Nothing can quite capture the tragedy of Hind Rajab’s death
The Voice of Hind Rajab is a docudrama that follows workers of the Palestine Red Crescent Emergency Call Centre in the West Bank. It centres around their attempt to coordinate the rescue of 5 year-old Hind Rami Iyad Rajab.
It depicts the real story of Hind, who was trapped in a car riddled with 335 bullet holes while surrounded by six dead family members.
The film uses the real recordings of Hind’s voice as she communicates with emergency services, alongside actors portraying the call centre workers.
Those familiar with the story will know how it ends, but this never takes away from the harrowing tension of the film.
There are incredibly moving performances from the cast and intimate, tension-ridden cinematography from director Kaouther Ben Hania and cinematographer Juan Sarmiento G.
The film itself received a record-breaking 23 minute ovation upon its debut at Venice Film Festival.
Nonetheless, it has struggled to find distributors in the West.
Hind’s story is not unique. Her death is only one among the tens of thousands of children already killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Perhaps the greatest tragedy of Hind’s murder was that help was only ever eight minutes away. And yet, those eight minutes are twisted into an infinity.
The Voice of Hind Rajab shows the reality of the lives of the victims of imperialism and genocide in a way that escapes words. “Powerful”, “harrowing,” “moving,” “heartbreaking”—none can quite capture the tragedy of Hind’s death or the horrors of Israel’s genocide.
The film speaks for itself and allows Hind to do so too.
