Category: 5. Entertainment

How do you translate the experience of a French scientific exhibition for a North American audience? The answer lies in the recent journey of Crowdology by Universcience, an organisation that works to make science accessible to all, now on display as Crowds: Humans in Interaction in Quebec.

Crowds: Humans in Interaction is currently on display at the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City, Canada, under the French title of Foules. Laboratoire humain. This exhibition explores the phenomena associated with several types of crowds. Initially created in France in 2022, its Quebec adaptation is the result of a collaboration between Universcience and the Musée de la civilisation, illustrating Universcience’s expertise in exhibition export.

To learn more, we speak with Dorothée Vatinel, an experienced museum project manager at Universcience, who spent a year in Quebec to support the Musée de la civilisation, among others, with the exhibition.

From France to the world

Universcience offers three types of exports worldwide: file transaction, duplication, and turnkey solution.

For the first type, Universcience provides the partner museum with a comprehensive technical file containing all the elements that comprise the exhibition. The receiving museum can then reproduce all the elements with a certain freedom of interpretation, while respecting the original editorial and technical guidelines.

When it comes to duplication, either Universcience or the museum itself creates a faithful reproduction of the exhibition. This copy can be identical to the original or partially adapted to meet specific needs.

Finally, for a turnkey solution, the export exhibition receives technical adjustments before going on loan. Universcience’s technical team also travels on-site to ensure maintenance and installation.

For each export, Universcience collaborates closely with its clients to create an exhibition tailored to the available space and target audience. These projects typically span one year, allowing both organisations to support and assist each other. This is why most collaborations are established with institutions that Universcience fully trusts.

The Crowds: Humans in Interaction project perfectly illustrates this process. Launched in April 2023, the initiative began with discussions that allowed the teams to get to know each other. The project then materialised through the creation of a complete file containing all the exhibition elements as well as the complementary notes necessary for the adaptation process.

See also: Universcience: how to create an engaging children’s exhibition

Universcience as cultural translator

After the initial meetings between the teams, Universcience intervenes to train the client’s museum teams. This training covers furniture functions and plans, as well as the latest comments and advice gathered from the first exhibition. The contract is then legally drafted, with its structure having been jointly defined by both teams.

Just before opening, Universcience and the partner museum collaborate on visual and technical updates. The final file includes visual design and adaptation of media and audiovisual content.

Universcience’s role as a cultural translator is pivotal throughout the adaptation process. The host museum, with the help of the local team, must make the exhibition relevant in its new context. The primary objective of this adaptation is to enrich the original exhibition and present content tailored to a new audience type, while preserving the essence of the subject.

To facilitate communication between teams, Universcience can deploy its team members to accompany the partner museum on-site. This was the case for Crowds: Humans in Interaction, as Vatinel journeyed to Quebec. During her stay, she supervised the export and all its components to ensure the final result met the client’s expectations.

Bringing Crowdology to Quebec

Talking about what drew the Musée de la civilisation to select Crowdology as a candidate for adaptation, the museum says: “The collaboration and trust between the MCQ and Universcience have developed and deepened over time, especially through previous joint projects such as Dogs & Cats and Special Effects.

“The choice of Crowdology quickly became evident due to the originality of its subject — the crowd — a true civilizational phenomenon that is experienced and perceived differently around the world, depending on geographic, social, cultural, and environmental contexts. It’s a topic that fits perfectly within the MCQ’s mission.

“With its interactive museography and wide audience appeal — including children — the exhibition also complements the MCQ’s cultural offering particularly well.”

The topic of crowds resonates with all cultures, and every country associates this topic with specific events, whether joyful or dramatic, adds Vatinel:

“Presenting the Crowdology exhibition in Quebec only required a few minor adjustments, such as tweaking the rumours or the songs in the group karaoke section to make them more local. As a result, the Quebec version is very close in content to its French cousin.

“That said, I find its scenography even more successful than in France, as the Musée de la civilisation was able to benefit from the feedback gathered at the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie — for example, regarding the placement of certain interactives or the lighting of the final section of the exhibition.

“Now I find myself wondering: is the notion of crowds perceived in the same way on both sides of the Atlantic — by Quebecers, who are eight times fewer than the French on a territory three times as large? Perhaps a new research topic for Mehdi Moussaïd, the exhibition’s scientific advisor we worked with.”

A customised exhibition

Thanks to the many exchanges between the dedicated teams at the Musée de la civilisation and Universcience, a sense of mutual trust and a shared desire to adapt the exhibition for North American visitors emerged quickly.

