DAMARISCOTTA, BAR HARBOR, BUCKSPORT, PORTLAND — At a time when the Israeli military— after a brief ceasefire— has resumed its assault on Gaza and Palestine, the first annual Maine Palestine Film Festival (MPFF) is bringing Palestinian cinema to audiences throughout Maine.

From May 1 to May 30, in collaboration with artists and community organizers, MPFF will gather at film screenings dedicated to amplifying Palestinian stories and voices, deepening public understanding of the history of Palestinian erasure and colonial violence, and building solidarity between Maine and Palestine. MPFF is a volunteer-run festival that centers around Nakba Day — the annual commemoration of Palestinian displacement during the 1948 Nakba, or “catastrophe,” as MPFF calls it, in a news release.

This year, screenings will take place at the Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta, Reel Pizza Cinerama in Bar Harbor, the Alamo Theatre in Bucksport, and the Portland Museum of Art in Portland.

Opening night will take place on May 1 at the Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta with the film From Ground Zero, followed by a community discussion. From Ground Zero, directed by Rashid Masharawi (2024), is a collection of revealing stories from 22 Palestinian filmmakers who capture their lives in Gaza amidst war.

"From Executive Producer Michael Moore and Palestine's Official Submission for the 2025 Academy Awards, From Ground Zero uses a blend of animation, documentary, and fiction, they create a powerful testament to the steadfastness of the human spirit — serving as a remarkable reflection of the creativity that can emerge during ongoing devastation," said MPFF.

On May 15, Nakba Day, MPFF will hold a special screening event at the Alamo Theatre in Bucksport. Two artful films— Foragers, directed by Jumana Manna (2022) and The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing directed by Theo Panagopoulos (2025)— will examine the ecology of historic Palestine and explore methods of both cultural and environmental preservation. The film screening will be followed by a community discussion with artists and community organizers.

In addition to these films, MPFF is looking forward to bringing additional documentary and narrative films to local audiences in Maine. Featuring detained student activist Mahmoud Khalil, The Encampments, directed by Michael T. Workman, Kei Pritsker (2025) takes viewers inside America’s student uprising with incredible intimacy and urgency. When a group of students at Columbia University launch a movement protesting the war in Gaza, they spark a nationwide uprising. Another film featured in the festival, Divine Intervention, directed by Elia Suleiman (2002), is a mordant and bleak comedy about Palestinians under Israeli occupation. Mixing brief, interconnected sketches with moments of magical realism, the film follows along in the day in the life of a Palestinian man living in Nazareth, whose girlfriend lives several checkpoints away in Ramallah.

All festival events are open to the public and are free of charge, with RSVP required to guarantee admission. The general public may RSVP at https:/mainepalestinefilm.org.

2025 PROGRAM SELECTIONS

Opening Film: From Ground Zero, directed by Rashid Masharawi (2024) ● Winner: FIPRESCI Prize, Palm Springs International Film Festival, 2025 ● Winner: Cinema for Peace Award, Cinema for Peace Awards, 2025 ● Nominee: Vaclac Havel Special Award, Prague One World Film Festival, 2025 ● Nominee: Occhiali di Gahndhi Award, Torino Film Festival, 2024

Featured Film: Foragers, directed by Jumana Manna (2022) ● Winner: Best Documentary Feature - Special Mention, Camden International Film Festival, 2022 ● Winner: Green Dox, Dokufest International Documentary and Short Film Festival, 2022 ● Nominee: Retueyos, Gijó International Film Festival, 2022 ● Nominee: Best International Feature, Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM), 2022

Closing Film: Divine Intervention, directed by Elia Suleiman (2002) ● Winner: Best Screenplay, Cinemanila International Film Festival, 2003 ● Winner: Jury Prize, Cannes Film Festival, 2002 ● Winner: Silvery Hugo, Chicago International Film Festival, 2002 ● Winner: Screen International Award, European Film Awards, 2002

The Maine Palestine Film Festival is a month-long cultural event dedicated to bringing Palestinian cinema to audiences in Maine. The Festival is organized by Maine Palestine Film Collective, a group of Maine-based artists, curators, arts workers and allies using cinema as a catalyst for collective liberation in Palestine and beyond.

Launched in May 2024, our Collective works in collaboration with artists and community organizers to produce film screenings and community gatherings dedicated to amplifying Palestinian stories and voices, deepening public understanding of the history of Palestinian erasure and colonial violence, and building solidarity between Maine and Palestine

The first annual Maine Palestine Film Festival is supported by SPACE and their Kindling Fund grant, which supports artist-organized projects that engage audiences and incorporate the visual arts in inventive and meaningful ways.