Palestine 36

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1:48

Palestine 36

2025

1h 58m

Biography

History

Drama

War

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

1936. As villages across mandatory Palestine rise against British colonial rule, Yusuf drifts between his rural home and the restless energy of Jerusalem, longing for a future beyond the growing unrest. But history is relentless. With rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe, and the Palestinian population uniting in the largest and longest uprising against Britain's 30-year dominion, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region.

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Dec 20

3/5

Making skilful use of colourised archive footage, the film drags up not just unavoidable pointers to the area’s current miseries, but also reminders of similar western interventions in parts as remote as Vietnam and (yes) Ireland.

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Sheri Linden

The Hollywood Reporter

Nov 26

This is a story of national identity and resistance with contemporary resonance, but it’s also a classic genre movie, its historical tapestry populated by a strong ensemble of screen stars as well as impressive newcomers.

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Marcel Steinbauer-Lewis

Little White Lies

Nov 3

3/5

Occasionally, this devolves into lazy, newspaper-headline storytelling, but at its best it cuts between historical footage and new material and achieves the awed emotional resonance of connecting history with the present.

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Panos Kotzathanasis

Asian Movie Pulse

Nov 24

6.5

"Palestine 36" stands as an outstanding achievement—both as a self-contained story and as an illuminating depiction of how the Palestinian issue emerged in modern times, showing with clarity and conviction how history continues to echo into the present.

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Frank J. Avella

The Contending

Nov 22

C+

The filmmaking is impressive, even when the script is wonky. But the portrayal of the British as monstrous villains with no nuance, felt heavy handed. I give props to actors like Irons who manage to rise above their one-dimensionally written roles.

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Tom Dawson

Radio Times

Nov 11

4/5

Palestine 36 vividly brings the past to life and its production couldn't be timelier, given Israel's escalation of action against Palestinians in these disputed lands.

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Dec 7

Provides pre-WW2 peek into the brutal displacement of Palestinians and Britain's strategy through Zionism.

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S L

@Samsuncle 3d

This is an intro into the set up of the robbery of Palestine. Educational and a great film. A must see for anyone still confused about what happened.

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Chris B

@Bhrissyc 3d

Total absolute lies and distortion. British mandate of Palestine was a BRITISH COLONY The Romans invented Palestine alomg with the KGB and user arafat You truly have to be a total moron to believe any of this propaganda. Jews were in the middle east a thousand years before the first Muslim ever existed

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Jon L

@Jonlebuisson 5d

A collection of lies and falsehoods that will delight antisemites. Cliches after cliches for the Free P* gullible crowd

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Dor B

@Dorbar 5d

Basically lies and cheap propaganda. Low budget

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Bo Jack D

@Donkeyman 5d

A Masterclass in Historical Distortion Palestine 36 presents itself as a serious historical drama but quickly reveals itself as a modern political narrative projected backwards onto the 1930s. The film strips Mandatory Palestine of its legal, social and political complexity and replaces it with a simplistic morality tale built on contemporary talking points rather than historical reality. Events are rearranged, causes are flattened, and responsibility is selectively framed to produce emotional clarity where history offers ambiguity. British administration and communal relations are reduced to caricature, depriving viewers of any real understanding of how the Mandate actually functioned. The production is competent, which only makes its distortions more damaging. It looks authentic while quietly discarding historical method. As cinema it is serviceable. As history it is deeply misleading. One star — for effort, not for truth.

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Annemarie Jacir

Director

Jeremy Irons

Actor

Liam Cunningham

Actor

Robert Aramayo

Actor

Hiam Abbass

Actor

Kamel El Basha

Actor

Palestine 36: Trailer 1

1:48

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Synopsis

1936. As villages across mandatory Palestine rise against British colonial rule, Yusuf drifts between his rural home and the restless energy of Jerusalem, longing for a future beyond the growing unrest. But history is relentless. With rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe, and the Palestinian population uniting in the largest and longest uprising against Britain's 30-year dominion, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region.

Director: Annemarie Jacir
Producer: Ossama Bawardi
Screenwriter: Annemarie Jacir
Distributor: Watermelon Pictures
Production Co: Philistine Films, Autonomous, Corniche Media, MK Productions, Snowglobe
Genre: Biography, History, Drama, War
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 28, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 58m