Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania refused to accept an honour at a Berlin awards ceremony this week, citing objections after an Israeli general was recognised at the same event.

The director, known for her film “The Voice of Hind Rajab”, had been named recipient of the Most Valuable Film award at the Cinema for Peace gala, held alongside the Berlinale. However, she chose to leave the prize behind during the ceremony.

Speaking on stage, Ben Hania said the moment was not one of celebration but of responsibility. She used her platform to call for justice and accountability in connection with the killing of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl who died in Gaza in 2024. Two paramedics attempting to reach the child were also killed in the incident.

“Justice means accountability. Without accountability, there is no peace,” Ben Hania said during her remarks.

She alleged that the Israeli army was responsible for the deaths of the child, her family members and the paramedics, and criticised what she described as complicity by powerful governments and institutions. Ben Hania stated that she would not allow the deaths to serve as a backdrop for what she termed a “polite speech about peace”.

The filmmaker added that she would accept such recognition “with joy” only when peace is treated as a legal and moral obligation rooted in accountability.

Cinema for Peace Gala is traditionally held during the Berlin International Film Festival and recognises films and individuals addressing humanitarian and political issues.