In a new international achievement for Palestinian cinema, "Gaza’s Twins: Come Back to Me", directed by Mohammed Sawwaf, won the Best Documentary Award in the International Category at the 17th TRT International Documentary Awards, held in Istanbul under the theme "Be Brave, Leave a Mark."
The award was received by the film’s producer, Sylvia Shahwanah, during the ceremony, marking a significant milestone in the film’s international journey and further strengthening its position among the leading documentaries portraying the human reality in Gaza.
The film prevailed in a highly competitive field of 1,409 submissions from 109 countries, underscoring the prestigious status of the TRT International Documentary Awards as a major global platform for documentary filmmaking.
The documentary follows the story of Rania and her twins, Hamoud and Jowan, over 16 months in Gaza. Throughout this time, the filmmaking team accompanied the family in their daily lives, documenting the impact of war, repeated displacement, forced separation, and their struggle to survive while holding on to hope under extremely difficult circumstances.
Through a deeply personal and moving story, the film captures the devastating impact of war on Palestinian families, reflecting feelings of fear, loss, and longing, while also highlighting resilience, determination, and the enduring hope of family reunification.
The film is directed by Mohammed Sawwaf and produced by Alef Multimedia, in partnership with Witness, Al Jazeera English’s documentary strand. It was co-produced by Sylvia Shahwanah, Salah Al-Haw, and Ibrahim Al-Otla, with executive production by Fiona Lawson-Baker and Mohammed Al-Hamdani. Cinematography was led by Ibrahim Al-Otla, Salah Al-Haw, Mohammed Al-Mashharawi, and Hassona Al-Jarjawi, while international distribution is handled by CAT&Docs.
Strong International Presence
The TRT award is the latest recognition in the film’s successful international festival run. The documentary has screened at several major international festivals, including the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) in the Netherlands, CPH:DOX in Denmark as part of its Human Rights Competition, SXSW London in the United Kingdom, Humans Fest in Spain, and Mostra Ecofalante de Cinema in Brazil.
During the awards ceremony, Burhanettin Duran, Head of the Turkish Communications Directorate, emphasized the importance of documentary films as historical testimonies that preserve collective memory and give voice to silent and marginalized peoples and places, particularly in Palestine and Gaza.
Commenting on the award, director Mohammed Sawwaf said that the recognition represents the result of months of collective effort, dedication, and documentation under exceptionally difficult circumstances. He expressed his gratitude to everyone who believed in the story and helped bring it to international audiences.
He added that the film not only documents the story of one Palestinian family, but also preserves a part of the human memory of the genocide in Gaza, giving a voice to families living every day with the consequences of displacement, loss, and waiting.