Opening screening of the 12th Leeds Palestinian Film Festival, with the documentary 'Life Support' about doctors in Gaza.
Life Support opens the 12th Leeds Palestinian Film Festival at Hyde Park Picture House on Friday 13 November, starting at 19:00. It's a documentary built around the first-hand accounts of international doctors who breached the blockade of Gaza, combining their recordings and video diaries with visceral footage from inside overwhelmed hospitals across two years of conflict. Directed by Daniele Rugo and distributed by Dartmouth Films, the film follows three UK medics — surgeons Nick Maynard and Victoria Rose and ER doctor James Smith — working alongside Palestinian colleagues. Together they document a healthcare system pushed to the brink, from destroyed IVF clinics to Gaza's only cancer hospital, with footage shot by local camera operators of everyday life beyond the headlines.
It's a heavy watch. The film is rated 15 and contains graphic and distressing scenes, including images of severely injured children and starvation, so that's something to keep in mind before you book. It kicks off the 12th edition of the Leeds Palestinian Film Festival, which runs from 13 November to 6 December across several Leeds venues. This year's theme is 'To make art is to say we are here', a quote from the celebrated Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Leeds and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
If you're planning to go, the screening is at Hyde Park Picture House, 73 Brudenell Road, Headingley, LS6 1JD, on Friday 13 November at 19:00. It's the opening night of the festival, which continues across the city until 6 December.