“As is often the case at the MCQ, we customised a portion of the exhibition for the Quebec version,” says the museum.

“For example, in Paris, the first hallway featured anamorphic visuals where visitors could take photos. In Quebec, that space references the famous Québec City Summer Festival (FEQ), a major cultural event in the region. With an installation developed by our technical team, visitors can simulate bodysurfing through the crowd.

“Like in Paris, it’s become a great photo opportunity. It really makes you feel like you’re there!”

Just like with the French version, the team gathered one morning in the auditorium to sing popular Quebec songs together as a group, part of the process of adapting the group karaoke feature.

“As in Paris, it was a joyful and unifying experience. It was also a great way for Dorothée to meet the museum teams and get acquainted with our local expressions!”

Collaboration, in-person training, and long-standing ties

Vatinel’s presence on-site shaped the collaboration and implementation of the museum.

“Although our institutions were already collaborating well remotely, having Dorothée on-site significantly streamlined communication, especially as the opening date approached. She either had the answers herself or quickly connected us to the right person in France.

“Her in-person training of the mediation team was also invaluable, and our mediators haven’t hesitated to ask her for additional context whenever they run into her at the museum.

“Dorothée truly became part of our team. Her expertise in science communication, touring exhibitions, and global museology has been a tremendous asset. Our staff regularly consult her for advice and new ideas.”

While Vatinel has had the chance to work with many international museum partners, co-producing exhibitions in Finland, Belgium, Portugal, and Italy, she says she experienced a whole new type of collaboration with Crowdology.

“Being on-site for a full year to accompany an exhibition I co-developed with my French colleague, Astrid Aron, made the intercultural connection even more meaningful.

“It was a joy to see Foules. Laboratoire humain (a highly relevant title, created by the Musée de la civilisation) resonate with North American audiences — the visitor feedback has been extremely positive!

“I also really enjoyed training the mediation team, who now run engaging activities directly in the exhibition — a different format from what we do at the Cité des sciences.

“Since the original exhibition team is no longer at the museum, Quebec colleagues now often turn to me for protocol visits or communications. I’m proud to play this role, which feels like a “concentrated” version of this francophone collaboration.”

Visitor feedback as Crowdology becomes Crowds: Humans in Interaction

Guest feedback for the exhibition at the Musée de la civilisation has been overwhelmingly positive. One visitor in May 2025 said:

“The ‘Human Lab’ exhibition was amazing! Our students really enjoyed it and wished they could have stayed longer! The final room, where they realized that everyone could see them and control elements in the other spaces, was the highlight! It’s probably one of the best exhibitions I’ve ever seen — and I’ve seen a lot!”

During our peak summer season, the museum says that the team has even overheard visitors — after waiting in a very long line — referencing their new understanding of crowd behaviour gained from the exhibition: “Sometimes, understanding a phenomenon helps us cope with it more calmly!”

As for future international partnerships, the museum is more eager than ever:

“This experience confirmed the value of cross-institutional collaboration — pooling expertise, embracing innovation, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible to create the best possible experience for our visitors.”

Vatinel adds: “I believe the interactive museology of Crowdology complements the Musée de la civilisation’s more collection-based exhibitions very well. This project was truly the result of regular, constructive dialogue between our two institutions, and I’m very happy to have been part of it.

“This francophone collaboration is continuing through new projects — I feel that this Quebec partner is becoming a true friend.”

Shared museological standards

As the exhibition continues to impress visitors at the Musée de la civilisation, Vatinel reflects on the experience, saying that it was a museum she had dreamed of visiting since she started her museology career:

“Spending a full year with their team was even better! It was fascinating to contribute to building a bridge between my home institution, the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie, and my host institution in Quebec.

“It gave me the opportunity to observe and understand what unites us, the visitor-centric approach and our shared museological standards, and what sets us apart. In Paris, exhibition content is often created from scratch, while in Quebec, existing collections are interwoven with other interpretive devices.

“Working in my native language in a different culture was, at first, disorienting but incredibly enriching. I love how the Québécois people defend the French language. When I return to France, I’ll no longer say ‘mail’ but ‘courriel’, ‘slide’ but ‘diapo’, or even ‘marketing’ but ‘mise en marché’.

“More seriously, though professional practices are very similar between our two institutions, the Québécois approach is often more pragmatic, and a simpler hierarchy makes meetings shorter and more efficient — something I’d like to apply back home.”

