A FIDAI FILM
Apr
18
8:00 PM20:00

A FIDAI FILM

In the summer of 1982, the Israeli army invaded Beirut. During this time it raided the Palestinian Research Center and looted its entire archive. “A Fidai Film” explores the visual memory of this looting and appropriates images now in the hands of Israeli archives.

Preceded by IN A MOMENT, I’LL GET BACK TO YOU, FORGET ME NOT, AND PINK SWING.

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THE PALESTINE EXCEPTION
Apr
19
1:00 PM13:00

THE PALESTINE EXCEPTION

After years of right-wing assaults on higher education, attacks took a new form in 2023 and 2024 that has been described as the new McCarthyism. The documentary unfolds as a story of college campuses as sites of both rebellion and repression, places where personal and collective histories converge in unexpected ways.

Preceded by SALT, SIRI MIRI, AND THE DEER’S TOOTH.

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YALLA PARKOUR
Apr
19
6:00 PM18:00

YALLA PARKOUR

In her relentless pursuit of a memory that reinforces her sense of belonging, Areeb crosses paths with Ahmed, a parkour athlete in Gaza, sparking a journey where conflicting aspirations intersect. Nostalgia meets with ambition, and the weight of a confined past meets with an unpredictable future.

Preceded by MASHED POTATOES AND MAQLUBA.

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SPACES OF EXCEPTION
Apr
23
6:00 PM18:00

SPACES OF EXCEPTION

This documentary film profiles the terrains of the Indian reservation and the Palestinian refugee camp - “spaces of exception” - that have become essential in the struggle for decolonization and indigenous autonomy.

Preceded by عَ السطح / On the Rooftop, THE SOUND OF CLOUDS, AND EXCEPTION.

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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Apr
25
8:00 PM20:00

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Chatila and Reda are saving to pay for fake passports to get out of Athens. But when Reda loses their hard-earned cash to his dangerous drug addiction, Chatila hatches an extreme plan, which involves them posing as smugglers and taking hostages in an effort to get him and his best friend out of their hopeless environment before it is too late.

Preceded by BLOOD LIKE WATER.

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From Ground Zero
Jan
5
5:30 PM17:30

From Ground Zero

*SOLD OUT*

22 Palestinian filmmakers living through war, capture their lives in Gaza over the past year, revealing stories beyond the headlines. Their work offers a striking view of life's fragility and the resilience of love in the face of devastation.

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Bisan
Dec
9
7:00 PM19:00

Bisan

Join us for a world premiere screening of Bisan, a Seen Palestine documentary that tells the story of one of the world’s most courageous journalists, Bisan Owda from Gaza.

This film is SOLD OUT.

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Aida Returns
Nov
2
5:00 PM17:00

Aida Returns

Join Us for Palestine Cinema Days in Chicago at Haymarket House. 

On the somber anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, observed on November 2nd, and in an effort to amplify Palestinian voices, we are screening Aida Returns directed by Carol Mansour.

Aida Returns is a poignant, sometimes sad, sometimes painful, sometimes humorous, often absurd story of a multiple journey: the journey of loss as the director’s mother Aida struggled with losing herself to Alzheimer’s disease, but finding solace in her repeated “returning” to the Yafa and Palestine of her youth; the journey of the loss of a parent; and the ultimate return journey back to Yafa where Aida would finally find rest and be herself once more.

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FADIA'S TREE
Jun
29
12:00 PM12:00

FADIA'S TREE

BUY TICKETS

While millions of birds migrate freely in the skies, a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon, yearns for the ancestral homeland she is denied. The homing instincts of the birds highlight the unresolved problems of the region, and this story adopts a birds’ eye perspective to reflect on freedom of movement, exile and the hope of return.

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CLOSING NIGHT: LYD
May
4
7:00 PM19:00

CLOSING NIGHT: LYD

SOLD OUT

Festivities begin at 6pm

LYD follows the rise and fall of Lyd — a 5,000-year-old metropolis that was once a bustling Palestinian town until it was conquered when the State of Israel was established in 1948. As the film unfolds, a chorus of characters creates a tapestry of the Palestinian experience of this city and the trauma left by the massacre and expulsion.

Preceded by RESISTANCE CLIMBING

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YALLAH GAZA
May
1
6:00 PM18:00

YALLAH GAZA

SOLD OUT

YALLAH GAZA explores historical and geopolitical aspects, Palestinian politics, International Law and records. The film bears witness to their “fury to live” and the daily struggle that keeps despair at bay as Palestinians pass this flame, their culture and their land, from one generation to the next.

Preceded by THE REALITY THAT SURPASSES ME

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BYE BYE TIBERIAS (Encore)
Apr
28
3:30 PM15:30

BYE BYE TIBERIAS (Encore)

SOLD OUT

In a moving memoir about the burden of leaving, the endurance of memory, and the determination to forge one’s own destinies and identities, filmmaker Lina Soualem traces the story of her mother — Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass — and their family, whose lives have been defined by separation, exile, and displacement.

Preceded by JAMILA and AN ORANGE FROM JAFFA

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THREE PROMISES
Apr
28
1:00 PM13:00

THREE PROMISES

SOLD OUT

Three Promises is the story of a mother and her camera, of a son and his suppressed memories, and of an entire country. While on the surface there emerges the heartrending portrait of everyday life in times of war, it is the staggering beauty of a mother’s love that is revealed between the lines.

