Phoenix of Gaza: film screening with Q&A with film director

Unseen footage of Gaza’s beauty and the resilience of its residents before the last war, captured by Palestinian filmmaker and journalist Yousef Alhelou, with a Q&A after the viewing with the director himself. All revenues go to the people from Gaza.

This unique personal film, shot just weeks before the genocide began, shows rare footage of Gaza before its destruction and now serves as an archive of its past. Yousef created extensive reportage of Gaza’s historic buildings, recreational spaces, and beach life; of its olive and fruit groves, and its museums, mosques, churches, restaurants, and shopping malls, as well as capturing rare aerial footage of Gaza.

Yousef is an independent journalist, political analyst, filmmaker, and content creator based in London, England. Yousef’s sister and her seven children were killed on 10th December 2023 by an Israeli strike on their home. They remain buried under rubble. Dozens of Yousef’s relatives and journalist colleagues are among the near 75,000 killed between October 7th 2023 and October 19th 2025.