After Crowdology: more partnerships to come

This wasn’t the first collaboration with Universcience for the Musée de la civilisation: “Perhaps that’s one reason it went so smoothly,” says the museum. “We’ve come to know each other well, institution to institution, and we now have a clear understanding of what each can bring to the table.

“This collaboration also inspired us to keep working together. In fact, Universcience will soon host one of our exhibitions and adapt it for a European audience. Ô merde! (Brown Gold, for your English readers) will be presented at the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie in 2027, and possibly in other European museums afterwards.”

This collaboration turned out to be a truly enriching experience for both teams. It enabled more transparent communication and information sharing without interference. It also created strong bonds between the two institutions, paving the way for future exchanges and export projects with this museum.

As Universcience continues to expand its touring exhibitions worldwide, the Crowdology project exemplifies meaningful and adaptive international collaboration.

Leonine’s Nina Etspüler Joining BBC Studios

Formats industry veteran Nina Etspüler is joining BBC Studios Germany to launch a dedicated comedy and reality genre label. As on January 1, 2026, the Leonine exec will lead the unit as producer and exec producer and aim to make scripted and entertainment programs for the German TV and streaming markets. Etspüler will work closely with the BBCS Germany team in Cologne to adapt BBC formats for the local market and develop original IP. Her hire comes after BBCS Germany remade comedy hit Ghosts for local pubcaster WDR and streamer ARD Mediathek. Etspüler has worked for Red Arrow Studios, Florida TV and ProSiebenSat.1 during a career in formats. The former Group Creative Director at Red Arrow was most recently at Mediawan-owned Leonine Studios, where we revealed back in 2020 she had been hired as Head of Entertainment Development. “My time at Leonine Studios was exciting and formative,” said Etspüler. “I’m proud to have built Madame Zheng Production into an established player in the fields of reality, factual entertainment, and reportage, together with my co-managing director Tina Wagner and a fantastic team. At I&U TV, we were able to produce great comedy formats such as the Grimme Award-winning The Teddy Teclebrhan Show, Heinz Strunk’s Last Exit Schinkenstraße and currently Sträter’s Problem Zones. Now I’m looking forward to a role with a more international focus at BBC Studios Germany.” Phil Schmid, Managing Director at BBCS Germany called Etspüler “one of the most respected and creative leaders in our industry,” adding: “This is a perfect strategic fit for our ambitions in Germany and an equally strong match on a personal level. With Nina joining in January 2026, alongside our fantastic Entertainment team led by Markus Templin and our growing Fiction division under Eva Holtmann, we look forward with confidence and excitement to the next chapter of BBC Studios Germany’s growth.”

Prime Video Release ‘Top End Bub‘ Trailer

Here’s the trailer for Australian Prime Video original series Top End Bub. The show, a follow up to 2019 local box office hit Top End Wedding, will launch on Amazon’s streaming service in Australia and New Zealand on September 12, with Miranda Tapsell and Gwilym Lee reprising their lead roles as Lauren and Ned, respectively. The trailer sees the couple living their best life in the city until Lauren receives a heartbreaking call telling her that her sister Ronelle has died. Rushing back to Darwin, they become guardians to Ronelle’s daughter, Taya, aka Bub, played by a debuting Gladys-May Kelly.  Ursula Yovich, Huw Higginson, Shari Sebbens, Elaine Crombie, Rob Collins and Tracy Mann return from the film, alongside new cast members Brooke Satchwell, Guy Simon and Clarence Ryan. Goalpost Pictures is producing, with ZDF Studios handling international distribution. No U.S. home for this one just yet.

James Durie Exits Cineflix Rights

James Durie has left his post as Head of Drama at distributor Cineflix Rights. According to a statement from the transatlantic company, he exited at the end of July “pursue new opportunities”, as Cineflix pivots to a new strategy “strategy in response to shifting global demand.” Durie spent five years at Cineflix, having joined from Miramax. During that time, he played a key role in the international financing of shows such as Leonard Cohen drama So Long, Marianne His previous roles include stints at sports marketing agency Pitch International and IMG Media. According to Cineflix, he will continue to work with “high-end scripted producers and financiers in the wider market.” Broadcast International was first with the news of Durie’s exit.

Channel 4 has commissioned a new series written by Sherlock co-creator Steven Moffat, The Hollywood Reporter can reveal.

Number 10, a political drama about the most famous address in the world, 10 Downing Street in London — where the British prime minister lives and works — will be produced by Hartswood Films, part of ITV Studios.

