With car tires, rocks and mounds of sand as seats, Palestinians of all ages enjoyed a rare trip to the movies on August 10 at a big-screen event on the Gaza waterfront. . The outdoor show – including the children’s cartoon Ferdinand – was for many viewers the first experience of a screened film since Gaza’s last cinema closed over thirty years ago. Organized by the cafe “The Sea is Ours” screenings were intended to promote issues of culture and history endorsed by the conservative Islamist Hamas government.
“I hope one day there will be a cinema, so I can go there and eat popcorn,” said Mohammad Zidan, 13, as other children lay in the sand laughing in front of him. the cartoon.
Cinema used to flourish in Gaza. Palestinians flocked to see Arab, Western and Asian films. But the halls were burned down during the first Intifada in 1987, and again in 1996 during a wave of internal violence. The last cinema, long abandoned, is now a refuge for bats. And while residents of Gaza have been able to attend screenings held from time to time in theaters or other venues, it is rare for such a comprehensive lineup of films, spread over several weeks, to be offered. “We can watch movies on our cellphones, but it’s something new and enjoyable,” said 15-year-old Hadeel Hejji. Ali Mhana, 35, owns a cafe and is a local playwright. The Palestinian said he had never been to a regular cinema. “At sea, there is no need to look for an audience. People are there all the time, including children, who are drawn to the sound and the image and come to see the films,” he said.
