Citizen Osama + Q&A

In besieged northern Gaza, Osama, a former artistic photographer turned war documentarian, struggles to protect his wife and newborn while capturing devastation around him. Amid hunger, loss, and trauma, he persists, driven by duty and hope, offering a raw, intimate portrait of resilience and humanity in wartime.

Venice International Film Festival 2026 – Venice Open, out of competition
Official Palestinian submission for the 99th Academy Awards, 2027 – Best International Feature Film

Ahmed Hassouna (Gaza, 1984) is a Palestinian filmmaker and journalist who studied journalism at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. After making a number of short films and documentaries, he directed his first feature, Istrupya, in 2019. In 2024, he contributed Sorry Cinema to From Ground Zero, a collective project featuring films by filmmakers from Gaza. With Citizen Osama, Hassouna once again turns his attention to everyday life in Gaza and the personal experiences of those living through the ongoing conflict.

Istrupya (2019)
Sorry Cinema (2024, From Ground Zero)

Original title: Al mowaten Osama
Director: Ahmed Hassouna
Cast: Osama Al-Ashi
Cinematography: Ahmed Hassouna
Screenwriter: Ahmed Hassouna
Producers: Laura Nikolov, Rashid Masharawi, Ahmed Hassouna
Editor: Denis Le Paven
Music: Rasmus Steen
Sound: Hatem Salmi, Sarah Fasseur-Leroux
Production: Coorigines Production, Masharawi Fund for Films & Filmmakers, Filcam for Media Production
Hungarian Distributor: –
Colour: Colour
Run Time: 69 mins