Koudéta Films Acquires French Rights to Thirteen in Gaza
The Palestinian father-daughter drama, shot in Gaza during the war, will get a theatrical release in France with an impact campaign.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Foreign
Koudéta Films has acquired French distribution rights to Thirteen in Gaza, directed by Palestinian filmmaker Hosam Abu Dan. Mad World closed the French deal ahead of the film's Middle East premiere at the Doha Film Festival.
Why it matters
Thirteen in Gaza is the first film shot in the Gaza Strip since the Israel-Hamas war began in 2023, making its international distribution a notable development for Palestinian cinema. The deal extends the film's reach beyond its festival run and into a theatrical market in France.
Thirteen in Gaza premiered in September in the Centrepiece programme at the Toronto Film Festival and won its NETPAC Award. The French theatrical release date has not been announced.
The players
Hosam Abu Dan
Hosam Abu Dan is a Palestinian director who helmed Thirteen in Gaza, a father-daughter drama shot in Gaza during the war.
Koudéta Films
Koudéta Films is a French distribution company that acquired the film's French rights and is launching a label focused on political and social films.
Mad World
Mad World is the international sales arm of Pan-Arab distributor Mad Solutions and closed the French distribution deal.
Watermelon Pictures
Watermelon Pictures is the company that picked up Thirteen in Gaza for U.S. distribution.
The details
Koudéta Films is launching a French distribution label dedicated to political and social films, and it plans a theatrical release for Thirteen in Gaza accompanied by an impact campaign. The film follows a father-daughter story and was shot in Gaza under wartime conditions with a Palestinian crew.
Timeline
September 2026: Thirteen in Gaza premieres in the Centrepiece programme at the Toronto Film Festival.
November 19-27, 2026: The Doha Film Festival runs and hosts the film's Middle East premiere.
Industry Dynamics
Thirteen in Gaza's distribution path, from its Toronto premiere to Doha and now France, follows the pattern of regional films reaching international audiences through festival circuits before commercial release. Its production under wartime conditions in Gaza marks it as the first such shoot since the Israel-Hamas war began in 2023.
Moviegoers in France will be able to see Thirteen in Gaza in theaters once Koudéta Films announces the release date, accompanied by an impact campaign. The film's Doha screening will serve as the Middle East premiere for audiences in the region.
The takeaway
Thirteen in Gaza shows how films made under wartime conditions can still find paths to international festivals and distribution. Readers interested in regional cinema can follow its release across the Middle East, France and the United States.
What happens next
The French theatrical release date for Thirteen in Gaza will be announced at a later date.
Further reading
Explore more foreign film coverage to see how international releases like this one reach new audiences.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Variety.
