Saja Kilani: From Graduation Cake to Academy Awards Stage

Less than four years after graduating from Toronto Film School, Saja Kilani walked the red carpet at the 2026 Academy Awards. Her film, "The Voice of Hind Rajab," received a Best International Feature nomination, a significant achievement for the Jordanian-Palestinian-Canadian actress.

The film is based on the true story of a 5-year-old girl trapped in a car under fire in Gaza. Kilani embodies Rana Faqih, a Palestine Red Crescent Society volunteer who stayed on the line with the child during her final hours.

Kilani emphasized the personal weight of the role, focusing on listening to Faqih's courage and guiding her performance. She has since become friends with Faqih, who actively encourages audiences to become ambassadors for the film's message.

The film's international recognition at festivals and award circuits, including the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, expands its audience. Kilani sees this as a crucial "breaking of silence," allowing Hind's story to reach those beyond its immediate region.

Kilani's artistic journey began with a graduation cake predicting an Oscar win, a dream that materialized quickly. Her training at Toronto Film School, particularly during the pandemic, taught her flexibility and focusing on available resources, skills that translated to her on-set performance.

Alongside acting, Kilani cultivated poetry as a discipline, which deepened her emotional connection to characters like Rana. This dual practice, she explained, allowed her to access emotional truth more instinctively and stay connected to the character's inner world.

Kilani views her work as advocacy, using art across theatre, poetry, and film to reclaim narratives and insist on humanity. Her commitment to centering Palestinian stories and advocating for their humanity defines her artistic purpose, viewing creation as a means to keep these stories alive.