By popular demand, the Chicago Palestine Film Festival is extended two nights
CHICAGO (CBS) — For 24 years, the Chicago Palestine Film Festival has focused on the Palestinian experience, allowing filmmakers to tell difficult stories of suffering and resilience.
And with the war in Gaza now marking 200 days, the festival has become all the more significant.
For Loyola film student Leena Nabulsi, a two-week vacation to the West Bank to visit family became an opportunity in the summer of 2023.
"I decided to buy a camera because I didn't own one at the time, and I am going to film my trip," Nabulsi said.
With the surge of violence consuming the region, including the assassination of 18-year-old resistance fighter Ibrahim al-Nabulsi by the Israeli army, the storyline for her film was set.
The result was "Pulse of Palestine," a short documentary that offers a taste of the occupied West Bank's culture and climate.
And an interview with Ibrahim's mother.
"A lot of people are somewhat scared to talk about Ibrahim, but I want people to talk about him; I want people to know about him and what he did," said film student Leena Nabulsi.
The 35-minute documentary is just one of the many featured in this year's Chicago Palestine Film Festival, which showcases filmmakers worldwide.
The festival, now underway at the Gene Siskel Film Center, made history this year, selling out all screenings in hours.
According to the festival's executive director, Nina Shoman Dajani, there is a high demand for learning about the Palestinian experience in the shadow of war.
"The everyday stories of the Palestinian people, the human experiences, just like everyone else in the world, are what we hope people will see," Dajani said.
While this tumultuous time has highlighted the community's resiliency, the films featured were all produced before October 7, bringing focus to the long history of conflict.
"They reflect the stories of the Palestinians for many decades, and many are from filmmakers who are not Palestinian and have been working on these films for five, six, seven years," Dajani said.
Due to the high demand for attendance at the festival, organizers have added two nights to the schedule. The festival will now wrap up on May 8.
The Siskel Center has more information on the Chicago Palestine Film Festival and its screenings.
