Review: Gaza Doc ‘Put Your Soul On Your Hand & Walk' Shook Cannes

Through Farsi's lens, we are left with more than just a memory of Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona.
Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk – The Film That Shook Cannes
One of the most talked-about films at this year's Cannes Film Festival is Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk, a documentary by Iranian director Sepideh Farsi. Just two days after it was announced in the ACID (Association for the Distribution of Independent Cinema) line-up, I received an email from the programming filmmakers addressed to critics and journalists. Here are some excerpts from the letter:
'We, filmmakers and members of the ACID team, met Fatma Hassona when we discovered Sepideh Farsi's film Put your soul on your hand and walk during the Cannes programme. Her smile was as magical as her tenacity: bearing witness, photographing Gaza, distributing food despite the bombs, mourning and hunger. We heard her story, we rejoiced at each of her appearances to see her alive, we feared for her. Yesterday, we were shocked to learn that an Israeli missile had targeted her building, killing Fatma and her family. We had watched and programmed a film in which this young woman's life force seemed like a miracle. This is no longer the same film that we are going to support and present in all theaters, starting with Cannes. All of us, filmmakers and spectators alike, must be worthy of her light.'
Farsi included some words of her own. She shared her personal reaction to the news:
'When I heard the news yesterday, I first refused to believe it, thinking it was a mistake, like the one a few months ago when a family with the same surname had perished in an Israeli attack. Incredulous, I called her then sent her a message, and then another one, and another one. All those bright existences were crushed by a finger that pressed on a button and dropped a bomb to erase one more house in Gaza.'
Shortly afterward, filmmaker Ken Loach, a two-time Palme d'Or winner, responded with his own letter, honoring Fatma Hassona: 'Young Fatima clearly foresaw her own murder, and said 'I want a loud death'.' He then ended with a powerful call to action: 'On 15th May, the day of the screening, can we honour this courageous young woman, and her fellow Palestinian journalists, (no foreign journalist has been allowed into Gaza) who gave their lives to bear witness to mass murder. Can we all make her death as loud as possible, and insist that States carry out their duties under the Genocide Convention?'
A wave of support followed. On the first day of the Cannes Film Festival, a third letter was released, denouncing the silence of Hollywood over Israel's military actions in Gaza. The statement quickly gathered over 400 celebrity signatures.
Among the signatories were Joaquin Phoenix, Guillermo del Toro, and Pedro Pascal, Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Susan Sarandon, Viggo Mortensen, Guy Pearce, Brian Cox, Pedro Almodóvar, Melissa Barrera, David Cronenberg, and others. Additional names such as Rooney Mara, Omar Sy, Peter Straughan, Boots Riley, Alice Rohrwacher, Arian Moayed, Odessa Rae, Adèle Haenel, and Noémie Merlant were added later.
When asked why she hadn't signed, Cannes Jury President Juliette Binoche told a reporter, 'I cannot answer you,' before adding, 'You will maybe understand it a little later.' The cryptic response led to speculation that she had been pressured not to sign. A day later, Binoche added her name to the letter.
All of this unfolded before the film had even screened. Naturally, the film's screening became one of the most sought-after tickets at Cannes. When I arrived to the screening, the first thing I noticed was the queue. It stretched two blocks down the street. Many in line were wearing kuffiyehs, turning the entrance into a powerful statement of solidarity with Palestine.
Before the film started, Farsi took the stage. She fought back tears as she introduced the film. Throughout the screening, loud sobs erupted across the room. By the time the credits rolled, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Everyone in the room stood and applauded the filmmaker. She held up a large photo of Fatma raising her fist in defiance. It was, without doubt, the most emotionally charged screening I've ever witnessed at Cannes.
The film is essentially told through a series of video calls between the director and the young photojournalist. What struck me most was that it focused less on the horrors of war, and more on the bond between them. I was pleasantly surprised by that. In fact, I think that's exactly why it hit so much harder. We got to know Fatma Hassona. Her warmth, her humor, her resilience. By the end, it didn't feel like we were just watching a story unfold. It felt like we were losing someone we had come to care about deeply.
There's a scene towards the end that's particularly difficult to watch. It was surely added after her death. The director tells Fatma that the film has been selected for Cannes. Fatma lights up. You can see her unable to contain her joy. Farsi cautiously brings up the possible risks of the film's visibility on this big stage. She suggests relocating her family to a different building for safety, but Fatma refuses. She insists on staying, calling the place her home. What makes this moment so hard-hitting is that we, the viewers, already know what's coming.
The film itself is told in a very specific and intimate way. Farsi often films the screen of her phone during video calls and records news reports playing on her television. She intercuts these 'screened screens' with photographs taken by Fatma. By embedding layers of screen-within-screen imagery, the director draws attention to the act of witnessing. The filmmaking method highlights how contemporary conflict is increasingly seen through interfaces, pixels, and social media platforms. It becomes a document of a genocide being archived in the digital age. We grow closer to Fatma through these calls. Yet, we are always reminded of the barriers that separate us from those in the front lines. These barriers are not just geographical, but technological. Their video calls constantly get disrupted by a loss of connection. The screen becomes both a portal and a partition, a channel of connection and a wall.
Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk is not just a film. It is an elegy, a protest, and a record of resistance. It immortalizes a voice that tried to make the world see, even as that world looked away. Through Farsi's lens, we are left with more than just a memory of Fatma Hassona. We are left with an obligation. To witness. To remember. To speak. To act.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

