Palestinian actor and filmmaker Mohammad Bakri died on Wednesday, aged 72, bringing to an end an influential five-decade career that unfolded alongside the development of Palestinian filmmaking, from the margins to major international festivals.
Bakri was known for sparse and meditative work both on and behind the camera. The lyricism coursing through his films never obscured the trauma and indignation caused by Israel’s ongoing occupation of Palestine.
Internationally, Bakri’s work was recognised with awards and screenings across European and South American festivals.
It culminated in his final on-screen role as part of All That’s Left of You, which had its premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January and was recently shortlisted (a penultimate step towards nomination) for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Reflecting on his career in a 2024 interview with the website Yplus, Bakri described his work as an attempt to create “art, humanity and refinement” in the face of the “cruelty of the occupation”.
Here are six of his most notable films.
1. Hanna K (1983)
Bakri’s screen debut came by way of this taut French legal drama directed by Greek-French filmmaker Costa-Gavras.
Bakri plays the role of Salim, accused of terrorism by Israel and defended by the titular character Hanna K (Jill Clayburgh), a lawyer and daughter of Holocaust survivors, as he attempts to regain his family home in Palestine, which has been transformed into a Jewish settlement.
In his review for US culture magazine The Village Voice, Palestinian writer Edward Said praised the film for offering a rare look into the lives and struggles of Palestinians.
2. Wedding in Galilee (1987)
In this film, Bakri plays Abu Adel, the mukhtar (community leader) of a Palestinian village, who plunges his family and community into conflict after agreeing to allow Israeli officials to observe his son’s wedding to ensure the ceremony can proceed in its traditional and elaborate form.
The film’s depiction of family dynamics and its insight into Palestinian village life and traditions were widely praised by critics, and it went on to win the International Critics Prize at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival, as well as the Grand Prize, the Tanit d’Or, at Tunisia’s Carthage Film Festival the following year.
3. Haifa (1996)
Shot entirely within the constraints of Gaza and directed by Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, Bakri plays a man named Haifa, a refugee camp resident whose whimsical nature sees him derided as the town’s fool, as he observes daily life unfolding under occupation.
Bakri’s restrained performance, often relying on gesture rather than dialogue, was critically lauded, and the film was screened at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
4. Jenin, Jenin (2002)
Filmed shortly after the Israeli military assault on the Jenin refugee camp, this documentary was directed by Bakri. He stepped behind the camera to interview residents who recount their experiences during and after the operation.
The searing account led Israeli authorities to ban the film from public screening amid civil lawsuits by Israeli soldiers involved in the military campaign. Jenin, Jenin was awarded Best Film at the 2002 Carthage Film Festival.
5. Private (2004)
In Private, directed by Italian filmmaker Saverio Costanzo, Bakri plays Mohammad, the father of a Palestinian family whose home is occupied by Israeli soldiers as part of a military operation.
With Mohammad refusing to leave, the film is set almost exclusively inside the house as he tries to keep the family together in the face of spiralling tension.
Private received the Golden Leopard Award, the top prize at the 57th Locarno International Film Festival in 2004.
6. All That’s Left of You (2025)
Bakri's final major screen role came in All That’s Left of You, directed by Palestinian-American filmmaker and actress Cherien Dabis.
In the poignant drama following a Palestinian family across three generations living under occupation, Bakri plays an older version of Sharif, youthfully portrayed on screen by his son Adam Bakri.
In addition to being shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at next year’s Academy Awards, All That’s Left of You won the Best Feature Film award (Silver Yusr) at this month’s Red Sea International Film Festival, while also being in contention for Best International Film at the February Film Independent Spirit Awards in the US.
