Popcorn, Cartoons, and Resilience: How a Gaza Cinema Offers Displaced Girls a Brief Escape from War

Every Thursday, 14-year-old Natalie al-Hatoum looks forward to one thing. She gets ready early, says goodbye to her mother and heads to the cinema in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. But this isn’t your typical multiplex. Complete with a ticket booth and popcorn, it is part of a simulated "cinema experience" organized for displaced girls in Gaza by a charity in Deir el-Balah.

Instead of a traditional movie screen, there is a television, and plastic chairs replace theatre seats. Natalie, who is originally from Gaza City’s Remal neighbourhood, has been living displaced in a single rented room in central Gaza with her family since their home was bombed during the early months of the war, which began in October 2023. Seeking an escape from the harsh reality of their daily lives, Natalie and other girls aged 11 to 16 attend the weekly film screenings organized by the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations-USA (UOSSM USA).

“I really like the cinema because it gives us a change of atmosphere. It makes you feel like you’re not living through the war, like you’re not living through these difficult days,” Natalie says, reflecting on the psychological toll of the conflict that has also caused the loss of several family members.

For 15-year-old Rama Abu Mohammed, another regular attendee, entering the centre feels like stepping into "another world." The screenings, lasting one to two hours, are accompanied by games and discussions designed to help the girls process emotions, discuss difficult experiences, and learn about personal safety, boundaries, and protection from harassment.

Jehan Abu Zanouna, a psychosocial facilitator running the activities, explains that the cinema is part of a broader psychological support effort. “We try to completely separate them from the tents, the heat, insects and the harsh reality they live every day,” Abu Zanouna notes. The facilitators encourage the girls to discuss the stories and characters, helping them navigate the challenges of their environment.

Zahra Abu Mohammed, a staff member at UOSSM USA, emphasizes that the organization chose movies because they open a natural conversation about emotions without feeling like a formal lesson. Ultimately, for participants like Rama and Natalie, the program provides a vital space to recharge their energy before returning to the pressures of displacement.