The Palestine Film Institute is proud to announce the selection of four emerging Palestinian producers for the 2025 Cannes Producers Network. This significant international platform offers a crucial opportunity to cultivate industry connections, showcase projects, and elevate Palestinian cinema globally.
This is an invaluable chance to expand their networks, gain significant visibility, and advance their producing careers by sharing the slate of films with international film industry partners and players.
For Palestinian filmmakers and producers, participation in international forums such as the Cannes Producers Network is not merely symbolic but a strategic, vital, and pressing necessity. These platforms enable us to share our narratives authentically, reshape perceptions, and develop enduring, independent production avenues grounded in our culture and experiences.
This delegation signifies more than just representation. It reflects a dedication to the advancement of Palestinian cinema through meaningful industry engagement. By establishing collaborations, securing co-productions, and ensuring our voices resonate internationally, our aim is to foster accessibility, create connections, and empower the upcoming generation of producers to confidently bring Palestinian stories to a global audience.
The participation of the Palestinian producers at Marche du Film Producers’ Network was possible with the generous support of The Masharawi Fund, Doha Film Institute, Watermelon Pictures, 2048 Foundation and Hikmat Palestine.
Jiris Copti
Film Producer with a background in Organizational Behavior, bringing over a decade of film production. Co-founder of FRESCO, a leading production company with extensive credits as a Production Manager, Location Manager, and Line Producer across multiple internationally acclaimed films. I recently produced and line-produced Happy Holidays (2024), winner of Best Screenplay at Venice (Orizzonti), the Golden Alexander at Thessaloniki, and the Etoile d’Or at Marrakech. My experience spans over 30 film projects, including feature films, documentaries, shorts, and TV series.
Fresco Films, co-founded by brothers Tony and Jiries Copti, stands at the forefront of innovative storytelling in the film and music industry. With an award-winning record, we have produced compelling cinematic experiences and captivating music videos that resonate globally.
Our recent accolades include The Stranger (Palestine, Syria, Germany, Qatar), directed by Ameer Fakher Eldin, world premiere at Giornate Degli Autori, La Biennale di Venezia, which proudly represented Palestine as its official Best International Feature Film submission at the 94th Academy Awards. This achievement underscores our commitment to powerful narratives.
In 2025, audiences can anticipate the release of Happy Holidays (Palestine, Germany, France, Italy, Qatar), directed by Oscar-nominated Palestinian filmmaker Scandar Copti. It premuered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival and won the Orizzonti Awaed for Best Screenplay, Thessaloniki Film Festival Best Feature Film Award and Etoile D’Or award (Best Film) Additionaly to best actresses at the Marrakech Film Festival.
Beyond our own productions, Fresco Films has established itself as a trusted partner, providing top-notch production services to numerous local and international film projects. Collaborating with esteemed directors such as Ziad Doueiri, Nina Menkes, Rani Massalha and Cherien Dabis, we have contributed to the success of acclaimed films such as The Attack, Giraffada, and the upcoming All That’s Left of You.
With Coptico, an artistic project with a commercial format, we at Fresco Films began bringing our passion for elevated storytelling to business enterprises.
Amnesia
A film By Dima Hamdan
Genre: psychological thrillers, and socio-political dramas; 90 min
Synopsis: A man with no memory wakes up in Jericho on the last night of Ramadan and sets out to uncover his identity. As his past unravels, he becomes entangled in a grieving mother’s tragedy and a town’s suspicions. When his true identity is revealed, the town must choose between justice and survival.
Language: Arabic Hebrew
Stage of development: Funding
Looking for: Sales agent, distributors
Budget: 1 M euro
A Childhood
A film by Scandar Copti
Genre: documentary; 90 min
Synopsis: Unveils the harrowing plight of Palestinian children living under Israeli Occupation.
Drawing from testimonies collected by NGOs and mobile phone footage, the film starkly exposes human rights abuses in the West Bank. Employing animation to reenact the children’s verbal testimonies and emotional states, the film also features Western celebrities narrating in English to make the human rights crisis accessible and heighten awareness of this largely ignored issue.