“There’s a Prime Minister in the attic, a coffee bar in the basement, and a wallpapered labyrinth of romance, crisis and heartbreak in-between,” a Number 10 plot synopsis provided to THR reads. “Set in the only terrace house in history with mice and a nuclear deterrent, it’s the only knock-through in the world where a hangover can start a war. The government will be fictional, but the problems will be real. We’ll never know which party is in power, because once the whole world hits the fan it barely matters.”

“This is a show about the building and everyone inside. Not just the Prime Minister upstairs, but the conspiracy theorist who runs the cafe three floors below, the man who repairs the lift that never works, the madly ambitious ‘advisors’ fighting for office space in cupboards. Oh, and of course, the cat… Number 10 is all of Britain in a house: it’s British history under one roof. It’s how we all got into the mess we’re in. It’s also our only hope of getting out of it.”

Moffat will be best known to audiences as a co-creator and showrunner of the wildly popular BBC hit Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. His portfolio also boasts a writing stint on Russell T. Davies’ Doctor Who, as well as Dracula, Inside Man and HBO’s sci-fi romance miniseries The Time Traveler’s Wife, among others.

Sue Vertue, executive producer for Hartswood Films, describes Number 10 as a “passion project” for Moffat: “He says there are three famous doors in the world; he’s done 221B Baker Street and the TARDIS — now he’s going to do the real one.”

Gwawr Lloyd, acting head of drama Channel 4, adds: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Number 10 to Channel 4 — a bold, brilliant and witty new drama from the exceptional mind of Steven Moffat and the powerhouse team at Hartswood Films. Number 10 will offer a rare glimpse behind the doors of the world’s most iconic political residences which will take viewers from the high-stakes decisions of leadership to the lives of the staff who keep the house running. An insightful and entertaining twist on a state of the nation drama.”

Commissioned for Channel 4 by Lloyd, the show’s EPs for Hartswood Films are Moffat and Vertue with Lawrence Till (The Devil’s Hour, The Young Offenders) as producer. Ben Palmer (Douglas Is Cancelled, The Inbetweeners) is set to direct.

Number 10 is produced in association with and will be distributed by ITV Studios. Casting and transmission details will follow in due course.

The BBC says it took a last-minute decision to postpone a documentary about Ozzy Osbourne’s final years in order to respect the wishes of his family.

Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home had been due to air on BBC One at 21:00 BST on 18 August, but was removed from the schedule earlier in the day.

The BBC said: “Our sympathies are with the Osbourne family at this difficult time. We are respecting the family’s wishes to wait a bit longer before airing this very special film. The new [transmission] date will be confirmed shortly.”

No reason was initially given for delaying the film, which covers the star’s return to the UK, his farewell concert in July and his death at the age of 76 later that month.

The BBC said on Monday the film had been “moved in the schedules”. It was replaced by an episode of Fake Or Fortune?

The documentary was originally conceived as a 10-part series titled Home to Roost, which was to follow Ozzy and wife Sharon’s “attempt to re-start their lives” in Buckinghamshire.

As Ozzy’s health deteriorated, however, it was converted to a single, hour-long film depicting the last three years of his life.

The BBC had previously described the documentary as a “moving and inspirational account of the last chapter of Ozzy’s life, told through unique and intimate access to the whole Osbourne family, including Sharon, Jack and Kelly”.

However, it was scheduled to be screened less than a month after his death, and less than three weeks after Sharon and their children made a highly emotional appearance in front of crowds in his home city of Birmingham on the eve of his funeral.

Babrik Shah has something to say for Imran Abbas and Fawad Khan. The actor comes from a film family with his father, a prominent film actor. Babrik also joined in his footsteps and worked in many films. He retired from working in movies after the downfall of the film industry. He did not join television like many of his contemporaries and he is quite blunt about his opinions.

Babrik Shah was a guest on Suno To Sahi and he made some harsh judgments on the current superstars. He said Imran Abbas is not film material. He does not even look like a man. For Fawad Khan, he said he is heavily overrated and is not that capable. He thinks Ahsan Khan and Faysal Quraishi are good for television but they are not meant for films. Hamza Ali Abbasi is the only actor according to Babrik Shah who can work in films. Fahad Mustafa can be a host like Tariq Aziz but his acting range is limited.

