Home / Arts and Entertainment / Hiam Abbass on Duty, Art, and Palestinian History
Hiam Abbass on Duty, Art, and Palestinian History
1 Feb
Summary
- Acting offers freedom from inherited traditions and societal pressures.
- Films like 'Palestine 36' are a duty to preserve threatened history.
- Filming for 'Palestine 36' was delayed due to events of Oct. 7, 2023.

At the 55th International Film Festival Rotterdam, actress Hiam Abbass spoke about her roles in 'Palestine 36' and 'The Arab'. Growing up Palestinian, Abbass found acting to be a crucial space for freedom against inherited traditions and societal expectations. She explained that her recent work, particularly 'Palestine 36,' is driven by a sense of duty to preserve Palestinian history against constant threats of erasure.
The production of 'Palestine 36' encountered significant obstacles. Originally scheduled to begin filming on October 14, 2023, the shoot was postponed due to the events of October 7. The delay, coupled with escalating violence and security concerns in the West Bank, made filming on location impossible, even impacting the constructed set which became a target. Ultimately, the production was split, with part of it relocating to Jordan.




