Watermelon Pictures, the production company that wants to change the image of Palestinians
Founded in 2024, the production and distribution company Watermelon Pictures specializes in Palestinian films, with one goal: to change Hollywood's historically stereotypical portrayal of Palestinians and Arabs. Its directors are Palestinian-American brothers Badie and Hamza Ali.
The portrayal of Palestinians, and Arabs, in Hollywood has often suffered from highly negative stereotypes. Changing this perception is no easy feat. Yet this is the ambition of American-Palestinian brothers Badie and Hamza Ali, who founded Watermelon Pictures in 2024. “An independent production company founded on the conviction that Arabs, but especially Palestinians, deserve more than just a passing glimpse,” they summarize. Rolling Stone MENA , the Middle East and North Africa edition of the famous American magazine.
And in just two years, they have already produced a number of films with high media coverage. Like Towards an Unknown Country , by the Palestinian-Danish Mahdi Fleifel, and the documentary The Encampments, by the Americans. Michael T. Workman and Kei Pritsker, both released in France in March 2025. And, more recently, from The Voice of Hind Rajab, from the Tunisian Kaouther Ben Hania, Silver Lion at the last Venice Film Festival, or Palestine 36, by the Palestinian Annemarie Jacir . These two highly anticipated fictions are due to be released in France in January 2026.
“Each outing reminds the public of the context in which we all live today: Palestine is under occupation but the Palestinians are still there, they are resisting and they have
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