ISRAELISM
When two young American Jews raised to unconditionally love Israel witness the brutal way Israel treats Palestinians, their lives take sharp left turns.
They join a movement of young American Jews battling the old guard to redefine Judaism’s relationship with Israel, revealing a deepening generational divide over modern Jewish identity.
Directed by Erin Axelman and Sam Eilertsen
Features Peter Beinart, Jeremy Ben-Ami and Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, Simone Zimmerman, Abraham Foxman.
Release year 2024
Time: 7.30 PM
Friday August 8 2025
Entry: NZ$10
Location: Davis Lecture Theatre, Watts Street, Whanganui 4500
Film runs: 84 mins
Watch the trailer here.
The Wanted 18
The Wanted 18 is a 2014 Palestinian-Canadian animated documentary about the efforts of Palestinians in Beit Sahour to start a small local dairy industry during the First Intifada, hiding a herd of 18 dairy cows from Israeli security forces when the dairy collective was deemed a threat to Israel's national security. The film combines documentary interviews with those involved in the events, archival footage, drawings, black-and-white stop-motion animation as well as re-enactments, and was co-directed by Canadian filmmaker Paul Cowan and Palestinian visual artist and director Amer Shomali.
Directed by Paul Cowan (Canadian) and Amer Shomali (Palestinian)
Entry Koha Entry (with all proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestinians)
Time 7.30pm
Saturday 9 August
Location Davis Lecture Theatre, Watts Street, Whanganui 4500
Release year 2014
Awards Abu Dhabi Film Festival Best Documentary from the Arab World (2014), Carthage Film Festival Tanit d'Or for Documentary Feature Film (2014), Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival Award for Long Film (2015), International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights Special Mention of the Jury for Creative Documentary (2015), Traverse City Film Festival Founders Prize for Best Documentary (2015)
Run time 75 minutes
You can watch the trailer here.
Occupied
Who pays the price in a war? Filmed in Palestine between 2016 and 2017, Occupied explores that question through intimate interviews that capture the essence of home, freedom, and occupation. Through local artists’ eyes, it paints a picture of life that becomes a testament to human resilience.
Entry $20 waged, $10 unwaged
Proceeds go to the director and any additional donations are to be donated to MAP Medical Aid for Palestinians.
Watch the trailer here.
It Must Be Heaven
Like a modern Jacques Tati with a hint of Buster Keaton, the director, writer, and actor, Elia Suleiman, embodies another silent version of himself, coming up with new, even subtler and more ingenious ways to portray the Palestinian ghettoisation. This time, in search of homeliness, Suleiman's alter ego travels from Nazareth to Europe, making the first stop at picturesque Paris to promote his movie, and then, off he goes to bustling New York City. There, he meets his friend, the actor, producer, and writer, Gael García Bernal, who is eager to lend a hand; however, it seems that his film is not Palestinian enough. But, when confronted with life's inherent absurdity, what else is there to do but sit back and stare in bewilderment?
The Palestinian Film Festival 2025 is brought to you by
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Winter Wonderfest
WHANGANUI
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Justice for Palestine
PŌNEKE
Justice for Palestine is a group of advocates in Aotearoa who work for justice, freedom and equality for Palestinians. They host rallies, webinars, events in Whanganui-a-Tara.
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WPSG
WHANGANUI PALESTINIAN SOLIDARITY GROUP
WPSG is a small but mighty group of peaceful activists seeking to