See - Sada Elbalad

3 days ago

• See - Sada Elbalad

Pakistani Amb. in Cairo Meets Chairman of National Media Authority

Basant Ahmed Pakistani Ambassador to Cairo Aamir Shouket met with Chairman of National Media Authority (NMA/Maspero) in Egypt Mr. Ahmed Al-Moslemany, the Pakistani Embassy said on "X". The Ambassador lauded the Historical Brotherly relations between Pakistan and Egypt reflected in touching cultural landmarks, and thriving as a glowing evidence of strong Cultural Affinity, Literary and Artistic outlook of people of Pakistan and Egypt. Chairman of NMA Mr. Ahmed Al-Moslemany highlighted the Respect and Affection amongst Egyptian people for the Poet of The East Allama Muhammad Iqbal. The Chairman of NMA expressed strong admiration for Iqbal's Philosophy that influences Hearts and Sentimens, leaving an unforgettable imprint amongst Egyptian and Pakistan people through iconic performance of Kawkab AlSharq Umm Kulthum. During The meeting, it was agreed to reinvigorate existing mechanism of media cooperation under Cultural Cooperation Agreement between Pakistan and Egypt. It was also agreed to consolidate the existing cultural and media cooperation while simultaneously exploring avenues for joint production aimed at bringing the brotherly people of the two countries more closer. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand

CairoScene

3 days ago

• CairoScene

Award-Winning ‘East of Noon' to Premiere in Egypt at Zawya Cinema

Following its Cannes debut and international festival run, 'East of Noon' by Hala Elkoussy will screen in Egypt for the first time at Zawya Cinema starting June 25th. Jun 20, 2025 Hala Elkoussy's award-winning debut feature 'East of Noon' will make its Egyptian premiere at Zawya Cinema on June 25th. The opening night will include a Q&A session with Elkoussy following the 7 PM screening, marking the film's first local showing since its international festival debut. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight, where it won the Société des Auteurs award, and was later selected for the Berlin International Film Festival. 'East of Noon' has since earned multiple accolades for its striking visual language and layered, allegorical narrative. Set in a timeless fictional world, the film follows 19-year-old Abdo, a gifted musician challenging an inert system governed by the ageing showman Shawky and the enigmatic storyteller Jalala. Through its symbolic framework, 'East of Noon' reflects on themes of power, resistance, and the role of creative expression under oppressive systems.

Egypt Today

4 days ago

• Egypt Today

Cannes winner ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA set for release across France

Fresh off winning the Best Director Award at Cannes, Tarzan and Arab Nasser's comedy-drama ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA is set to release in theaters across France this month, offering audiences a unique gripping narrative from the heart of Gaza. The screenings, which will be held in the presence of one-half of the director duo Arab Nasser, will be held on the following dates: Thursday, June 19th – Premiere in Marseille at Les Variétés Friday, June 20th – Premiere in Toulouse at American Cosmo Sunday, June 22nd– Premiere in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône at Utopia Stella Monday, June 23rd – Premiere in Paris at mk2 Gambetta Tuesday, June 24th – Premiere in Orléans Wednesday, June 25th – Premiere in Paris at Majestic Bastille Thursday, June 26th – Premiere in Saint-Denis at L'Ecra ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA explores the gripping story of Yahya, a young student who forges a friendship with Osama, a charismatic restaurant owner with a big heart. Together, they begin peddling drugs while delivering falafel sandwiches, but they are soon forced to grapple with a corrupt cop and his oversized ego. An international co-production between France, Palestine, Germany, and Portugal with Qatar and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the film boasts a stellar cast that includes Nader Abd Alhay, who is known for his role as Sami in FARAH, which is streaming now on Netflix; Ramzi Maqdisi (GHOST HUNTING, awarded Best Documentary at the Berlinale), Majd Eid (Cannes Winning title HOLY SPIDER); DOP Christophe Graillot (RIDE ABOVE) and editor Sophie Reine, who won the Best Editing Award at the César Awards for her work in THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Directed by the Nasser Brothers from a screenplay co-written with Amer Nasser and Marie Legrand, ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA is produced by Rani Massalha and Marie Legrand from Les Films du Tambour and Muriel Merlin of Lyly Productions. Additionally, the film was co-produced with Rise Studios (Amanda Turnbull and Ziad Srouji), Made in Palestine Project (Rashid Abdelhamid), Red Balloon Film (Dorothe Benemeier), Riva Filmproduktion (Mickael Eckelt and Lena Zimmerhackel), Ukbar Filmes (Pandora Da Cunha Telles and Pablo Iraola), and executive produced by Jordan Pioneers Multi Media & Slate Films Services (Khaled Haddad) in association with A. A. Films (Ahmed Amer), Cocoon Films (Sawsan Asfari), Radio e Televisao De Portugal, and Kometa (Edyta Janczak-Hiriart). Twin brothers Tarzan and Arab Nasser were born in Gaza in 1988. In 2013, their short film CONDOM LEAD was selected for the Main Competition at Cannes. Their first feature film, DÉGRADÉ, also premiered as part of Cannes' Critics' Week. Their second feature, GAZA MON AMOUR, premiered in the Horizons Program of the Venice International Film Festival and was Palestine's submission to the 2021 Academy Awards.