Thank you for watching my film and listening to my story.
Life is Beautiful ends with my family being together at home in Gaza in the summer of 2021. It was the first time I was able to go back since 2014 and the last time I hugged my mom…the second and last time so far was for her funeral at the end of 2022. The film premiered in November 2023 having been completed shortly before, I recorded the voice over during the start of the genocide of my beloved home and after a year of being lost in this world without my mom.
What happened since is unbearable to grasp.
I never imagined to see my family displaced. Over the last year, I lost many friends, family members and my whole city…
I never imagined my family would leave our house in Gaza City and take shelter elsewhere. In October 2023, my family was forced to flee to the middle of the Gaza strip, to Deir Albalah, where my dad and sister still are today, almost a year later when I’m writing this. My oldest sister and her family were able to evacuate to Canada just now. My youngest sister Rima and brother Ibrahim survived 200 days of genocide and managed to cross the border to Egypt shortly before the aggression on Rafah started, which led to the border being occupied and destroyed. After countless months, Rima and Ibrahim received the opportunity to continue their interrupted studies now in Spain.
The cost of living in Gaza has increased immensely and supporting my family financially and my friends in any way I can has become another heavy burden to carry while I tour Life is Beautiful, work on my next films, bear responsibilities at the Palestine Film Institute as executive director, work part-time at the youth house in Tromsø and pursue my MA at the National Academy of Arts in Oslo.
To also cover my siblings’ living and study expenses in Spain, I need help. I never imagined I would have to ask for that…but I can’t carry it alone. If you can participate and support us, I would be so grateful.
Thank you so much.
Mohamed Jabaly
20th of September 2024
Life is Beautiful ends with my family being together at home in Gaza in the summer of 2021. It was the first time I was able to go back since 2014 and the last time I hugged my mom…the second and last time so far was for her funeral at the end of 2022. The film premiered in November 2023 having been completed shortly before, I recorded the voice over during the start of the genocide of my beloved home and after a year of being lost in this world without my mom.
What happened since is unbearable to grasp.
I never imagined to see my family displaced. Over the last year, I lost many friends, family members and my whole city…
I never imagined my family would leave our house in Gaza City and take shelter elsewhere. In October 2023, my family was forced to flee to the middle of the Gaza strip, to Deir Albalah, where my dad and sister still are today, almost a year later when I’m writing this. My oldest sister and her family were able to evacuate to Canada just now. My youngest sister Rima and brother Ibrahim survived 200 days of genocide and managed to cross the border to Egypt shortly before the aggression on Rafah started, which led to the border being occupied and destroyed. After countless months, Rima and Ibrahim received the opportunity to continue their interrupted studies now in Spain.
The cost of living in Gaza has increased immensely and supporting my family financially and my friends in any way I can has become another heavy burden to carry while I tour Life is Beautiful, work on my next films, bear responsibilities at the Palestine Film Institute as executive director, work part-time at the youth house in Tromsø and pursue my MA at the National Academy of Arts in Oslo.
To also cover my siblings’ living and study expenses in Spain, I need help. I never imagined I would have to ask for that…but I can’t carry it alone. If you can participate and support us, I would be so grateful.
Thank you so much.
Mohamed Jabaly
20th of September 2024
You can support Palestinian storytelling and filmmaking by learning more about my work at the Palestine Film Institute, and support my fellow Palestinian filmmakers.
You can learn more about Tvibit, the youth house in Tromsø that plays such a significant role in my life until today.
You can organize an event about Gaza and book a film screening to continue giving Palestinian voices a stage and raise awareness about our human struggle.
Watermelon Pictures North American Distributor
First Hand Films International Distributor
You can learn more about Tvibit, the youth house in Tromsø that plays such a significant role in my life until today.
You can organize an event about Gaza and book a film screening to continue giving Palestinian voices a stage and raise awareness about our human struggle.
Watermelon Pictures North American Distributor
First Hand Films International Distributor
