Alana Hadid, the older sister of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, has launched a new film streaming platform, Watermelon+, to amplify Palestinian voices through cinema. The launch was announced during the Cannes Film Festival, amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, where over 100 people were reportedly killed on Thursday alone.
Hadid, a model and activist, is the daughter of Palestinian-born property developer Mohamed Anwar Hadid. She now serves as the creative director of Watermelon+, which aims to challenge mainstream narratives by showcasing “neglected or silenced” Palestinian perspectives.
The platform features around 60 films, many set in Gaza, including the Emmy-winning documentary Five Broken Cameras and The Wanted 18, a humorous true story about West Bank villagers hiding cows from Israeli forces during the First Intifada.
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“Unless we get Palestinian voices out there, nothing’s going to change,” said co-founder Badie Ali, a U.S.-born Palestinian. His brother and co-founder, Hamza Ali, added, “It’s the erasure and dehumanisation that fuel the politics. We’re more than our suffering.”
The initiative comes during escalating violence and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The region’s health ministry reports over 53,000 deaths since October 7, 2023, due to Israeli bombardments, and a worsening famine due to aid blockades.
In a recent statement, former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. should “take” Gaza and transform it into a “freedom zone,” calling it the future “Riviera of the Middle East.”
As international concern grows, Watermelon+ stands as a cultural response — aiming to humanize Palestinians and reshape global understanding through film and storytelling.
