Watermelon Pictures Acquires ‘Thirteen in Gaza’ Out of TIFF (Exclusive)

Watermelon Pictures, an indie distributor that specializes in Palestinian and Arab cinema, has picked up all rights in North America for Thirteen in Gaza, the debut feature from Palestinian filmmaker Hosam Abu Dan, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in the TIFF Centerpiece section.

The coming-of-age drama follows Raghad (Mary Ziyara), a 13-year-old girl who has lost her home and much of her family in a bombing, who now lives in a displacement camp in Gaza with her father (Feras Al Masri).

The plot summary reads: “Raghad is entering adolescence in circumstances where privacy, security and the ordinary freedoms of childhood have all but disappeared. As she confronts the deeply personal changes of growing up, her father faces increasingly difficult choices in his efforts to protect her and secure their survival.”

Thirteen in Gaza was shot entirely inside the Gaza Strip, the first narrative feature to be filmed and produced inside Gaza in 12 years and the first since the war began in 2023. The film was made by an entirely Palestinian production team which, producers say, survived an Israeli airstrike during the making of the movie. The entire film was shot on two memory cards.

Abu Dan produced and edited the film, directing from a screenplay by Khalil Al Muzayyen. Hanna Atallah served as executive producer, with Yousef Al Mashharawi as cinematographer. The production company was New Scene for Media Production.

“Thirteen in Gaza is an extraordinary film about childhood, family and the human need to keep living even when ordinary life has been taken away,” said Munir Atalla, Head of Production and Acquisitions for Watermelon Pictures, who did the deal for the movie with Hanna Atallah, acting on behalf of the film team.

The distribution deal was negotiated by Munir Atalla, Head of Production and Acquisitions for Watermelon Pictures, on behalf of the distributor and Executive Producer Hanna Atallah on behalf of the film team.

Watermelon said it would be announcing its release plan for the film in the coming months.

The film marks Hosam Abu Dan’s narrative feature directorial debut. A Palestinian filmmaker based in Gaza, Abu Dan has previously directed documentary and television work.

Launched in 2024, Watermelon has become a domestic go-to for Palestinian and Arab filmmakers, producing or distributing such features as From Ground Zero, Palestine 36, All That’s Left of You, and the Oscar-nominated The Voice of Hind Rajab.