09/12/2025
This year a journalist asked, “How do you programme the film festival?”
We reflected.
The process of programming a film festival does not start with an aim. It takes shape as we watch the films that are both sourced by us and submitted to the festival. It is therefore shaped by the visions of filmmakers that we see playing on the screen, which so often reflects what feels most urgent, most present in the collective mind and in the world around us.
What became apparent is the call to bear witness. To bear witness to the realities of an ongoing genocide and the repercussions that are felt thousands of miles away in the hearts of people all over the globe. Filmmakers share the voices of those affected, cultivating understanding and dialogue about their lived experiences.
Through bearing witness this year, London Palestine Film Festival 2025 celebrated the art of cinema, a space where stories, memories and imagination come together. Amid so much destruction, artists continue to create.
We thank all of the people who have helped us and supported us, thank you Barbican, ICA, Curzon Soho, Mayfair and Hoxton, Bertha DocHouse, The Garden Cinema, Genesis Cinema, Sands Films Studio, Riverside Studios and FACT Liverpool. Thank you to our sponsors The New Arab, Al Araby Al Jadeed, Al Araby TV, Sawsan Asfari, and Marsm. As well as individuals who prefer to remain anonymous. Thank you to We Are Media Hive who work hard to have our programme covered in local and global press, thank you to all our filmmakers and distributors, and to our partners including Hekayyatna, Gather with Anis and SkatePal.
Thank you to all the organisations and individuals who have shared our programme and distributed our leaflets, and to all those who support us behind the scenes. Thank you to our volunteers, and to each and every ticket holder. Thank you for joining us, for your commitment to the arts, to open cultural exchange, and for your presence this year.
We will see you again soon!
