Palestine 36 Overcomes Bans to Reach Oscars International Feature Shortlist

Annemarie Jacir fought to keep a pivotal Jerusalem wall scene in her epic about the 1936 Palestinian uprising against British rule, even after the October 7 Hamas attack halted production. She filmed additional material in Jordan and later returned to Palestine to complete the project, making it the only feature shot there in the past two years. Palestine 36 debuted at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, receiving a 20-minute standing ovation, and later secured Best Film at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

By December it had been shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards. A month later, Israeli police shut a Jerusalem screening at Yabous Cultural Centre and issued a notice forbidding future showings under an anti-terrorism provision. The film is now playing in Australian cinemas, aiming to educate global audiences about the 1936 revolt and its relevance to contemporary conflicts.