Restored ‘Bashu, the Little Stranger’ wins Venice Classics award
Gaza film ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ takes Silver Lion after record ovation
Iranian director Bahram Beyzaie’s ‘Bashu, the Little Stranger’ claimed Best Restored Film at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, while Tunisian-French filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania’s ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ secured the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize after a historic ovation.
The dual honors reflected Venice’s standing as both a guardian of cinema’s heritage. From Beyzaie’s story to Ben Hania’s harrowing Gaza tragedy, the awards underscored the festival’s role in reviving forgotten voices and amplifying the cries of the present.
Restored by Roashana Studios with support from Kanoon and presented by French distributor MK2 Films, the film returned to global screens through Venice Classics.
If Beyzaie’s film reached back into the past, Ben Hania’s docudrama carried the raw immediacy of Gaza’s current conflict. ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ recounts the final hours of a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in January 2024 after a desperate phone call to the Palestine Red Crescent.
Using authentic audio, the film captured her pleas from a bullet-riddled car. At its premiere on September 3, the screening drew a 23-minute 50-second standing ovation, the longest in Venice’s history.
Accepting the Silver Lion, Ben Hania dedicated the award to Red Crescent first responders, calling them “heroes”. She said Hind’s words were “a cry for rescue the entire world could hear, but no one answered”. She added, “Her voice will continue to echo until accountability is real, until justice is served.”
With producers including Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix and Alfonso Cuarón, the film is also Tunisia’s official submission for the 2026 Oscars. Industry observers expect strong momentum despite uncertainty over a US distributor.
The festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion for best film, went to American director Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Father Mother Sister Brother’. Wearing a badge reading “Enough”, he also signaled his opposition to Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza.