Even before the war, cinema was never really a part of everyday life in Gaza. Most movie theaters disappeared decades ago and the culture of cinemagoing has faded from the lives of the younger generations. But this war has taken far more from children than just the few remaining movie theaters.
They have lost schools, libraries, parks, football pitches—all of the places where kids are supposed to be able to experience the world without fear. Since the beginning of the genocide, the majority of Gaza’s cultural centers have been heavily damaged or destroyed entirely. Artistic and educational programs that once provided an outlet for young people have largely ground to a halt.
Education has also been heavily disrupted. Most schools have been destroyed, while the ones that remain standing have been turned into shelters for displaced people. Hundreds of thousands of children have been out of school for almost three years.
Against this backdrop, small initiatives have begun to bring back some semblance of normal life. One of them is Haws Cinema, the passion project of sisters Shaimaa and Safaa Dhabban. It took months, and we did it by hand because we couldn’t get heavy machinery.” Big projects often begin with small ideas.
The idea for Haws Cinema arose from an old family habit. Shaimaa says that she and her sister have always loved animated movies, and would sit down to watch them together every day after school when they were younger. With Gaza’s children living through an unprecedented period of isolation and terror, Shaimaa and Safaa wondered if that passion could be shared.
Shaimaa graduated from college with a degree in information technology. Before the war, she worked as a graphic designer. Safaa studied English and translation in college, having translated movies and TV shows for fun since she was 16.
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