On 29 January 2024, the Red Crescent (the equivalent of the Red Cross in Muslim-majority nations) received a phone call from a 5-year-old Palestinian girl to say she was trapped in a car in Gaza which had come under heavy fire from an Israeli tank.  The other members of her family had been killed, and she was pleading for someone to help rescue her.  It’s hard to imagine how confusing and traumatic it would be for someone so young.

Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania (Four Daughters) has brought Hind Rajab’s true story to the big screen in the most affecting way possible.  It is told entirely from the perspective of a Red Crescent call centre where a small group of increasing fragile workers talk to the young girl and try to obtain permission for an ambulance to be sent her way.  Those we see on screen are actors but the voice on the other end of the phone is Hind’s.  The film uses actual audio recordings from the day, and it provides a jarring level of authenticity.  It’s almost impossible to not be affected when hearing her impassioned cries for assistance.

I’m reminded of the outstanding Danish drama The Guilty, one of my favourite releases of 2019, where we listen to a two-way phone conversation but only see things from the viewpoint of those in an office.  When used effectively, it’s a technique that builds tension.  It places us in the shoes of the protagonist and, with only the same knowledge they have, we can imagine how we’d react in the same scenario.  What instructions do you give to a 5-year-old to ensure she remains safe?  With the clock ticking, how do you get permission for a Palestinian ambulance to drive through a heavily armed Israeli occupied space?  Can you maintain your emotional composure given lives are at stake?

It’s been another terrific year for international cinema, and The Voice of Hind Rajab has been deservedly honoured since its premiere last September.  It won the runner-up prize at the Venice Film Festival and has been nominated at the upcoming Oscars for best international feature film.  With so much depressing coverage of ongoing wars on news sites and social media, I can understand why some may be apprehensive about subjecting themselves to further distress through this 89-minute drama.  I’m glad I’ve seen it, though.  It’s an eye-opener about not just the Gaza War but also the mentally exhausting work of those within the Red Crescent and Red Cross.

Brilliantly directed by Ben Hania, The Voice of Hind Rajab reminds us how powerful cinema can be.