Palestine Cinema Days 2026 Palestinian films in the Netherlands on Monday 2 November

What is Palestine Cinema Days?

Palestine Cinema Days is a film festival that Filmlab Palestine, a film organisation in Ramallah, organises each year. In autumn 2023 the organisers paused the festival's tenth edition weeks before it was due to start, after the war in Gaza escalated.

On 2 November 2023 a different format began instead, launched by Aflamuna: Palestine Cinema Days Around the World, which Filmlab Palestine now runs. Cinemas, universities, cultural centres and community groups anywhere show Palestinian films on the same day. The organiser says the first year had 171 screenings in 41 countries, and that by 2025 there were more than 1,000 in over 80 countries.

Filmlab Palestine describes the day as a way to keep Palestinian stories visible and to watch them together. Which venue takes part, which films it shows and how it frames the evening is the venue's own decision.

When is Palestine Cinema Days 2026?

The fourth edition of Around the World is on Monday 2 November 2026. A few venues screen on other days around it.

The 2023, 2025 and 2026 editions were all on 2 November, the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration of 1917, a British government statement supporting a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. The 2027 programme has not been announced.

Where to see it in the Netherlands

De Voorkamer, Utrecht (Kanaalstraat 225). An evening with a community dinner, the short film The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing and a conversation. Doors open at 17:30, dinner is at 18:00, the film at 19:00 and the conversation at 19:30.

Hotel Maria Kapel, Hoorn (Korte Achterstraat 2a). A film in the HMK cinema. Walk-in and introduction at 19:00, the film starts at 19:30.

RKZ Bios, Groningen (Emmastraat 15). Three documentaries followed by a discussion, from 20:30, together with the Faculty of Arts of the University of Groningen.

In Utrecht, Slachtstraat Filmtheater shows Return to Haifa after the short They Do Not Exist.

In Wageningen, Nu De Toekomst announces a food-and-film evening from 18:30.

The organiser's list for 2 November also names Filmhuis Cavia, Het Documentaire Paviljoen and Filmtheater de Uitkijk in Amsterdam, Nieuwe Vide Artspace in Haarlem, Campus Fryslân in Leeuwarden, B32 artspace in Maastricht, LUX in Nijmegen, and De Gaffel and WORM in Rotterdam. Tapijn in Maastricht is listed on 5 November. Times and tickets are on each venue's own page.

Which films are shown

Filmlab Palestine puts together a shared selection and every venue picks from it. The films shown in the Netherlands this year include:

They Do Not Exist (Mustafa Abu Ali, 1974, 25 minutes): a documentary about life in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

The Dream (Mohammad Malas, 1987, 45 minutes): refugees in Lebanon talk about their dreams.

Return to Haifa (Kassem Hawal, 1982): a drama after Ghassan Kanafani's novella, about parents who return to their old home in Haifa in 1967.

The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing (Theo Panagopoulos, 17 minutes): a filmmaker takes back a Scottish film archive of Palestinian wildflowers.

Gazawyat: four short documentaries produced by Filmlab Palestine, of 4 to 11 minutes, including Gazawyat: Fidaa.

Foragers (Jumana Manna, 65 minutes), With Hasan in Gaza (Kamal Aljafari, 106 minutes) and Boycott (Julia Bacha, 73 minutes).

So the programme is mostly documentary and short film. Slachtstraat shows two of its films in restored versions.

Talks and discussions

Several venues combine the film with a talk. In Groningen the guests and the audience talk about the films afterwards. In Utrecht De Voorkamer follows its film with a group conversation, and at Slachtstraat Marianne Dagevos, founder of Podium voor Palestina, introduces the writer Ghassan Kanafani and his novella. In Hoorn the artists in residence Andrés and Francisca Khamis Giacoman introduce the film.

Who speaks and what is discussed is the choice of each venue and its guests.

Tickets and how to join

Entry differs per venue, so check the venue's page before you go.

RKZ Bios, Groningen: free, but with limited seats; reserve by booking a €0 ticket on the venue's website.

De Voorkamer, Utrecht: registration is required. Volunteers cook the dinner and you pay by donation.

Nu De Toekomst, Wageningen: the films are free. The Palestinian falafel platter costs €10 (children half price, or pay by donation) and you register for it online.

Slachtstraat, Utrecht: the venue says tickets are free.

Hotel Maria Kapel, Hoorn: the event page gives no ticket price or registration.

Plan to arrive early: several evenings open with an introduction, and the Hoorn evening is listed until 22:00.