The Palestinian Film Festival Amsterdam was founded in 2015, with a mission to celebrate classical and contemporary Palestinian cinema by both accomplished and emerging directors. It began in protest at the exclusion of indigenous directors from various film programs, and the resultant restriction of their cinematographic storytelling and distinctive narratives.
From 12 to 15 May 2023, the third PFFA edition will be hosted by Rialto De Pijp. This event commemorates 75 years of Al Nakba, the 1948 mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homeland. The “Catastrophe” has determined the Palestinians' fate, and defined their collective identity, to this day.
Sixteen films consisting of shorts, dramas, animations and documentaries will chronicle this momentous chapter in Palestinian history.
The festival will kick off on Friday 12 May with Jumana Manna’s awarded documentary Foragers, which recently premiered at IDFA. The programme will also feature a Mother’s Day special on Sunday 14 May, highlighting films with strong female themes. Guest director Alia Yunis will screen her nominated documentary The Golden Harvest, followed by a Q&A.
Monday 15 May coincides with Nakba Day and Rialto’s Expat Cinema, concluding the third PFFA with Najwa Najjar’s drama feature Between Heaven & Earth.