This is what he said:

The internet thinks Babrik Shah is jealous. One user wrote, “This is our problem that we cannot recognize talent better than ours.” Another said, “I want this type of confidence.” One user agreed with Babrik and said Imran’s face does look weird on screen:

Sanatorium, a documentary directed by Gar O’Rourke about an ex-Soviet wellness resort in Ukraine, is Ireland’s submission for the best international feature film category at the 98th Oscars. The Irish Film and Television Academy unveiled its choice of Ireland’s official entry for the international feature category at the Academy Awards on Tuesday. 

In 2022, The Quiet Girl became the first film submitted by Ireland to be nominated in the category. The country has never won the international Oscar.

Last year’s submission was Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap.

“Both patients and staff search for health, happiness, and love while the [Russia-started] war echoes through the lime green corridors” of Kuyalnyk Sanatorium, reads a film synopsis. “Every summer, people of all ages arrive in their thousands at a huge ex-Soviet treatment center in Odesa on the southern coast of Ukraine. A time capsule from the ’70s, built in the brutalist style of the era, it still offers therapeutic treatments from the glory days of the Soviet Union. The main attraction is the mysterious mud which is believed to cure infertility, chronic ailments, and a myriad of other health problems.”

But beyond the physical health goals, many guests are really searching for happiness and love above all else, Sanatorium shows as O’Rourke and the camera of cinematographer Denys Melnyk follow them to tell their stories. As such, the doc is also a declaration of love for the Ukrainian people, their spirit, and their resilience.

Sanatorium was produced by Venom Films by IFTA-winning Ken Wardrop and Andrew Freedman (His & Hers, Making the Grade), along with Samantha Corr. Sanatorium was co-produced by 2332 Films Ukraine and made with support from Screen Ireland, BBC Storyville, MetFilm Sales, France TV, and Creative Europe. The film was edited by John Murphy (editor of An Cailín Ciúin), with Denys Melnyk (Militantropos) as director of photography. Irish Distributor Eclipse Pictures will release the film in Irish cinemas on Sept. 5.

Sanatorium had its World Premiere at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen in the main international competition in March before playing the festival circuit.

Palestine has selected Annemarie Jacir’s Palestine 36 as its official submission for the 2025 Academy Awards in the best international feature category.

The historical drama is set in 1936 during the Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule. The film follows Yusuf, a young villager caught between his rural home and the political upheaval in Jerusalem, as tensions rise amid growing unrest, British crackdowns, and the influx of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe. Palestine 36 will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival with a gala screening during the opening weekend on September 5.

The ensemble cast includes Hiam Abbass (Succession), Saleh Bakri (Blue Caftan), Robert Aramayo (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Billy Howle (The Perfect Couple), Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), Dafer L’Abidine (Children of Men), Yasmine Al-Massri (The Strangers Case), Yumna Marwan, newcomer Karim Daoud Anaya as Yusuf, and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons (The Beekeeper).

Produced by Ossama Bawardi, Cat Villiers, Azzam Fakhreddin, Hani Farsi, Nils Åstrand, Olivier Barbier, Nathanaël Karmitz, Katrin Pors and Hamza Ali, the film was made through Philistine Films, Autonomous, Corniche Media, MK Productions and Snowglobe.

Production was initially planned to shoot entirely in Palestine but was disrupted following the events of Oct. 7, with parts relocated to Jordan before returning to complete the film on location in Palestine.

Jacir, one of the most prominent Palestinian filmmakers, previously directed Salt of the Sea (2008), When I Saw You (2012) and Wajib (2017), all of which were selected as Palestine’s Oscar entries. She is also the founder of Philistine Films, a production company supporting independent Arab cinema.

France’s mk2 films and Lucky Number are handling international sales.

Hasan Raheem is one of the most loved musicians of the current generation. He is loved by fans for his unique songs and how he is always able to vibe with the Gen Z. He is a very private person but he has shared some beautiful moments from his wedding with his fans. He was the happiest groom and the videos of his Gilgiti dance have gone viral on the internet. His mehendi pictures are out now and the couple looked gorgeous at the event.

Hasan Raheem opted for a traditional white kurta shalwar with a traditional cap while his bride chose a beautiful pink outfit. They both enjoyed the night as they sang and danced to different tunes. Here are some beautiful clicks from Hasan Raheem and Noor’s mehendi night:

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar-nominated director Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab, about one of the most controversial incidents of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in the Gaza Strip, has sold to a raft of key territories ahead of premieres in Venice and Toronto.

