Cannes Jury President Condemns Killing of Palestinian Journalist

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As a film enthusiast, I found myself in the midst of a stirring conversation during the opening press conference of the Cannes Film Festival. The topic at hand was the silence and inaction within our industry, particularly following the tragic killing of Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona last month. A question was posed to me about my stance on this matter, but I chose to remain elusive at the time, stating that you might find out later.

However, during the festival’s opening ceremony just a few hours later, draped in a white hooded gown, I took the stage and passionately addressed Fatma Hassona. “On the 16th of last April, at dawn in Gaza,” I began, “at the tender age of 25, the photojournalist Fatma Hassona and ten of her relatives were taken by a missile that struck their home.” I then shared a poem written by Hassona about her own death, penned before she was taken from us.

“The night before her death,” I continued, “she learned that the film in which she appeared was selected here at Cannes.” It is a tragedy that Fatma should have been among us tonight.

Binoche’s full remarks are below:

Artists can serve as witnesses for others, especially in times of great suffering. The more intense the hardship, the greater their role becomes. From wars and poverty, to climate change, misogyny – the evil demons of our barbarism show no mercy. Today, the gale of sorrow is fierce and sweeps away even the weakest among us – the hostages of October 7 and all victims alike, the imprisoned, the lost at sea, who endure terror and die in a profound sense of neglect and apathy. In the face of this tempestuous storm, we must strive to create tranquility; transform our disparate perspectives into renewed hope; heal our lack of knowledge; let go of our fears, our self-centeredness; change direction; and, when confronted with arrogance, restore humility – humility. Humility comes from the Latin word humus, meaning soil or humbleness. We must return it to its proper place.

“In every region in the world, artists are fighting every day and making an art of this resistance.

Last April 16th, at dawn in Gaza, Fatma Hassona, a 25-year-old photojournalist, along with ten of her relatives, tragically lost their lives when a missile hit their home. In her writings, she expressed: ‘My spirit was pierced by death / the attacker’s bullet passed through me / and I transformed into an angel / in the sight of a vast city / greater than my dreams / larger than this very city. / I became a revered poet in the eyes of a forest / secluding myself / and offering a cypress.’

On the eve of her passing, she discovered that the movie she was in had been chosen for screening at Cannes. If only Fatma could have joined us tonight. Art endures, serving as a poignant reminder of our lives and aspirations. As viewers, we find solace in it. May Cannes, the city where fortunes can turn, continue to inspire such creations.

The Latin word for “earth” or “ground.”

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2025-05-14 00:36