian associations – a classic example of “divide and conquer” tactics.
Jacir emphasized the continued relevance of internal Palestinian factionalism, stating, “Absolutely. We still see that kind of thing going on.” She firmly asserted that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not fundamentally religious, despite attempts to frame it as such. “People want to turn it into a religious conflict by saying: ‘Oh, Jews and Muslims have been fighting for thousands of years.’ But it’s not a religious conflict.” She highlighted the ongoing efforts to exploit divisions, citing the Israeli military’s recruitment of Druze soldiers – a community considered part of the broader Palestinian population – as a tactic to create separation.
The film’s historical grounding is supported by extensive research, including works by Rashid Khalid (“The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine”), Tom Segev, and Ilan Pappe. While Khalid has not yet viewed the film, other historians, such as Charles Anderson and Avi Shlaim, have offered positive responses. Jacir admitted to feeling more pressure from the academic community than from film critics, stating, “I don’t care about the reviews, I care about these guys.”
The timing of the film’s production, coinciding with the escalation of the conflict on October 7th, was described as “insane” and “emotionally very difficult.” Jacir reflected on the surreal experience of filming a story about historical violence while witnessing an unprecedented surge in contemporary violence. “We always think we’ve lived through a dark moment of history, and then we find ourselves living an even darker one,” she said.
Acknowledging the film’s perspective, Jacir made a deliberate choice to include archival footage of Jewish refugees fleeing persecution in Europe. She explained this decision was crucial to provide context, emphasizing that Palestine has historically been a haven for diverse communities, including Armenians, Circassians, Bosnians, and Jewish people seeking refuge from fascism and Nazism. “I wanted to show the people on those boats coming in because we were a country…that a lot of people have been coming in and out of for thousands and thousands of years,” she stated. She clarified that while acknowledging the suffering of Jewish refugees, it’s important to recognize they were later “used for a political project.”
Following a week-long sneak preview in U.S. theaters, “Palestine 36” is poised for a wider release in early 2026. Jacir expressed optimism about the film’s reception by American audiences, noting a shift in the political climate and a growing openness to Palestinian narratives. She observed a surprising demographic at recent screenings – “a bunch of 18-year-olds…like old-school progressives” – and a noticeable absence of the aggressive reactions she had previously encountered. “I feel something is happening,” she concluded. “The climate is really bad. But also something has happened for the better. I think people are open.”
