Presented within the fifth Arab Theatre Meeting Hanover as part of the interdisciplinary MAGMA Project, Gaza mon amour by the Nasser Brothers offered a quiet, intimate portrayal of life in Gaza and brought together artistic voices from the Levant and the European diaspora.

The film follows the story the fisherman Issa who falls in love with Siham. When he unexpectedly discovers an ancient statue of Apollo in his net, it becomes a symbol of both a lost past and a hoped-for future. This moment shifts something within him, giving him the courage to finally confess his feelings.

In light of the unprecedented destruction that has since affected the whole Gaza Strip, this film nowadays resonates as an echo of a world and reality that scarcely exists anymore. It sheds light on untold stories, hidden dreams, and quiet hopes of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, portraying their everyday lives and struggles and offering a multi-layered perspective beyond reductive associations with destruction and war.

Embedded in a festival that explored personal narratives shaped by crisis and memory, Gaza mon amour stood out for its poetic subtlety. It offered a deeply human perspective—one that foregrounds love, dignity, and resilience beyond dominant political narratives.