Palestine on Screen: Hadid Sister's Groundbreaking Film Company To Expose Israel’s Atrocities
"With our films, we hope to teach and inspire people all around the world to stand up against injustice," Alana Hadid
To bolster Palestinian heritage and raise awareness of Israel's injustices, Alana Hadid, the half-sister of Palestinian American models Bella and Gigi Hadid, is spearheading a groundbreaking film production and distribution label.
Described as a "Palestinian-owned independent film distribution, production, and financing" entity, the label, Watermelon Pictures, is dedicated to cultural representation, social advocacy, and amplifying the voices of underrepresented filmmakers worldwide.
Alana shared her vision for the company, “We want to make a place where voices that often get ignored can be heard. We want people to express themselves creatively against unfairness. With our films, we hope to teach and inspire people all around the world to stand up against injustice.”
A company statement added that “The Watermelon Pictures brand embodies the vibrancy and resilience of Palestinian culture, symbolized by the iconic fruit that shares its colors with the Palestinian flag.”
The inaugural film under the label is "Walled Off," a documentary exploring the Walled Off Hotel. This hotel, managed by Palestinians, was financed and designed by British street artist Banksy and is situated in Bethlehem, directly facing the Israeli West Bank barrier wall.
The documentary explores the lives of Palestinians residing in the vicinity and delves into the significance of creative resistance as a means of protest.
Several notable figures are collaborating on the documentary "Walled Off," including Anwar Hadid, who is Alana's brother, Roger Waters from Pink Floyd and A Kweku Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela.
The documentary will be released digitally on May 3.
The Hadid sisters have been vocal critics of Israel's actions in Gaza, where more than 33,000 Palestinians have lost their lives since October 7.
Bella, Alana's younger sister, has denounced Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip and faced significant backlash as a result. This included the creation of a deep fake video by pro-Israel activists, falsely portraying Bella as retracting and apologizing for her pro-Palestinian stance.
Alana herself took a stand for peace during a speech at the Washington march for Gaza in January and has consistently used her social media platforms to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
