CAREER HIGHLIGHT(S):
Abbas studied cinema in Jordan and then film and TV production at the University of London's Royal Holloway Campus in the UK, supported by a Said Foundation Scholarship. In 2014, she made a splash with her documentary ICE & DUST, which followed a young Palestinian woman who crossed the Atlantic to search for a better life in Canada. She also worked as an instructor at the Institute of Modern Media at Alquds University.
In 2016, Laila founded the production company Young Oak Productions, and she was selected for the Berlinale Talents program in 2019 to develop her project THANK YOU FOR BANKING WITH US!

TWELVE-MONTH HIGHLIGHT(S):
winning the Best Director Award at Thessaloniki and Best Film at the Golden Rooster Awards.

Can films about Palestine and other contested areas in the region really make a meaningful difference in global understanding? What are the best strategies for financing and marketing such films at a time of such polarizing opinions around the world?

As a filmmaker, I believe that cinema remains one of the most intimate and powerful ways to foster empathy across borders, especially when it comes to places like Palestine and other regions so often caught in the crossfire of opposing narratives. Films don’t offer solutions, but they create space for reflection. They can give voice to the unheard, restore dignity to stories that have been flattened by news reports.

A well-told story — grounded in truth, not propaganda — has the power to shift perception. I’ve seen audiences walk away from screenings with new questions, deeper awareness, and in some cases, a change of perspective altogether. That’s something! But let’s be honest: Making these films isn’t easy. Financing projects that deal with contested or politically sensitive issues requires courage, creativity, and resilience. Many traditional funding sources shy away from controversy or decide to fund stories that fit their predefined stereotypes. In Palestine, we're completely dependent on grants from the region and collaborations with international co-productions.

As for marketing, authenticity is everything. The most effective strategy isn’t to shout over the noise, but to cut through it with integrity. Film festivals are still incredibly valuable — not just for exposure, but for context. A Q&A after a screening can be just as powerful as the film itself.

Beyond festivals, building grassroots momentum through community screenings, academic partnerships, and targeted digital outreach can make a film travel far, especially when it resonates on a human level.

At a time when the world feels increasingly divided, telling stories with honesty, nuance, and compassion is not just important, it’s necessary. I don't make films to win arguments. I make them to remind people that behind every “issue” is a person, a family, a life. And to remind myself that telling stories can be a quiet but powerful act of resistance.