Paris-based sales company The Party Film Sales has unveiled deals to Benelux (Cineart), Italy (I Wonder), Spain (La Zona, Caramel), Japan (New Select), Poland (New Horizons in association with Gutek), Portugal (Nitrato), Thailand (Sahamongkol), Turkey (Bir Film), Baltics States (Kino Pavasaris), Ex-Yugoslavia (Kino Mediteran), Greece (Cinobo) and Hong Kong (Golden Scene).

The Party Film Sales sister company Jour2Fête, which has already distributed three of Ben Hania’s films, has French rights.

CAA Media Finance represents the film for North America.

The feature will world premiere in Competition at the Venice Film Festival on September 3, and then head to the Toronto International Film Festival for its North American debut.

The drama reconstructs the events surrounding the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab, her four cousins, her aunt and uncle, and the two paramedics who came to her rescue, after their car came under fire as they tried to flee Gaza City in January, 2024.

The killings took place some three months into Israel’s ongoing military operation in the Gaza Strip, sparked by the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 terror attacks,  which has resulted in the deaths of more than 61,000 people living in the Palestinian territory.

Israel claimed it did not have troops in the area where Hind and her family were killed but investigations by The Washington Post and Sky News using satellite imagery have concluded that Israeli tanks were present at the time.

The film’s official synopsis reads: “January 29, 2024. Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A six-year old girl is trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her. Her name was Hind Rajab.”

The Party Film Sales, which specializes in both fiction and documentary projects, has built a reputation for handling bold, thought-provoking films. The company’s strategy involves tailoring release campaigns to ensure each project reaches its audience in the most impactful way.

“We’re extremely grateful for the immense support all distributors’ already on board have showed. It’s a long journey forward, and we will need all possible strengths,” said co-heads Samuel Blanc and Estelle de Araujo.

Ben Hania is one of Tunisia’s most internationally renowned directors. Her last film Four Daughters, was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2024 Academy Awards, having been presented in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the Golden Eye award.

Her previous film The Man Who Sold His Skin was also nominated at the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film in 2021, representing Tunisia.

The Voice of Hind Rajab is Ben Hania’s fifth film. She begun work on the drama while on the Oscar trail with Four Daughters and pre-production for another film in early 2024.

“During a layover at LAX, everything shifted. I heard an audio recording of Hind Rajab begging for help. By then, her voice had already spread across the internet,” Ben Hania recounted in a statement released after the announcement of the upcoming premiere in Venice.

“I immediately felt a mix of helplessness, and an overwhelming sadness. A physical reaction, like the ground shifted under me. I couldn’t carry on as planned. I contacted the Red Crescent and asked them to let me hear the full audio. It was about 70 minutes long, and harrowing.  After listening to it, I knew, without a doubt, that I had to drop everything else. I had to make this film.”

Ben Hania spoke at length with Hind’s mother as well as the people who were on the other end of that call and those who tried to help her.  The resulting film weaves a story around their testimonies and the real audio recording of Hind’s voice.

It was shot in Tunisia with a single-location where the violence remains off-screen.

“That was a deliberate choice. Because violent images are everywhere on our screens, our timelines, our phones,” said Ben Hania. “What I wanted was to focus on the invisible: the waiting, the fear, the unbearable sound of silence when help doesn’t come. Sometimes, what you don’t see is more devastating than what you do.” 

“At the heart of this film is something very simple, and very hard to live with.  I cannot accept a world where a child calls for help and no one comes. That pain, that failure, belongs to all of us. This story is not just about Gaza.  It speaks to a universal grief. And I believe that fiction (especially when it draws from verified, painful, real events) is cinema’s most powerful tool. More powerful than the noise of breaking news or the forgetfulness of scrolling. Cinema can preserve a memory. Cinema can resist amnesia.”

The film is lead produced by Ben Hania’s long-time producer Nadim Cheikhrouha under his Mime Films and Tanit Films banners.

Additional producers are Odessa Rae at New York-based RaeFilm Studios and James Wilson at London-based Jw Films Production.

The cast features Saja Kilani, Motaz Malhees Clara Khoury and Amer Hlehel.

Director of Photography is Juan Sarmiento G. (Madame Luna, Amparo) and editors are Qutaiba Barhamji, Maxime Mathis and Ben Hania. Sound is by Amal Attia, Elias Boughedir, Gwennolé LeBorgne, Marion Papinot and Lars Ginzel.

Production design is by Bassem Marzouk, and costume design by Khadija Zeggai. First assistant director is Marie Fischer. Cesar Award-winning composer Amine Bouhafa (Timbuktu, Four Daughters) wrote the music.