Filmmaker Darin J. Sallam has maintained her commitment to the work behind her debut feature “Farha,” despite significant backlash following its release on Netflix. The film, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2021 and was selected as Jordan’s submission for the international feature Oscar category, depicts a Palestinian girl during the Nakba, the period of mass displacement and dispossession surrounding the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. The Netflix release generated considerable controversy, particularly regarding a scene showing Israeli soldiers killing a Palestinian family, leading to public condemnation from Israeli officials and harassment directed at Sallam and others involved in the production.
Sallam stated that she anticipated the challenges her debut choice would present and has experienced no regret about making the film. She emphasized that the effort invested in bringing the project to fruition remained worthwhile, and she credited the film’s continued resonance. The filmmaker was warned before shooting began that the project could damage her emerging career, yet she proceeded with conviction. Since the film’s release, Sallam has been unable to travel to Palestine.
The director drew inspiration for “Farha” from a Palestinian refugee story shared by her mother, believing that personal narratives provide the most effective means of understanding historical events. She expressed particular interest in centering women’s experiences that have been historically marginalized or excluded from mainstream accounts. Sallam contends that cinema grounded in authentic human experience proves more impactful than material that functions primarily as historical exposition or messaging.
Looking forward, Sallam is developing her second feature, “Churching of Women,” which explores women’s stories within a 1938 Levant setting encompassing present-day Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The project, which won the ArteKino International Award at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Project Market in 2025, is currently in advanced development and financing. Sallam indicated that her experience with “Farha” has reinforced rather than diminished her commitment to telling challenging stories. She is currently serving on the narrative features jury at the Sharjah International Festival for Children and Youth, where she continues to observe how younger audiences engage meaningfully with cinema.
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