When Iranian film director Sepideh Farsi attempted to travel to the Gaza Strip in April 2024, she was denied entry at the border. Her idea to capture life under Israeli siege seemed to come to an end — until she connected with Fatima “Fatma” Hasouna, a young, talented photojournalist from Gaza City, who became her eyes in the devastated region.

Through video calls, the two women spoke about the young photographer’s life: her remarkable vitality, her hopes, her fears, and her tears. From Fatma’s home, a rare human perspective on an inhuman existence unfolded, as she simultaneously reported on the bombings and destruction. For more than 200 days, the women stayed in touch — until Fatma and her family were killed in an Israeli airstrike, just one day after the film’s selection for Cannes was announced.

Put Your Soul on Your Hand is an urgent and moving portrait of a young woman who laughs, mourns, loves, and keeps dreaming in the midst of war. Sepideh Farsi’s documentary blends raw immediacy with intimate conversations, revealing daily life during the war through video calls and Fatma’s striking photographic reports. The killing of Fatma and her family on April 16, 2025, forever changed the meaning of the film; her voice and images now stand as a powerful tribute to all lives under fire — a tribute that will echo far beyond the film world after its premiere in Cannes.