Three short films focusing on the Gaza conflict have been nominated for the prestigious 2026 Academy Awards with two Israeli films and one Tunisian film making the cut.
The films highlight the impact of the ongoing war in Gaza and the human suffering it has caused.
One of the nominated films is “The Voice of Hind Rajab” from Tunisia, which has been shortlisted for Best International Feature Film. Directed by Kauthar Ben Hnia, this documentary-drama portrays the story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, who was reportedly killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza last year. The film includes a dramatic portrayal of efforts by the Palestinian Red Crescent to save her, as well as an audio recording of the girl making a desperate call for help amid her family’s deaths.
Another nominated film, “Butcher’s Stain”, is a short live-action Israeli film about an Arab butcher, Samir, in Tel Aviv. He faces accusations related to removing posters of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during the October 2023 attack. The film depicts his struggle to prove his innocence amid violence, oppression, and legal battles.
The third film, “Children No More: Were and Are Gone”, is an Israeli documentary short film. Directed by Hila Madalia, it portrays a silent protest that began in March 2025 in Tel Aviv, where demonstrators, holding photographs of children killed in Gaza, gathered every week. Over time, the protest grew into a larger symbolic movement.
However, several Israeli films submitted for the Oscars were rejected, as many were deemed to contain purely propagandist content aimed at presenting Israel as humanitarian. The academy chose to focus on films that genuinely address the human cost of the Gaza conflict, reflecting the voices of the oppressed.
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