Introduction

The Nazra Palestine Short Film Festival was established in 2017 with the aim of promoting and spreading awareness about the Palestinian issue, fostering understanding and dialogue through the art of filmmaking. Nazra, in Arabic, means “gaze”—a name that reflects the spirit and mission of the Festival: to multiply and interweave diverse visions, perceptions, and stories about Palestine, told not only by Palestinians but also by filmmakers from all over the world.

The Festival is founded on the belief that plurality and the exchange of ideas are essential drivers of personal and collective growth. For this reason, Nazra aims at providing its audience with various tools and perspectives to critically and independently analyze a multifaceted and complex reality, offering an alternative to oversimplified narratives and mainstream Western paradigms.

Nazra main objective is to challenge and deconstruct colonial and Western-centric narratives, which are still largely supported. It does so through a language that may seem less powerful but is, in fact, highly expressive, direct, and universal: the language of short films. The life stories, metaphors, symbolism, and historical reconstructions at the heart of the short films tell a reality of injustice, violation of human rights, confinement, and destruction, but also of resilience and struggle for emancipation, of solidarity and hope. All these representations stand as a powerful act of cultural resistance against the ongoing attempts by the State of Israel to erase the traces of Palestinian history and culture – a systematic process that has been going on for over 75 years, parallel to the physical elimination of the Palestinian population.

At the same time, the short films not only shed light on the socio-political reality of Palestine but also stimulate empathy and reflection in the viewer through personal and intimate stories, creating deep connections and transcending geographical boundaries.

Our core values

1. Horizontal structure and collective participation

We firmly believe in horizontality as a guiding principle of our association. Every member and collaborator have the same right to contribute to the decision-making process, ensuring an open, transparent, and inclusive dialogue. The decisions that guide the festival arise from dialogue and consensus, reflecting the plurality of ideas in mutual respect. The assembly is the dialogical space in which collective intelligence is expressed, thus being a relational device capable of producing something other than itself. The development of the method is central to advancing this horizontal and equal dimension in order to make it even more solid. Being aware of how difficult it is to operate collectively; we start from the principle that the very body of the Assembly must be preserved from any form of discrimination or internal prevarication. Our Assembly therefore rejects all forms of fascism, zionism, racism, and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Those who approach and collaborate with Nazra share its goals and mission while keeping the festival independent from any interference or pressure from any political or ideological side. The festival remains a cultural event about Palestine that gives a voice to those who have none and restores dignity to direct and uncensored information. Those who embrace this philosophy will ensure its integrity and strength.

2. Focus on stories and accounts about Palestine

Nazra is committed to providing space for authentic narratives, personal stories, lived experiences, accounts, and visual reportages from those living in Palestine and/or talking about Palestine. The selected short films tell real or imagined stories through the eyes of Palestinians and those who have crossed, studied, or dreamed of Palestine. This work is essential to debunk a colonial, distorted and racialized narrative that is often dominant and mainstream. By bringing Palestinian voices to the forefront and fostering an authentic representation of Palestinian culture and society, we strive to offer an alternative source of information.

3. Remembrance and cultural resistance

Nazra is also a living archive. Preserving images, stories, and testimonies means safeguarding and keeping alive the memory of a population, thereby resisting oblivion and cultural erasure. Each film and testimony become a piece of a mosaic that recounts a population’s resilience and identity, standing against any attempt at historical erasure.

4. Culture as a bridge between societies

We consider culture a fertile ground for dialogue between different peoples to flourish. Through the Festival, we create spaces for connection and cultural and artistic exchange, inviting the public to learn, reflect, and build practices of active solidarity with Palestine. One of our main goals is to foster empathy and engagement, bridging geographical divides.

5. Talent promotion

We enthusiastically support young and emerging Palestinian and non-Palestinian filmmakers who speak about Palestine through their art, by offering them the opportunity to showcase their works internationally. This is made possible by the traveling nature of the festival, which ensures the widespread dissemination of the messages conveyed in the works and provides spaces for the authors to express themselves. In fact, Nazra gives the winners in each category the opportunity to participate in the festival’s opening event in Venice and in other Italian cities hosting the tour. Each year, we hold a prize competition to recognize the talent and value of the films and as a form of support to encourage artistic production, especially for those with less access to resources and opportunities in the film industry. We also welcome the blending of all forms of artistic and narrative expression, recognizing the value of different perspectives as a source of enrichment for culture.

6. Avoidance of all forms of exclusion and discrimination

We are committed to ensuring that all our activities promote respect for human rights and the overcoming of all forms of exclusion and discrimination. We strongly oppose any form of discrimination based on gender, religious beliefs, membership in a particular ethnic, social, or cultural group, or sexual orientation. The festival is an open, safe, and inclusive space where new opportunities are constantly being created to enrich dialogue and build a community based on respect and solidarity. For these reasons, Nazra is open to all authors who wish to participate, without any exclusion, provided that the content of the short films submitted aligns with the festival’s vision. The works are evaluated and selected first by an internal jury and then by an international jury, based solely on their coherence, quality, and expressive capacity.

7. Education and dialogue with young people

One of Nazra’s objectives is to foster discussion with young people from secondary schools and universities, contributing to the creation of accurate and diverse information about the Palestinian population. Through cinema, and thanks to meetings with authors, filmmakers, jurors, and witnesses, we provide insights into ongoing transformations, ensuring an approach free from media manipulation. We aim to create a space for intercultural and multifunctional dialogue, where the diversity of perspectives becomes an opportunity for collective growth.

8. Reinvestment of proceeds

All proceeds from short film screenings will be reinvested to finance future editions of the festival, support all related activities, and contribute to various projects in Palestine. Through this approach, Nazra aims not only to be a cultural festival but also a strong advocate of solidarity and support for Palestinian communities.

Our Vision

Nazra is more than just a festival: since its creation, it has been preserving and disseminating history and stories from and about Palestine, through a practice of cultural resistance that evolves and develops through this collective project.

Nazra aims at being a beacon of hope and justice, building a world where culture and memory become tools of peace, solidarity, and freedom.

This charter of values represents the beating heart of our commitment and project. It will guide the direction of our actions and welcome anyone who wishes to participate in the realization of the festival. United in our passion for culture and respect for people, we will continue walking together toward a future of dignity and recognition for Palestine.