Palestine '36

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Palestine '36

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1h 58m

Biography

History

Drama

War

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100%

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42 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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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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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

4d

As overdue tales of history go, “Palestine ‘36” is certainly more of a blunt instrument than a novelistic endeavor. But its broad strokes and rooted passions easily earn their place, and deserve to inspire more such stories.

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Justin Chang

The New Yorker

Mar 26

Its strength lies in the creation of characters who, although sometimes forced to function stiffly as rhetorical mouthpieces, seem genuinely conflicted and caught off guard by the brutal interventions of history.

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Carlos Aguilar

RogerEbert.com

Mar 26

3.5/4

That a traditionally realized historical drama with impeccable production value and consistently effective performances centers the Palestinian perspective makes for an essential endeavor.

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Liam Lacey

Original Cin

1d

B

Palestine ’36 impresses with its big-screen ambition though you may struggle to keep track of the characters.

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Christopher Lloyd

The Film Yap

1d

3.5/5

A bracing look at an unheralded piece of turbulent Middle East history from an explicitly pro-Palestine viewpoint.

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Patrick McDonald

HollywoodChicago.com

5d

4.5/5

As history repeats itself over and over, the remarkable and unescapable perspective in Jacir’s film is that often the native peoples in a region ripe for colonial plucking are the ones who suffer the most. And Palestinians more so. W/Jacir interview.

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Mr Hollywood

1d

Good film to start to see other side of this issue. As a film though it’s all over the place. Needs another draft.

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Alex Hussein

5d

Amazing movie! Lots of background on Palestine and tragedies

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Farley W

Mar 18

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!

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Aseel E

Mar 15

Incredible film. A definite must watch. Beautiful cinematography, storytelling, and historical adaptation.

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Greg

Dec 7

Provides pre-WW2 peek into the brutal displacement of Palestinians and Britain's strategy through Zionism.

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Peter H.

@PeterHodes 3d

So informative! And presented from such personal perspectives that it had a profound impact on me. It’s a deeply sad story that must be widely seen.

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Annemarie Jacir

Director

Jeremy Irons

Actor

Liam Cunningham

Actor

Robert Aramayo

Actor

Hiam Abbass

Actor

Kamel El Basha

Actor

Palestine 36: Trailer 1

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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