Film and history.
It’s not always a comfortable pairing.
For decades, the story of Palestine in the years leading up to the creation of the State of Israel has been shaped as much by legend as by fact—through popular books like Leon Uris’s EXODUS and other works, that are, if not entirely inaccurate, certainly have presented a skewed perspective on the historical reality.
There’s a famous line near the end of John Ford’s THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE.
“When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”
It’s a memorable line—but it raises an uncomfortable question.
What happens when the facts challenge the legend?
In the new film PALESTINE ’36, filmmaker Annemarie Jacir (JAH-SEER) provides a different take on that same place and period. The film arrives at a time when the world is re-examining what has heretofore been the accepted fact, and it provides some needed context on the era that has previously been missing in narrative cinema.
But beyond its role in addressing history, the film is also a stirring drama, with remarkable work being delivered both in front of and behind the camera. The film received a 20-minute standing ovation when it premiered at the 2025 Toronto Film Festival, and it was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature.
PALESTINE ’36 will begin its North American release when it opens in New York City on March 20, expanding to LA on March 27, and beyond in the weeks that follow.
We had the good fortune to sit down in person with filmmaker Annemarie Jacir at the Royal Theatre so we could learn more about the film and the incredibly difficult journey it took to bring this story to the screen.
Our conversation with Annemarie Jacir on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE… starting now
1936. As villages across Mandatory Palestine rise against British colonial rule, Yusuf drifts between his rural home and the restless energy of Jerusalem, longing for a future beyond the growing unrest. But history is relentless. With rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe, and the Palestinian population uniting in the largest and longest uprising against Britain’s 30-year dominion, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region.