Palestine selects ‘Citizen Osama’ as official Oscar entry

Palestine has selected the documentary ‘Citizen Osama’ as its official entry for the 99th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Directed by Ahmed Hassouna, the film follows Osama Al-Ashi, an art photographer turned war documentarian in northern Gaza.

The documentary captures a year in the life of Al-Ashi, spanning from the birth of his son in mid-2024 to the child’s first birthday. It explores the tension between his professional responsibilities as a journalist documenting the devastation of war and his personal duties as a husband and new father. The film highlights the daily realities of hunger, displacement, and trauma while focusing on the persistence of life and art under conflict.

Following its appearance in the Venice Open section at the Venice Film Festival, the film serves as a platform to document the personal experiences of those living in northern Gaza.