It is almost impossible to go into Sepideh Farsi’s documentary without knowing the film’s tragic denouement. Not that the events described and witnessed in the film are any less sad. However, instead of the ending coming as a shock, the advance knowledge serves to amplify the previous 110 minutes of this vital, powerful, and personal story.
Filmmaker Sepideh Farsi travelled to Cairo to document Palestinian refugees fleeing the war in Gaza. It was there that someone put her in touch with Fatma Hassouna, a photojournalist still living and working in the war-torn region. The two connect over a series of FaceTime and WhatsApp calls that take place over a year. There is a palpable tension in the air every time Farsi dials the number. A long, anxious pause as she wonders if this is the day there is no one at the other end of the line.
But, almost, without fail… Fatima is there, greeting Farsi with that smile that defines not only herself, but what feels like the resistance and hope of an entire nation. Her will is stronger than the wi-fi signal used to make these calls. It is mind-blowing how she can continue to wear that huge smile, as it is in complete juxtaposition to the truly horrifying things that she describes. She is smiling through the pain. Putting on a brave face to try and fool us and herself that she is okay, even in the face of bombs falling close by, or discovering the severed head of her aunt a couple of streets away.
Farsi’s filming technique results in the audience watching through a screen, while a screen captures the conversation between two people on another screen. It feels, in a way, like we are eavesdropping on a private conversation. And yet, the opposite is true. This is a voice that needs to be listened to.
It has unwittingly and unwillingly evolved into a eulogy rather than a testimony. It feels like a modern-day Diary of Anne Frank, albeit in video, not written form. An audio-visual diary capturing one woman’s thoughts and feelings whilst trapped in the middle of a war.
The title, Put Your Soul In Your Hand and Walk, refers to Fatima’s belief that they are taking their life in their hands every time they step outside. As she explains, “you have many ways to die in Gaza. Bombs, fear, starvation…”. What Fatima does with her photography is not only to document the effects of the war on Gaza, but “tries to find life within the death”.
The phone conversations are interspersed with examples of Houssana’s work. Images that capture moments of levity and hope within the madness. One of the most striking is a photograph of a man with tables of toys laid out for sale, in front of the backdrop of a building destroyed by the bombings.
The film closes with a call on 15th April 2025, with Farsi telling an exuberant Houssana that the film they have made will play at the Cannes Film Festival. However, she would not be able to attend the screening in person. Because she, along with six members of her family, was killed the next day in a targeted strike by Israeli forces.
Fatima Houssana may never have been able to leave Gaza, but thanks to this film, her face and voice will echo far and wide around the world. People will know her name, her work, her strength, and her smile. A smile that will become synonymous with the strength and resiliency of the Palestinian people.
Put Your Soul In Your Hand And Walk is in UK cinemas from August 22
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Director: Sepideh Farsi
Stars: Sepideh Farsi, Fatima Hassouna
Runtime: 113 minutes
Country: France/Palestine
