‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ Entered in Oscar Contest by Tunisia Ahead of Venice Premiere

Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab” has been selected as the Tunisian candidate in the contest for the best international feature film Oscar at the 98th Academy Awards.

As reported by Variety, Brad Pitt and Joaquin Phoenix are among the Hollywood stars who have boarded the film as executive producers ahead of its world premiere in Venice Film Festival’s competition section and its North American premiere at Toronto in the Special Presentations strand.

The film is based on real events on Jan. 29, 2024, when Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A 6-year-old girl, Hind Rajab, is trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her.

The film recreates this emergency as a narrative work using actual call recordings and scripted re-enactments based on first-hand testimonies and transcripts.

The director was a 2024 Oscar nominee for best documentary feature for “Four Daughters.” Her previous feature film, “The Man Who Sold His Skin,” was nominated for the best international feature film Oscar in 2021.

“The Voice of Hind Rajab” is produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha, Odessa Rae and James Wilson. The production companies are Mime Films and Tanit Films.

The U.S. sale is being handled by CAA Media Finance, while international sales are being led by The Party Film Sales.

Territory rights taken so far include Baltics (Kino Pavasaris), Balkans (Kino Mediteran), Belgium (Cineart), Greece (Cinobo), Hong Kong (Golden Scene), Italy (I Wonder Pictures), Japan (New Select), Poland (New Horizons), Portugal (Nitrato), Spain (Revolutionary), Thailand (Sahamongkol) and Turkey (Bir Film).