Rather than solely focusing on Palestinian rights to resist Occupation, as recognized by international law, the film centers on experiences told from their viewpoint. Instead of treating the children as mere instruments to achieve a dramatic goal, the documentary will humanize each child and bring their unique aspirations, apprehensions, and interests to the forefront, aiming to counter the prolonged dehumanization of Palestinians that has facilitated the ongoing Israeli Genocide of Gaza.
Language: Arabic Hebrew
Stage of development: Funding
Looking for:co-producers, broadcasters, pre-sales
Budget: 2.9 M euro
Hug me before you go
A film by Hisham Zreiq
Genre: Short Drama; 15 min
Synopsis: This is the story of Adel, a young Palestinian, and his wife, Amal—a beautiful woman obsessed with the dream of visiting Palestine, her father’s homeland. He loves her deeply and is willing to do anything to make her happy, but to fulfill her dream, he must make a great sacrifice.
Language: Arabic
Stage of development: Funding
Looking for: funds , co-producers, broadcasters, pre-sales
Budget: 100,000 euro
Sarah Mowaswes
A first-generation Palestinian-American filmmaker based in New York. Having worked across a variety of genes that include comedy and political campaigns, her strong suit lies in telling difficult stories in the documentary space. Her producing credits include the Peabody Award winning series Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (Netflix), the Emmy nominated series Glad You Asked (YouTube Originals), the Nanfu Wang directed series Mind Over Murder (HBO), the series Never Let Him Go (Hulu), as well as Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara (Hulu). Recently she produced the musical biopic This a Film About the Black Keys which had its world premiere at SXSW 2024. She is currently producing a feature length film on the Palestinian intellectual Edward Said.
Jigsaw Productions is run by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney. Jigsaw has produced a long list of high-profile films including the Emmy-winning Going Clear, and the Oscar-winning Taxi to the Dark Side. Jigsaw’s stories seek to answer the question of what shapes us as human beings and why.
UNTITLED EDWARD SAID FILM
Synopsis: UNTITLED EDWARD SAID FILM is a sweeping all-archival documentary told in Edward’s voice that traces the evolution of his political awakening, his personal struggles, and his reckoning with a life of exile. The film spans seven decades, from his childhood in 1930s Jerusalem to his death in New York City in 2003, two years after the 9/11 attacks.
Edward’s written and spoken words – some of the most powerful and penetrating ever assembled on Arab identity and the Palestinian cause – will accompany a kinetic audio-visual assemblage culled from decades of unseen home movies, rare television appearances, interviews, debates, lectures, film clips, and Edward’s BBC documentary collaborations from the 1980s and 1990s.At times, Edward’s voiceover will propel the narrative. At other times, we will see him in action in dynamic interviews and contentious debates. We will also see him in exciting verité – with his family, playing piano, traveling to the West Bank, and even visiting his family home in Jerusalem after 45 years of exile. Through a rich archive, we will see many sides of Edward – the brilliant orator, the celebrity intellectual, the erudite professor, the warm and funny father, the passionate musician, the Palestinian activist undeterred by death threats and racist attacks.
UNTITLED EDWARD SAID FILM is the first documentary to be granted full access by the Said Family and estate and features never-before-seen material from the family and Said archives at Columbia University.
Total Budget: $1.5 Million USD
Secured Budget: One Third
Looking for: distribution, co-productions, financing, and partners who believe in Edward’s vision.
Contact:
Sarah Mowaswes | @sarahmowawes | sarah.mowaswes@gmail.com
UNTITLED ARAB PUNK FILM
Synopsis: UNTITLED ARAB PUNK FILM is an intimate verite film that aims to relay the Arab American experience through the lens of modern underground punk rock culture. While punk music is associated with countercultural expression and political advocacy, historically, it is a space that has largely been dominated by white men. In an increasingly tense political climate inching towards the criminalization of Arab id entity and ideological dissent, we follow Arab-fronted punk bands navigating the murky waters of expressing their personal and political ideologies while maintaining their safety.
We aim to answer the question of who exactly is afforded the privilege of expressing anger, distrust, or their own political ideologies through an artistic medium. Is it possible to turn the narrative of the “angry Arab” on its head, or is anger only accepted from members of the ruling class? Weaving together energetic performances with footage following band members as they attempt to maintain a sense of normalcy, we challenge the audience to confront their own American biases towards Arab-Americans.
