Drama movie Palestine 36, British colonies with Jeremy Irons and Liam Cunningham

Palestine 36, the movie’s plot

Palestine 36is the drama and war movie coming out. In 1936 Yusuf, a young Palestinian, moves between his rural village and the streets of Jerusalem, where tensions grow under the edict of the British Empire. Jewish immigrants are fleeing European antisemitism, while revolt mounts against thirty years of British rule.

“I listen to everyone” says Commissioner Wauchope (Jeremy Irons) responding to complaints, in the released trailer. “For the first time I’m afraid of dying” says Khouloud (Yasmine Al Massri). “We are fighting for our independence” the citizens shout. “Which side of history do you want to be on?” asks Captain Wingate (Robert Aramayo) to his colleague.

Palestine 36, the movie’s cast

Robert Aramayo is known for the role of Elrond in the TV series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Jeremy Irons acted in The Beekeeper and Munich: The Edge of War: he won the Oscar award for Reversal of Fortune.

The other actors are Liam Cunningham, who worked in the role of Davos Seaworth in the episodes of Game of Thrones; Billy Howle, seen recently in The Perfect Couple.

The direction is by Annemarie Jacir, who directed Wajib, When I Saw You.

Palestine 36, the movie’s filming

Production was supposed to begin on October 14, 2023 in Bethlehem, where Jacir was born. But after October 7, production was evacuated, suspended and then moved to Jordan before returning to Palestine to complete filming.

Palestine 36, the critics’ reviews and the movie’s release date

The movie has already been presented at several festivals where it received positive reviews. For The Hollywood Reporter “it’s a story of national identity and resistance with contemporary resonance, but it’s also a classic of genre cinema, whose historical fresco is populated by a solid cast of movie stars and promising newcomers”.

For Screen Rant “it’s shot and documented impeccably, and is rich with historical details”. For The Guardian “none of these characters comes to life with particular passion, but all are portrayed convincingly, and this is a vehement warning about what is not taught in British schools”.

The movie comes out in the United States on April 3, 2026.