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Watermelon Pictures

Watermelon Pictures is an American film production and distribution company founded in 2024 by Badie and Hamza Ali. The company has distributed Israelism (2023), Life Is Beautiful (2023), From Ground Zero (2024), To a Land Unknown (2024), and The Encampments (2025). All films affiliated with Watermelon Pictures have a heavy emphasis on Palestinian nationalism.

History

In April 2024, it was announced Badie and Hamza Ali had launched Watermelon Pictures a company specializing in film production, financing, and distribution, with Alana Hadid set to serve as creative director.[1][2] The mission of the company is to showcase Palestinians and Arabs, who have been poorly represented and dehumanized in mainstream media.[3][4]

The company's first release Walled Off, a documentary focusing on The Walled Off Hotel, directed by Vin Arfuso, and executive produced by Roger Waters, Kweku Mandela and Anwar Hadid was released on May 3, 2024.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Watermelon Pictures Launches, Alana Hadid Named Creative Director". PR Newswire. April 4, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  2. ^ Bedirian, Razmig (July 10, 2024). "How Alana Hadid's Watermelon Pictures aims to 'dispel the propaganda' against Palestinians". The National. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  3. ^ Issawi, Danya (June 11, 2024). "Alana Hadid Wants to Build the "Palestinian A24"". The Cut. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  4. ^ "Alana Hadid on reclaiming the Palestinian narrative through art and film". TRT World. July 21, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  5. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (April 4, 2024). "Alana Hadid Leading Film Label Watermelon Pictures, First Movie Is Palestine Documentary 'Walled Off'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 3, 2025.