Motaz Malhees (l. front row) and Saja Kilani (r. back row) in a scene from The Voice of Hind Rajab.
HOLYWOOD, CA (LA ELEMENTS) 11/08/2025 – Director Karouther Ben Hania’s latest film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, is a master class in the art of the docudrama. Utilizing a stellar cast of actors as well as the actual emergency calls of the title character, she tells the story about one of the most searing events yet of the current conflict between Israel and Palestine. On January 29, 2024, five-year old Hind Rajab, an uncle, aunt and three cousins were attempting to flee their home in Gaza City when their car was fired upon by an Israeli tank. Ben Hania’s film recreates the events leading up to the death of Hind Rajab, her family and the aid workers who tried desperately to save them.
The Voice of Hind Rajab opens amidst the chaos of the Palestine Red Crescent Society emergency services call center. It is here where dispatchers are tasked with sending ambulances to people caught in the deadly crossfire of the conflict. Hind Rajab’s uncle reaches out to a relative in Germany, who in turn alerts the PRCS to their plight. Soon after, a barrage of gunfire from the Israeli tank kills the entire family except for Hind Rajab and her cousin Layan. The Red Crescent makes contact with Layan who explains that she and Hind are the only two survivors. But there is more gunfire, and the phone goes quiet. The workers fear the worst until Hind picks up the call and explains that everyone is dead except for her. She is alone in the bullet riddled car with the bodies of her dead relatives. At this point, it is Hind Rajab’s actual voice that the audience hears for the first time.
Dispatchers Omar (Motaz Malhees) and Rana (Saja Kilani) are tasked with keeping Hind on the line and comforting her at least until she can be rescued. During that time, she shares joyful details of her life such as being in the Butterfly Class of the Happy Childhood School. But then moments like this give way to the chilling, “The tank is next to me. It’s coming from the front of the car,” as gunfire thunders in the background.
Omar works fiercely to locate a rescue unit for Hind. His relief at discovering one that needs only 8 minutes to reach her, gives way to the authority of Mahdi (Amer Hiehel) who makes the final decision whether a rescue unit goes out or not. Both men understand that time is running out for Hind, but Mahdi must first coordinate and get approval from different entities including the Israeli government. He understands too well the risks of sending a rescue team out in a war zone. His office window is posted with photos of crew who lost their lives while trying to save others. If a rescuer dies, they would have been sent out by him and he must live with that. Hiehel gives a beautifully measured performance. One that eloquently expresses Mahdi’s authority with his growing sense of dread as the movie progresses.
Ben Hania’s skillful fusion of drama with the reality of hearing Hind’s voice begging repeatedly to be saved, gives the audience the sensation of seeing the events as happening in real time. When calls from Hind are dropped, the anxiety is real. And it speaks to the stellar performances of Malhees and Kilani that you can feel something inside of Omar and Rana seem to break a little as events move to their inevitable conclusion.
Coming in at one hour and a half, The Voice of Hind Rajab feels much shorter. No doubt that is because Ben Hania carefully makes us come to know Hind Rajab and care for a child who loved school and who in her final moments, wanted nothing more than to desperately be with her mother. One whose voice will stay with you long after the film is over.
The Voice of Hind Rajab screened at the AFI Film Festival on October 25, 2025.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Director Kaouther Ben Hania
Writer Kaouther Ben Hania
Cast
Rana Hassan Faqih Saja Kilani
Omar A. Alqam Motaz Malhees
Mahdi M. Aljamal Amer Hlehel
Composer Amine Bouhafa
Cinematographer Juan Sarmiento G.
Executive Producers
Karim Ahmad
Samar Akrouk
Jonathan Glazer
Alfonso Cuaron
Joaquin Phoenix
Brad Pitt
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