Fatma Hassona, the 25-year-old Palestinian photographer and central figure of Sepideh Farsi’s documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, has tragically been killed along with her family in an Israeli missile strike that targeted her residential building in Gaza, according to a statement shared by the ACID (Association for the Distribution of Independent Cinema) team with Variety.
The film, which was selected for the ACID program at the Cannes Film Festival, follows Hassona’s life and work in Gaza, capturing her resilience and the everyday struggles of life under siege. ACID described her as a beacon of courage, saying: “Her smile was as magical as her tenacity: bearing witness, photographing Gaza, distributing food despite the bombs, mourning and hunger.”
They added, “We heard her story, rejoiced at each of her appearances to see her alive, we feared for her.”
Hassona was known for documenting life in Gaza through powerful photography and activism. Her loss has left a deep impact on those who followed her story and admired her strength. The film, now tragically a posthumous tribute, is set to be showcased at Cannes as a powerful testament to her life and the people of Gaza.
