Passing dreams

Rashid Masharawi is a pioneering Palestinian filmmaker, born and raised in the Shati refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. A self-taught director, he became one of the first Palestinian filmmakers to shoot inside the occupied territories, using cinema as a powerful medium to reflect daily life under conflict. His debut feature Curfew (1993) gained international recognition, followed by Haifa (1996), the first Palestinian film selected at the Cannes Film Festival. Over the years, his films—such as Ticket to Jerusalem, Waiting and Laila’s Birthday have screened at major film festivals worldwide and earned numerous awards, building his reputation as a central figure in Arab cinema. In 1996, he founded the Cinema Production and Distribution Center in Ramallah to support emerging Palestinian filmmakers through workshops, training, and mobile cinema initiatives. Many acclaimed Palestinian directors began their careers under his mentorship. Even during pandemic lockdowns, he continued creating, developing innovative film projects from within his community. Masharawi remains dedicated to both his artistic practice and the development of Palestinian cinema.