One More Show joins the official lineup of Reel Palestine following a strong festival run that included screenings at the Cairo International Film Festival, the Rome International Documentary Festival, and the Carthage Film Festival.
The film marks the first feature-length documentary directed by Egyptian filmmaker Mai Saad and Gaza-based cinematographer and filmmaker Ahmed El-Danaf.
Set against the backdrop of Israel’s war on Gaza, the documentary follows members of the Free Gaza Circus—Youssef, Batout, Ismail, Mohammad, and Jast—who continue to perform despite displacement and destruction. After being forced from northern Gaza to the south, the performers turn their circus acts into moments of relief and defiance, staging shows for children in shelters and on the streets, offering fleeting joy to young audiences.
For Saad, the film represents her first experience directing a documentary after working as an assistant director and creative producer on feature projects. El-Danaf, meanwhile, brings firsthand experience from Gaza; his short film A School Day won the Misr International Films (Youssef Chahine) Award at CIFF in 2024, as one of three films selected for the From Ground Zero project.
The Reel Palestine Film Festival returns to Dubai for its 12th edition with 11 feature films, five shorts, and 29 screenings, alongside Q&As, workshops, and the Reel Palestine Souk.
Highlights include the opening film Once Upon a Time in Gaza by Arab and Tarzan Nasser, Palestine 36 and Wajib by Annemarie Jacir, Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Walk by Sepideh Farsi, and Academy Award-nominated All That’s Left of You by Cherien Dabis.
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