'Phenomenal' movie 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' among Oscar nominees for International Feature Film

French-Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania's The Voice of Hind Rajab has been nominated for an Oscar in the International Feature Film category.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the latest round of nominations on Thursday (22 January) as part of the 98th Academy Awards.The Voice of Hind Rajab will be up against It Was Just an Accident (France), Sentimental Value (Norway), The Secret Agent (Brazil), and Sirât (Spain).

The harrowing film recounts the final hours of six-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed by Israeli forces in January 2024 while attempting to flee Gaza City with her family. Central to the film is Hind’s desperate phone call to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, recorded as she lay trapped in a car surrounded by the bodies of her relatives who had already been killed.

"I’m so scared," she pleaded.

Twelve days later, Hind, several members of her family, and two medics who had attempted to reach her were found dead.

Israeli authorities initially stated that no Israeli forces were present at the scene when the Rajab family was killed, as per Al Jazeera. Officials reportedly claimed that the 335 bullet holes found in the family’s car were caused by crossfire between Israeli troops and armed Palestinian fighters.

The outlet further reported that a later investigation conducted by the London-based research group Forensic Architecture – based on satellite imagery and audio recordings from the day – found evidence only of several Israeli Merkava tanks operating near the family’s vehicle, with no indication of any exchange of fire.

Hind’s mother, Wissam Hamadah, gave her blessing for the film and shared intimate details about her daughter with the filmmaker, including Hind’s dream of becoming a dentist and her deep love for the sea.

"For every person who heard my voice and my daughter's pleading voice, yet did not rescue her, I will question them before God on the Day of Judgement," she told the BBC. "How many more mothers are you waiting to feel this pain? How many more children do you want to get killed?"

The Voice of Hind Rajab previously received the Grand Jury Prize Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival in September, an achievement met with a 23-minute standing ovation at its premiere.

During an acceptance speech, filmmaker Ben Hania said Hind’s story "is not hers alone. It is tragically the story of an entire people enduring genocide, inflicted by a criminal Israeli regime that acts with impunity".

In an interview with Middle East Eye’s Mohamed Hashem, actor Motaz Malhees reflected on the emotional weight of the project, saying that despite having read countless scripts throughout his career, he had "never read a script where I couldn't stop crying".

"I remember my tears literally dripping on the script," he shared.

Following the announcement of the Oscar nomination, reactions poured in across social media, including from one journalist who wrote: "The whole world needs to know her story."

Another called it the "most phenomenal" films they've ever seen.

A third hailed it a "masterpiece," adding it was the most "difficult" watch they've experienced.

Another called it a "stunning day" at the Oscars, noting it as a "well-deserved" nomination.

The ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 15 March, with Conan O’Brien set to host the 98th Academy Awards.

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