Currently in development, UNTITLED ARAB PUNK FILM has profiled the Arab fronted noise-punk band Prostitute, whose debut album Attempted Martyr is a direct reaction to the vilification of Arabs in the majority Arab populated city of Dearborn, Michigan.
Total Budget: $30,000 USD
Secured budget: One Third.
Looking for: Financing, co-producers and co-productions, and consultants.
Contact:
Sarah Mowaswes | @sarahmowawes | sarah.mowaswes@gmail.com
May Jabareen
A cultural activist, art manager, and producer at Philistine Films. Active in the industry since 2011, Jabareen has been part of numerous productions including Hany Abu-Assad’s Omar and Huda’s Salon, Hiam Abbass’ The Inheritance, Basil Khalil’s A Gaza Weekend, Firas Khoury’s Alam, Farah Nabulsi’s The Teacher, Brand Andersen’s The Stranger’s Case and Lina Soualem’s Bye Bye Tiberias. Jabareen has acquired wide-ranging experience having worked in several positions within the industry including first and second assistant director, production coordinator, production manager and assistant producer. Most recently, Jabareen has been acting as associate producer for Annemarie Jacir’s upcoming feature film, and as the Palestinian co-producer on an upcoming documentary set in Palestine by the Dutch director Marjolein Busstra. As well as developing two Palestinian series and a short film among other projects. Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Cultural Work and Arts Management from the University of Potsdam in 2019. Upon her return to Palestine from Germany, Jabareen has worked in management and coordination, has taken part in different independent and experimental projects in different art fields, and has dedicated herself to contributing to the Palestinian arts and film industry.
Philistine Films is an independent production company founded in 1997, with offices in Palestine and Jordan. Established to support emerging Arab voices, the company focuses on the development and co-production of feature and documentary films that explore bold, unconventional narratives and challenge mainstream conventions.
Known for its commitment to original and thought-provoking cinema, Philistine Films has produced titles that have premiered at major international festivals including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto, and Tribeca, earning numerous awards and Academy Award nominations.
Since 2008, Philistine Films has also provided trusted production services in both Palestine and Jordan. The company works across a wide range of budgets—from major studio projects to independent films—offering flexible, high-quality support from development through final delivery. With a strong emphasis on independent storytelling, Philistine Films continues to contribute to the growth and visibility of Arab cinema on the regional and international stage
Dyouf
Short Synopsis: Shadi, having to move back to his Bedouin village in Occupied Palestine, gets dragged into helping his mother run a guesthouse in their family home.
“Dyouf” is a 30-minute dramedy with six episodes in its first season. In each episode, we meet new guests who come into the family’s home and set the tone of the episode.
Estimated Budget - USD 3M
Looking for - Partners, Financiers, Broadcasters, SVOD Platforms
Short Synopsis: Shadi, having to move back to his Bedouin village in Occupied Palestine, gets dragged into helping his mother run a guesthouse in their family home.
“Dyouf” is a 30-minute dramedy with six episodes in its first season. In each episode, we meet new guests who come into the family’s home and set the tone of the episode.
Estimated Budget - USD 3M
Looking for - Partners, Financiers, Broadcasters, SVOD Platforms
The Story of Palestine 36 (working title)
Short Synopsis: It is October 2023. A tenacious rogue team of Palestinian filmmakers, with an international cast and crew, navigate dangerous complexities and compromises as they attempt to start production on an epic narrative set in Palestine in 1936, written and directed by Annemarie Jacir. They documented their arduous journey as they overcame numerous surreal, violent and grief-filled challenges– culminating in a premiere in Palestine.
This multimedia creative documentary traces the 2-year saga of difficulties, and the final triumph of the making-of “Palestine 36”. We want to explore and honor the perseverance, talent, and strength required of our artists, striving to manifest cinematic dreams in occupied lands.
Estimated Budget - USD 200,000
Looking for - Financiers, Distributors, SVOD Platforms
Producer’s Contacts and Social Media handles:
may@philistinefilms.com
@mayhope
@philistinefilms
Said Zagha
A Palestinian British director, producer, and screenwriter. He holds a graduate degree from the London Film School and an undergraduate degree from Kenyon College. He is also an alumnus of Berlinale Talents.
