Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees has said he is unable to attend the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday because of Donald Trump's travel ban, despite his film being nominated. Malhees stars in The Voice of Hind Rajab, a drama directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania about a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in 2024.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, Malhees wrote: 'Our film was nominated for an Academy Award. I had the honour of playing one of the lead roles in a story the world needed to hear. But I will not be there. I am not allowed to enter the United States because of my Palestinian citizenship.' He added: 'You can block a passport. You cannot block a voice.'
The travel ban, instituted by President Trump in December, restricts entry for individuals holding Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents. Malhees, 34, said his spirit would be with the film on the night. The film is nominated for Best International Feature Film, competing against entries from Brazil, Norway, Spain and France.
Support for Malhees came from Oscar-winning British actor Riz Ahmed, who commented: 'Your work in the film and the film itself are both incredible and will live on forever. Sending much love and respect.'
The Voice of Hind Rajab reconstructs the final moments of Hind Rajab, who survived an initial attack by Israeli tanks that killed her family, then called emergency services and pleaded for help for over three hours before she and the paramedics who arrived were killed. The film interweaves re-enactments with raw audio from the call.
