Our Aims
- To tell the stories of Palestine as widely, accessibly and powerfully as possible
- To amplify Palestinian voices by featuring Palestinian film-makers, speakers and artists
How we do this
- By showing thought-provoking and compelling films that shine a light on Palestinian culture, history, people and politics and challenge one-dimensional views of Palestinians
- By holding cultural events to showcase Palestinian art, culture and artists
- By holding an annual Festival as well as one-off events during the year
- By working in partnership with other arts and community organisations in Leeds and Palestine
History
In 2015 the Festival launched with 6 films and a minimal budget.
From 2016 we added events in March to celebrate International Women’s Day.
By 2019 we were firmly established in the Leeds cultural calendar, that year screening 12 films to nearly 900 people, with several full houses. Our programmes included guest film-makers and commentators, film & food nights and stalls selling Palestinian produce.
In 2020 necessity bred innovation: our first fully on-line festival, now reaching beyond local and national borders, a re-vamped web-site and investment in social media.
In 2024 we marked our 10th anniversary with events throughout the year, including a series on Gaza. Our 2024 Festival ‘Ten Years, One Vision: Culture as Resistance’ is our most ambitious to date, with a programme of 17 film and other cultural events.
The successful growth of our festival has been thanks to:
- Close partnerships with Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds International Film Festival, Otley Courthouse, Screen Seven, Films at Heart , Leeds Beckett and Leeds University, Justice & Peace
- The generous support of sponsors and donors, including Leeds City Councillors and crowd-funding supporters
- The work of a small dedicated team, supplemented at Festival time with volunteers
Access
We want our programme to reach the widest and most diverse audiences possible, so wherever possible:
- our films are ‘pay as you feel’
- we use venues accessible to disabled people and provide full information on disabled access
