At the Cinema for Peace Gala in Berlin, director Kaouther Ben Hania was awarded for her film 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' but refused to accept it, citing the need for accountability amid the Gaza conflict. The event, hosted by Bob Geldof and attended by Hillary Clinton and Kevin Spacey, also honored Noam Tibon for his role in a documentary about his family's rescue from Hamas. Ben Hania used her speech to denounce what she described as genocide and call for justice.
The Cinema for Peace Gala took place on Monday night at the Adlon Hotel in Berlin, drawing notable figures including former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and actor Kevin Spacey. Hosted by musician Bob Geldof, the event recognized contributions to peace through film.
Kaouther Ben Hania's documentary 'The Voice of Hind Rajab', which chronicles the Palestinian Red Crescent's attempts to rescue five-year-old Hind Rajab during the Israeli invasion of Gaza in 2024, received the 'most valuable film' award. The film, nominated for Oscars and BAFTAs, details the tragic killing of Rajab, her family, and two paramedics by Israeli Defense Forces.
In her acceptance speech, Ben Hania expressed, 'I feel responsibility more than gratitude.' She stated, 'What happened to Hind is not an exception. It’s a part of a genocide. And tonight, in Berlin, there are people who gave political cover to that genocide by reframing the mass civilian killing as self-defense.' She added, 'Peace is not a perfume sprayed over violence so power can feel refined, and can feel comfortable. And cinema is not image-laundering.'
Ben Hania emphasized justice, saying, 'Justice means accountability. Without accountability, there is no peace. The Israeli army killed Hind Rajab; killed her family; killed the two paramedics who came to save her, with the complicity of the world’s most powerful governments and institutions.' She refused the award, leaving it behind as 'a reminder,' and vowed to accept it only when peace includes accountability for what she called genocide.
The gala also honored Noam Tibon, a former Israeli general and subject of the Canadian documentary 'The Road Between Us,' which covers the rescue of his family from Hamas following the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Host Bob Geldof criticized President Donald Trump, calling him 'a fucking idiot' for dismissing climate change and urging him to 'shut up.'
