"THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB" REVIEW

Published on 2/9/2026 

Written by: Braylon Mitchell 

Best International Feature nominee at the 98th Annual Academy Awards 

Directed by: Kaouther Ben Hania 

Cast: Saja Kalani, Motaz Malhees, Amer Hlehel, Clara Khoury, etc. 

Plot: Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A 6-year old girl is trapped in a car under IDF 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.

REVIEW 

Based around using within the film the real life phone call recordings of Hind Rajab's six year old voice, this is an emotionally heavy and vital piece of modern filmmaking. I've read online from some that they didn't think that this film had "much to say as a film" outside of recreating beat for beat the conversations and events of that day, but to me that's entirely the point of this film- it's a true retelling of what happened that day, and what happened entirely speaks for itself. Yes, this film is heightened narrative dramatization but it doesn't necessarily feel that way- something director Kaouther Ben Hania accomplishes exellently, making the basis of blending elements of reality allow the film to effortlessly feel like documetary-esque filmmaking. Ben Hania is no stranger to this form of controlling the constructs of fiction and real life, her previous film "Four Daughters" similary being based around the idea. Shot primarily hand held, with lots of shaky movement and close ups of our actors faces- the tension, urgency, and weight of the situation is translated perfectly. A situation that the film makes painfully transparent has become a common and preventable tragedy in Gaza, finding a powerful balance in making sure audiences around the world remember the names of the innocent people murdered that day while also presenting to us that this isn't rare. As heartbreaking as this film to watch, it is one of the most necessary to watch in years. 

THREE BEST ELEMENTS

• Kaouther Ben Hania's direction. She does a fantastic job of recreating this situation to feel very real in all its tension and emtional weight, establishing a creative blend between dramatization and real life. In particular, there is a shot in the last fifteen or so minutes of the film where real life footage is incorporated brilliantly. 

• The ensemble. All four of our central performances are excellent. 

• The sound design. The usage of the real life recordings of Hind Rajab's voice are a vital aspect of this film, utilized with utmost respect and executed brilliantly. 

WORST ELEMENT 

• Nothing notable to me. 

RATING

8/10

It's a must see, buddy!