Showcasing Palestinian cinema, culture, art, and history across Scotland

Our misson

We strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. 



Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Scottish audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have unending stories to tell.

Using cinema, primarily, as a tool of resistance, we strive to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. We want to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums.

Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian history, art, and culture remains rather limited. We hope to contribute to filling this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema, primarily, but not exclusively.

In so doing, we hope to provide a vibrant representation that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people, globally, all the while educating our audiences on the more than 100 years of zionist occupation endured.

Our Values

  • Our commitment to justice is rooted in amplifying Palestinian voices and promoting human rights through storytelling and cinema that challenge oppression and inspire empathy, solidarity, and action.

  • Our festival stands for the liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea, honoring the ongoing struggle for freedom, dignity and self-determination, while sharing stories that reflect the unyielding spirit of the Palestinian people. 

  • We are dedicated to the preservation, celebration and dissemination of Palestinian culture, safeguarding its rich heritage, traditions, and artistic expressions, ensuring they continue to inspire future generations and resist erasure.

  • We stand in solidarity with Palestine and all oppressed people, fostering a global network of support, empathy, and collective action in the fight for justice, freedom, and dignity.

  • We embrace sumud - the unwavering steadfastness of the Palestinian people - celebrating resistance in the face of occupation, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, and genocide, and inspiring persistence in the pursuit of justice, freedom, and cultural survival. 

  • We uphold the fundamental right of return for Palestinian refugees, honoring the unbroken connection to their land, and supporting their rights to return to their homes, communities and future of dignity and justice.

  • We are committed to building a strong and inclusive community of individuals who share our core values of justice, liberation, cultural preservation, solidarity, sumud, and return, creating a space for connection, dialogue, (un)learning, and mutual support among Palestinians and allies worldwide.

Our Commitments

We commit to do no harm to the Palestinian liberation struggle by: 

  • Pledging our support to PACBI and encouraging the arts and cultural spaces we work with to publicly pledge to commit to the PACBI or to support Palestine. 

  • Not accepting funding from complicit institutions. 

  • Not screening films that have received funding from the Zionist state or affiliated cultural funds. 

  • Prioritising first and foremost, Palestinian filmmakers, directors, and story-tellers.

A large group of people seated at long dining tables indoors, engaging in a communal meal. The room has wooden walls adorned with framed pictures and posters. Plates and glasses are arranged on the tables, suggesting a social gathering or event.

Our Story

Falastin Film Festival is a collective that formed in 2023 following the onslaught of the Genocide against Gaza. Serving as an act of cultural resistance, the festival seeks to amplify Palestinian stories, share Palestinian art, and foster spaces for collective (un)learning. 

In our first edition, Edinburgh, Oban, and the Isle of Mull transformed into spaces of solidarity and reflection through film screenings, discussions, workshops, supper clubs, music, and an art exhibition. Audiences from across Scotland and beyond joined us to connect, build community, (un)learn and celebrate Palestinian life.

Scotland's cultural vibrancy and appetite for new perspectives make it a perfect home for FFF. Yet, Palestinian history and contemporary experiences remain largely absent from its cultural landscape. We aim to bridge that gap by centering powerful stories that challenge stereotypes, prejudice, and spark meaningful dialogue.

Our collective includes Palestinians and allies from diverse backgrounds, united by the belief that art can inspire both understanding and action.