Palestinian-Canadian Feature Film

As P@lestinians, our narrative has been under attack for generations. Our occupiers have expected that "the old will die & the young will forget." That our Indigenous Identity would be erased through colonial violence & propaganda. If you've ever met a P@lestinian, wherever in the world you meet them, you will know that we carry our stories as an act of resistance. You will know that an essential part of our fight is in preserving & protecting the homeland that lives within us all, even if we have never physically been. You will know that the path towards a Free P@lestine lies in collective action, defending our narrative & reclaiming our humanity.

As a P@lestinian living in the West, I have been fighting for my people in every way that I can. Protesting, calling my government representatives, using my voice every time I have the mic & fundraising for grassroots groups in G@za . However, as this gen0cide continues, as our hearts break more & more each day & as our people become further & further dehumanized, I have realized that as a Palestinian Independent Filmmaker, one of the most powerful ways that I can contribute to a Free P@lestine is through Narrative Resistance. Through sharing humanizing stories of fracture & healing & reclaimation.

I am calling on the support from my community to help in this endeavour to bring more diverse P@lestinian stories to the screen & to create a film that will be shared in a grassroots community context to help continue raising funds for people on the ground in G@za.

Waves/ 'Amwaj will be my debut feature film, a story that has been in development since 2019, a story about healing fractured identity from the diaspora to P@lestine & a story about returning to the whole of our humanity as an act of resistance.

Trauma-informed filmmaking & community care are at the core of my artistic practice & financial support for this production will help me to create a nourishing working environment for all of my collaborators.

In Waves/ 'Amwaj we tackle the darkness of healing from trauma while incorporating Khafeef Dam (in P@lestinian Arabic this translates directly to 'light blood' and by this we mean a sense of humour). If you know a P@lastinian, you will know that maintaining a sense of humour through trauma is imbedded deeply into our culture & that humour is often how we take our power back as P@lestinian storytellers. As a Filmmaker, I believe that balancing this tone of respecting our collective grief while honouring our resilient spirits is a way to restore our shared humanity on screen.

Waves/ 'Amwaj follows the story of Nada, a young mixed-race Palestinian woman in the diaspora, struggling under the weight of PTSD from a recent incident of sexual violence. Already dealing with feelings of alienation & grappling to belong as a P@lestinian & a mixed-race person, the trauma of Nada's assault sends her further into isolation, where she leaves behind her dreams of becoming an artist. When Nada's cousin Mohamed arrives as a refugee from P@lestine, the two form a friendship that is deeper than they both could have anticipated. Carrying his own trauma from living under occupation & also navigating a hidden queer identity, Mohamed finds solace & understanding in Nada as they both take on their healing journeys, side by side. Together, they piece together their fractured identities, resulting in the creation of a theatrical play connecting Body & Land.

The filming of this project will take place in Toronto throughout September-December 2025 with a small team of passionate artists & a community of support. Together we are committed to bringing this story to life to honour the diversity of our community as P@lestinians, to uplift our humanity & to tell a deeply personal story of healing through art.

In times of extreme darkness we need to fight in many different ways. Through this creative endeavour I hope to channel my grief into something that can shift the narrative, honour my ancestors & provide a lasting way to give back to my community.

I hope you will join us on this journey to bring Waves/ 'Amwaj to life.