On April 15, 2025, it was introduced that “Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Stroll” — a collection of filmed video conversations between Iranian documentarian Sepideh Farsi and 25-year-old Palestinian photojournalist, Fatma Hassona — would play within the ACID strand of the Cannes Movie Pageant. On April 16, as they slept of their dwelling in Gaza Metropolis, Fatma, Walaa, Alaa, Yazan, Mohammed, and Muhannad Hassona had been killed by an Israeli airstrike. Fatma’s dad and mom had been wounded and father Raed died later from his accidents.
Remaining duty for the homicide of a vibrant and gifted younger girl who dreamed of visiting the world lies with the Israeli Defence Pressure. Nonetheless, given widespread consciousness of how Palestinians are focused for elevating the profile of the every day struggling induced by the occupation (see additionally the kidnapping of “No Different Land” co-director Hamdan Ballal after its Oscar win) a query hangs over this documentary about how deeply Farsi weighed her obligation of care to her collaborator. Did Fatma determine that talking on this format was well worth the lethal price that it in the end exacted?
If she did, this matter shouldn’t be touched in the midst of the conversations that make up the soul and the substance of this documentary. As a substitute, the brutal information of seven deaths (and we have now met three of Fatma’s members of the family by this level) is starkly introduced in a closing title card that follows a video name on April 15 subtitled, “The Remaining Dialog.”
Right here Sepideh breaks the information to Fatma about Cannes. Fatma is a radiant presence who has been combating again despair over the documentary’s timespan of April 2024-April 2025. It’s been a 12 months by which meals is changing into more durable and more durable to supply and the sound of bombs and Apache helicopters are a every day soundtrack. A lightweight goes on inside Fatma as Sepideh means that she involves Cannes and the dramatic irony feels tasteless and merciless. We all know that she’s going to solely come to Cannes as a nonetheless picture behind the dates 1999-2025.
On this grave context, it’s exhausting to not weigh “Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Stroll” in opposition to the worth of seven lives, an equation that may solely be answered to the movie’s detriment. Complicating this evaluation, nonetheless, is the truth that Fatma had already achieved international recognition for her images. Her pictures find splashes of vivid colour and human faces that pop in opposition to the ruined buildings behind them.
Farsi folds these into the documentary for its most putting and creative sequences as we see new views by way of Fatma’s eyes. Extra slapdash are the newsreel clips designed to situate what Fatma goes by way of in Al Tuffah inside a broader international narrative about Israel’s genocidal battle on Gaza. A wide range of sources from throughout the political spectrum are included whose studies unfold from clashing units of values. This isn’t highlighted or analysed by the movie, it merely muffles an intention to create a transparent body of reference.
To backtrack: Sepideh Farsi was compelled by the pictures popping out of Gaza to journey there. After being denied entrance by way of the Rafah Crossing by way of Cairo, she started filming refugees coming the opposite manner. A person named Ahmed from the identical neighborhood as Fatma launched them and their private connection proved stronger than the sketchy wifi that causes their video conversations to chop out and in.
The rapport between the ladies is plain, even when Sepideh’s try to drive parallels between her personal private historical past in Iran and the unfolding state of affairs in Palestine doesn’t absolutely cohere. Having left Iran on the age of 18, she is not going to return for worry of arrest, nonetheless over the course of their conversations she calls in from France, Morocco, and Italy as a misty-eyed Fatma confesses that she has by no means left Gaza and that to take action is her dream. She is very energized when Sepideh calls from Rome as The Vatican is on her bucket record.
To her credit score, Sepideh is conscious sufficient to personal the surreal gulf between what to her is a traditional life and what has change into Fatma’s regular life. “We’re used to it however we’re not used to it,” mentioned Fatma, “As a result of we will’t get used to killing or bombing or this struggling.” On the outset of their conversations, Fatma beams with a large, white smile at the same time as she narrates the demise and destruction she has witnessed. She is proud to be a Palestinian in Gaza. “The strongest factor is that we have now nothing to lose.”
Conversations contact on the molecular particulars of residing in a destroyed place below every day bombardment. Generally Fatma goes to the balcony to indicate her pen pal the view, and her closeness to this devastation rebirths its horror anew. She has a go browsing WhatsApp of household deaths, every accompanied by a photograph and an outline of the circumstances. There are numerous pictures of kids. They discovered her uncle’s spouse’s head on the street. As she mentioned, Fatma is each used to and never used to her family members being picked off. When her artist pal is martyred, she nonetheless has tears to cry.
This can be a slight, ambling documentary that now has a everlasting shadow over it. Its main girl deserved a stronger movie and an extended life.
Beneath the circumstances IndieWire shouldn’t be awarding a grade. As a substitute, right here is a style of Fatma Hassona’s images.
“Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Stroll” premiered within the ACID part parallel to the 2025 Cannes Movie Pageant. It’s presently in search of U.S. distribution.
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