Underplayed Gems

Once Upon a Time in Gaza (2025)

Once Upon a Time in Gaza poster
Original title
كان ياما كان في غزة
Directed by
Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Country
Palestine, Germany, France, Portugal
Runtime
1h 27m
Rated
12
Rating
5.4 of 10 from 15 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More films like thisWatch the trailer

or watch the trailer on YouTube

How it feels

A man in Gaza seeks revenge after his friend is killed by a corrupt policeman. The story follows his pursuit of justice in a tense and dangerous environment.

tensegrittybleakurgentsuspensefulearthygroundeddarkly realistic

What happens

Once Upon a Time in Gaza is a 2025 film written and directed by Tarzan and Arab Nasser. Starring Issaq Elias, Nader Abd Alhay, Ramzi Maqdisi and Majd Eid. Set in Hamas-controlled Gaza, it follows Yahya (Nader Abd Alhay), who seeks revenge for the murder of his friend Ossama by a corrupt policeman. The film had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2025, where it won the section's Best Director prize. It was theatrically released in France on 25 June by Sophie Dulac Distribution. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems. Not quite it? You can browse by genre, country and year, or take this one into the 3D catalogue and ask the Catbot for something closer.