The Wish
Aws Al Banna
Documentary
2025
30 minutes
PG
Palestine, France
Arabic
English
War stripped Gaza of everything. And amid the ongoing war, director Aws Al-Banna turns to theater for healing, creating a children's play titled Wish. In rehearsals, three girls; Layla, Dina, and Amina, confront personal traumas: orphanhood, displacement, and the arrest of a parent. Outside the stage, suffering persists, but inside, they speak their pain, dream aloud, and hold onto a glimpse of childhood. Through storytelling and shared strength, the play becomes their sanctuary, and a quiet rebellion against despair.
Aws Al Banna, 26, from Gaza, is a television and theater actor, drama teacher, playwright, and director. He studied theater and has worked on series such as Milad Al-Fajr, Shuhud, and Darb Al-Fida, as well as plays like Al-Ramadiyun and Rashomon Gate. He has received awards for his children's theater projects.