Student Exchange

Janan Amin Jamil Qatmash

Faculty of Arts and Educational Sciences

Nature of participation:

Student Jury at the Venice Film Festival.

Scientific and practical experience:

At the Venice International Film Festival, I found myself among the giants of the seventh art, surrounded by monumental cinematic works and captivating visual experiences. I watched through the lens of a critic, searching in every shot for an idea that touched the human being, and listening with my heart to every story that carried its pain and beauty. Being part of the student jury at one of the world's most prestigious film festivals means looking at the screen with different eyes, not content with admiration or amazement, but rather searching deeply for the idea, the symbol, and the human being behind the lens. During the days I spent there, I watched dozens of films from various countries, each carrying a memory, a cause, and the features of a society.

I witnessed stories of war, love, identity, migration, and the search for self. Each time, the camera transformed from a photographic tool into a mirror reflecting the world, revealing our fragility and our strength simultaneously.

The experience wasn't just about watching movies; it was a journey of awareness and exploration into the meaning of art and cinema's ability to create dialogue between people who don't speak the same language, yet understand pain, joy, and hope in the same way. At the festival, I met actors and directors from diverse film schools and learned how personal experiences can be transformed into artwork that touches millions. Every discussion we had as members of the jury was a rich space for exchanging perspectives on the meaning of creativity, the moral responsibility of art, and the limits of freedom of expression. I am grateful to my university, Kadoorie, for giving me the confidence to represent it and Palestine at this major global event, and for every moment that made me more convinced that cinema is not an aesthetic luxury, but a tool for changing consciousness and building bridges between people.

Other activities:

Away from the exhibition halls, the experience was even richer…

We participated in youth meetings and intellectual workshops, where we discussed the role of cinema in building peace and understanding between peoples, and how art can be a bridge to humanity, not an arena for conflict.

We spoke about Palestine as we know it and experience it every day; about its spirit, the dreams of its youth, and its culture that resists oblivion with beauty and creativity.

We carried it in our conversations with spontaneity and pride, showing the world its true face: the face of life, dignity, and determination.

We also participated in symbolic peace marches organized by participants from various countries, raising our voices for the values ​​of justice and human freedom, believing that art can become a language of rapprochement and understanding, not of discord and division.

Those days were filled with learning and encounters that expand both the heart and the mind.