He has written, directed, and produced three short films: Five Boys and a Wheel (2016), Lovesick in the West Bank (2021), and Coyotes (2025), which is set to premiere in 2025. He also directed the first two episodes of the Netflix series Crashing Eid (2023).
Said produces through Night Owls Productions, a UK-based production company focused on bold, politically charged films. The company is co-managed by veteran Lebanese producer Myriam Sassine. Night Owls’ upcoming slate includes Coyotes (2025) and Weedestine, a revenge thriller set in Palestine currently in advanced development.
Night Owls is a UK-based production company dedicated to producing feature films, documentaries, and short films with a political edge and visual innovation. Led by experienced producer Myriam Sassine and by filmmaker and producer Said Zagha, the company champions daring cinematic voices and stories that challenge the status quo.
Its upcoming slate includes projects from award-winning filmmakers such as Eliane Raheb’s Homeland Scars and Video Games and Alexandre O. Philippe’s Mafiaworld, and Said Zagha’s debut feature film, Weedestine. Night Owls’ first release will be Coyotes, a nocturnal Palestinian short thriller written and directed by Zagha, premiering in 2025.
Weedestine
(dir. Said Zagha, in advanced development/financing))
Synopsis:
ABBAS (49) is a self-righteous car mechanic living in a West Bank village in the lawless so-called Area C. In this ungoverned region, where the Palestinian Authority requires Israeli permission to enter, Abbas’s town is notorious for cultivating marijuana and smuggling it into Israel.
When Israeli soldiers kill Abbas’s eldest son at a checkpoint during a drug delivery, Abbas places the blame squarely on his brother-in-law AHMAD (55) — the village’s drug lord, and a man he has long despised. Consumed by the need for revenge, Abbas isolates himself from his family. He begins plotting to destroy Ahmad’s drug empire and agrees to inform for an ambitious Palestinian narcotics officer, HUSSEN (41), in the hope of getting Ahmad arrested outside Area C. But Abbas is blind to the quiet desperation of his younger—and only surviving—son, HAMMOUD (22), whose secret plans to flee the country are leading him to forge dangerous alliances. As grief fractures the family, Abbas’s wife MARWA (45) struggles to stop his vengeful spiral.
When Abbas learns Hussen is using him to extort a bribe from Ahmad, his thirst for vengeance ignites. He plots to intercept Hussen’s car and rob his bribe, but the heist fails, culminating in bloodshed and endangering Hammoud and Marwa. To save his son, a heartbroken Abbas must abandon revenge and fight for Hammoud’s escape from a place where the future is vanishing. WEEDESTINE is a neo-noir revenge thriller about a fractured family navigating grief, betrayal, and fleeting justice.
Budget: 1,320,000 euros
Confirmed financing: 155,000 euros
Looking for: financing, co-producers, sales, distribution
Mafiaworld
(dir. Alexandre O Philippe. Feature-length documentary, produced with Supernova Films and Tico Film. In development)
Synopsis: Mafiaworld is an electrifying descent into the hidden world of the Mafia, where cinema and organized crime have long been entangled in a dance of myth and reality. Guided by journalist and writer Attilio Bolzoni, who has spent a lifetime decoding the Mafia’s cryptic codes, the film traverses emblematic places from Sicily to New York, retracing pivotal events and the lives of those who crossed paths with this shadowy institution. Through powerful testimonies, legendary archives, and insights from iconic filmmakers, Mafiaworld lifts the veil on a mutual fascination. Judges, lawyers, and storytellers pull at the invisible threads that bind the silver screen to the criminal underworld. Where does truth end and fiction begin? In this immersive journey, cinema becomes a mirror, a mythmaker, and an accomplice.
Budget: 700,000 euros
Confirmed budget: 55,000 euros
Looking for: Funding, sales, distribution, broadcasters.
Coyotes
(dir. Said Zagha - short film - 2025, in post-production)
(produced with Salaud Morisset and in co-production with The Imaginarium Films and Saffuriya & Ma’alul Productions)
Synopsis: A Palestinian doctor’s nightly commute from Jericho to her home in Ramallah turns treacherous when her tire blows. Surrounded by wild animals on the desolate road, a stranger comes to her rescue. She soon realizes that he’s not the Good Samaritan he seems to be.
Budget: 90,000 euros
Confirmed budget: 85,000 euros
Looking for: finishing funds, festivals.