Tunisian director Kawthar Ben Hania expressed on Thursday her hope that the overwhelming reception of her new film “The Sound of Hind Rabah” at the Venice Film Festival would help convey its harrowing story to audiences worldwide.

The film depicts the last hours in the life of a five-year-old girl from the Gaza Strip who died in 2024 after being trapped in a car under Israeli fire.

The film was met with an extraordinary ovation lasting 24 minutes during its premiere on Wednesday, the longest applause by far compared to all other films this year.

Kawthar told Reuters, “It was an emotionally overwhelming moment because I did not expect it… I am very grateful to the Venice Festival for selecting the film and giving us such an amazing start to the film’s journey.”

The applause only ended when officials had to ask the audience to leave as another film was scheduled to be shown.

Amer Halilhel, the actor who played the emergency call receiver at the Red Crescent trying to organize the girl’s rescue, said he felt mixed emotions due to the warm reception.

He added, “There is a feeling of guilt because we are celebrating while people are still suffering from famine and mass killings,” adding that the cast and crew felt they were “on a mission” to tell the world Hind Rabah’s story.

The girl was trying to flee Gaza City on January 29, 2024, when the car she was in was attacked by Israeli forces. She initially survived the shooting and pleaded with Red Crescent workers, in a heartbreaking voice, to save her. The audio clip was used in the film.

Finally, Israel gave the green light to rescue her after a three-hour wait, but contact with the paramedics who headed to save her was lost shortly after they arrived at the scene. Days later, the bodies of Hind, some relatives, and the rescuers were found.

The Israeli army initially denied that the car was targeted by its forces. However, a later United Nations report blamed Israel. The Israeli military said this week the incident is still under review and declined further comment.

“The Sound of Hind Rabah” attracted some prominent Hollywood names as executive producers, giving it additional weight in the industry, including actors Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, and Rooney Mara.

Kawthar said, “I hope the film will be screened in the United States,” noting that Tunisia has already selected it as its candidate for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2026 Academy Awards (Oscars).

She added, “The most important thing is for ‘The Sound of Hind Rabah’ to reach everyone around the world and the Oscars, and Venice Festival is a great gateway,” rejecting any suggestion that the film might be controversial.

She explained, “Killing a child should not be a subject of dispute… It is a crime!”