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Palestine '36

Play trailer 1:48 Poster for Palestine '36 Now Playing 1h 58m Biography History Drama War Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 33 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
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.
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Palestine '36

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Critics Consensus

A sweeping yet intimate historical epic, Palestine '36 demands careful attention to its intricately woven storytelling, rewarding viewers with a humanist, clear-eyed act of remembrance.

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Critics Reviews

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Bilge Ebiri New York Magazine/Vulture 1d
At a time when our movies feel as though they’re getting smaller and more meaningless, it’s refreshing to see works of such sweep and ambition, whatever their flaws may be. Go to Full Review
Ben Kenigsberg New York Times 5d
The dynamics are rarely simply drawn, and if the film’s default mode is miniseries-expository, there are a few striking stylistic flourishes. Go to Full Review
Donald Clarke Irish Times Dec 20
3/5
Making skilful use of colourised archive footage, the film drags up not just unavoidable pointers to the area’s current miseries, but also reminders of similar western interventions in parts as remote as Vietnam and (yes) Ireland. Go to Full Review
Dom Fisher Geek Vibes Nation 7h
7.5/10
Palestine '36 is an eye-opening, essential, and unforgettable experience. This film is critical nourishment for a vital understanding of an ever-evolving and seemingly endless conflict that continues today Go to Full Review
April Neale AWFJ.org 1d
Annemarie Jacir’s period drama combines historical scale with intimate human storytelling, approaching the subject from a specific historical perspective. Her storytelling is grounded in her characters’ lived experiences rather than in abstract arguments. Go to Full Review
Mark Dujsik Mark Reviews Movies 5d
3/4
Writer/director Annemarie Jacir's film attempts ... to provide a counterpoint to what has been considered the official history for decades. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Farley W 6d This is such an important movie to see if you want to understand Palestine before Israel came to be. It uses archival footage to reveal what a developed and bustling country Palestine was in 1936 and follows several characters as they defend their changing world under the Jewish settlers who are always under British protection. See it! See more Aseel E Mar 15 Incredible film. A definite must watch. Beautiful cinematography, storytelling, and historical adaptation. See more Greg Dec 7 Provides pre-WW2 peek into the brutal displacement of Palestinians and Britain's strategy through Zionism. See more Zachary F @RT74710447 4d Palestine 36 is, first and foremost, just not a very good movie. The script is heavy-handed, the characters are flat, and nearly every scene feels engineered to instruct the audience what to think rather than let the drama speak for itself. There is little subtlety, little ambiguity, and very little sense of real human complexity. Instead of building compelling characters or tension, the film leans on sanctimony, cliché, and blunt emotional manipulation. Its propaganda elements only make this worse: the historical setting is treated less as a serious subject than as a vehicle for a predetermined political message, and viewers should not mistake that for education or real historical insight. What surprises me most is how many critics seem willing to overlook these obvious artistic weaknesses, apparently because praising the film is politically safer than judging it honestly as cinema. See more Zia A @xiaagro Feb 20 This movies is all about the only colonialism of the 21st century unfolding. It masterfully shows how the British empire connived in it. The result is a genocide of horrendous proportions by zionists today. See more Doris M @DSMaya Feb 1 It's epic! I strongly recommend to all viewers. This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Palestine 36 was an incredibly moving film... I cried several times during the film and could not stop thinking about it afterwards. Every minute of the movie was engaging. The cinematography, acting, and writing are phenomenal. I thought I knew a lot about the topic and I learned even more. This movie is a classic. See more Read all reviews
Palestine '36

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Movie Info

Synopsis 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.
Director
Annemarie Jacir
Producer
Ossama Bawardi
Screenwriter
Annemarie Jacir
Distributor
Watermelon Pictures
Production Co
Philistine Films, Autonomous, Corniche Media, MK Productions, Snowglobe
Genre
Biography, History, Drama, War
Original Language
Arabic
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 28, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 58m