This year's Venice Film Festival has provided a suitable platform for examining various aspects of media and its role in crises, while overlooking war and the challenges faced by journalists. The film "Citizen Osama" directed by Ahmad Hassouna focuses on the life of a Palestinian journalist in Gaza, showing how a journalist, like any other human, struggles with daily problems.
Life in the Shadow of War
Hassouna writes in his film notes: "A journalist is not just a soulless camera; he is a human being searching for water and food and worried about providing for his family." This film powerfully depicts the devastated landscapes of Gaza and clearly shows the burden of responsibility that remains on journalists. In this context, experts and human rights groups have accused Israel of deliberately targeting Palestinian journalists, with over ۲۰۰ journalists losing their lives in Gaza in just one year.
Media Challenges and Press Freedom
The film "Citizen Obama" addresses the killing of a Al Jazeera journalist in an Israeli airstrike in ۲۰۲۴, which sparked global reactions. Similarly, in ۲۰۲۵, a day after a film about a Palestinian photojournalist was selected, that photojournalist lost his life in an airstrike. Currently, foreign journalists are still banned from entering Gaza, except on military-controlled tours.
This festival features films centered around various wars, including the Vietnam War and the Spanish Civil War. The film "Girl with Leica" tells the story of war photographer Gerda Taro, who was recognized as the first female war photographer of her time. The director of this film emphasizes that images can portray the realities of war and its effects on civilian populations.
In today's world, with the emergence of artificial intelligence and easy access to cameras, the accuracy and clarity of published images are not always guaranteed. "We must defend press freedom," is a phrase that has resonated amid the bustle of the Venice Festival. Meanwhile, various directors are addressing the challenges faced by journalists and media in today's world, striving to bring independent voices to the global audience.
