Annemarie Jacir’s ‘Palestine 36’ Set for U.S. Release After Oscar Shortlisting
Exclusive: Limited Release for ‘Palestine 36’ Set for February
Palestine 36, directed by Annemarie Jacir and shortlisted for an Academy Award for Best International Film, is slated for a limited release in New York and Los Angeles on Friday, February 13. Watermelon Pictures has announced a broader rollout across the United States and Canada later in March.
The film will debut at The Angelika Film Center in New York City and Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles. This release follows a series of well-attended sneak preview screenings that took place over Thanksgiving weekend, coinciding with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. More than 50 cities in the U.S. and Canada participated, indicating strong interest in the film.
Palestine 36 premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Audience Award at the São Paulo International Film Festival. Additionally, it has been shortlisted for the European Film Awards, and Jacir received a Best Screenplay nomination at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
Set during the 1936 Palestinian uprising against British colonial rule, the film follows Yusuf, a young villager navigating the tensions between his rural upbringing and the politically charged atmosphere of Jerusalem.
With a current rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film features a notable cast including Hiam Abbass, Saleh Bakri, Liam Cunningham, Jeremy Irons, Yasmine Al Massri, Billy Howle, Dhafer L’Abidine, Karim Daoud Anaya, and Robert Aramayo.
Jacir, whose 2007 debut Salt of This Sea marked a significant milestone as the first film directed by a Palestinian woman at Cannes, previously showcased her second feature, When I Saw You, at the Berlinale.