Preceded by HAMZA: THE GHOST CHASING ME and PULSE OF PALESTINE

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THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS
Apr
27
6:00 PM18:00

THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS

SOLD OUT

Israel violates the civil and human rights of Palestinians as a matter of standard, accepted policy. The law is whatever Israel deems to be in the best interest of Jewish Israelis and to the detriment of Palestinians. However, this film follows brave determined individuals who are trying to expose the destructive, unjust, and sometimes invisible ways in which Israel exploits and oppresses Palestinians.

Preceded by SAMIA HALABY: A VIDEO PORTRAIT

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TOMORROW’S FREEDOM
Apr
26
8:00 PM20:00

TOMORROW’S FREEDOM

SOLD OUT

Made over the course of 5 years, this film gains intimate access to the family of imprisoned Palestinian political leader, Marwan Barghouthi. Through his family and a collage of in depth interviews, the immersive documentary is an unflinchingly honest and transformative journey into the saga of Palestinian prisoners, their loved ones, and political representation of Palestinians under occupation. 

Preceded by DAKHLA and HIGH ROADS

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FADIA'S TREE
Apr
24
6:00 PM18:00

FADIA'S TREE

SOLD OUT

While millions of birds migrate freely in the skies, a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon, yearns for the ancestral homeland she is denied. The homing instincts of the birds highlight the unresolved problems of the region, and this story adopts a birds’ eye perspective to reflect on freedom of movement, exile and the hope of return.

Preceded by FOREVER KHALED and MAR MAMA

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ISRAELISM
Apr
21
1:00 PM13:00

ISRAELISM

SOLD OUT

When two young American Jews raised to unconditionally love Israel witness the brutal way Israel treats Palestinians, their lives take sharp left turns. ISRAELISM uniquely explores how Jewish attitudes towards Israel are changing dramatically, with massive consequences for the region.

Preceded by JABAL

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OPENING NIGHT: BYE BYE TIBERIAS
Apr
20
7:00 PM19:00

OPENING NIGHT: BYE BYE TIBERIAS

SOLD OUT

Festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. with a reception.

In a moving memoir about the burden of leaving, the endurance of memory, and the determination to forge one’s own destinies and identities, filmmaker Lina Soualem traces the story of her mother — Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass — and their family, whose lives have been defined by separation, exile, and displacement.

Preceded by JAMILA and AN ORANGE FROM JAFFA

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Yallah Gaza (ENCORE)
Jan
9
6:20 PM18:20

Yallah Gaza (ENCORE)

Yallah Gaza explores historical and geopolitical aspects, Palestinian politics, International Law and records. The film bears witness to their “fury to live” and the daily struggle that keeps despair at bay as Palestinians pass this flame, their culture and their land, from one generation to the next.

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Yallah Gaza
Jan
9
6:00 PM18:00

Yallah Gaza

Yallah Gaza explores historical and geopolitical aspects, Palestinian politics, International Law and records. The film bears witness to their “fury to live” and the daily struggle that keeps despair at bay as Palestinians pass this flame, their culture and their land, from one generation to the next.

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Gaza Film Night (virtual)
Dec
7
8:00 PM20:00

Gaza Film Night (virtual)

The Chicago Palestine Film Festival invites you to attend the virtual screening of two short films: GAZA FOOTBULLET, directed by Gaza based filmmaker Iyad Alasttal and THE NIGHTMARE OF GAZA, by Farah Nabulsi. We hope to see you all there to support Palestinian filmmakers and perspectives.

Interview with renowned filmmaker, Farah Nabulsi, following the screening!

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Bye Bye Tiberias
Oct
16
2:45 PM14:45

Bye Bye Tiberias

In a moving memoir about the burden of leaving, the endurance of memory, and the determination to forge one’s own destinies and identities, filmmaker Lina Soualem traces the story of her mother — Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass — and their family, whose lives have been defined by separation, exile, and displacement.

In partnership with CIFF

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Bye Bye Tiberias
Oct
15
6:45 PM18:45

Bye Bye Tiberias

In a moving memoir about the burden of leaving, the endurance of memory, and the determination to forge one’s own destinies and identities, filmmaker Lina Soualem traces the story of her mother — Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass — and their family, whose lives have been defined by separation, exile, and displacement.

In partnership with CIFF

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Walled Off
Aug
10
8:00 PM20:00

Walled Off

***SOLD OUT***

Director Panel Discussion post screening

From writer, director, producor, editor and composer Vin Arfuso, with producers Anwar Hadid, Kweku Mandela, Roger Waters, Immortal Technique, Yassmine Qaddumi, Bassam Jarbawi and Rob Proto.

A secret museum in an art hotel sparks intrigue when it's revealed to be a creation of controversial artist, Banksy. The film journeys through the hotel, Palestine, and a relevant past to dismantle the mainstream media's bias towards the Palestinian struggle for freedom and equality.

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CLOSING DAY: Boycott (SOLD OUT!)
May
14
1:00 PM13:00

CLOSING DAY: Boycott (SOLD OUT!)

Unbeknownst to most Americans, 34 states passed laws intending to silence those pressuring Israel on its human rights record. Boycott chronicles one of the most consequential First Amendment battles of the past few decades and investigates the question – how did we get here?

Preceded by A TRIP TO THE MOTHERLAND and I AM FROM PALESTINE

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