BERLIN — Kaouther Ben Hania, director of the documentary The Voice of Hind Rajab, turned down a top film prize at the Cinema for Peace gala this week. The Tunisian filmmaker left the ‘Most Valuable Film’ trophy onstage. Her decision came after the same event honored an Israeli general.

Ben Hania addressed the crowd before departing. She spoke of duty over celebration. ‘Justice means accountability. Without accountability, there is no peace,’ she declared, according to witnesses at the Monday night event.

Her remarks centered on Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on January 29, 2024. Hind had been trapped in a family car under fire in Gaza City. She made a desperate phone call to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, begging for rescue. The audio from that call forms the heart of Ben Hania’s film.

Rescuers from the Red Crescent arrived later. Two paramedics died in the effort. Israeli fire targeted their ambulance, Palestinian officials said. Hind’s aunt, Layan Hamadeh, 15, and other relatives perished in the initial attack as the family fled fighting in northern Gaza.

‘The Israeli army killed Hind Rajab, killed her family, killed the two paramedics who came to save her, with the complicity of the world’s most powerful governments and institutions,’ Ben Hania stated. She rejected turning their deaths into ‘a backdrop for a polite speech about peace.’

Ben Hania called Hind’s killing part of a broader genocide. She criticized leaders who label mass civilian deaths as self-defense or tangled geopolitics. ‘Peace requires justice and accountability, not glossy slogans,’ she added.

The filmmaker vowed not to claim the award until true accountability arrives. ‘I leave it here as a reminder. And when peace is pursued as a legal and moral obligation, rooted in accountability for genocide, then I will come back and accept it with joy.’

The Voice of Hind Rajab recounts the real ordeal. After nearly two weeks with no word, Hind’s body was recovered from the wrecked car. The case sparked outrage worldwide. Israel at first questioned reports of her death. Investigations later confirmed the details, drawing sharp rebukes from human rights groups.

The Cinema for Peace event draws filmmakers and activists each year. Organizers did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Ben Hania’s protest or the Israeli general’s recognition. The general’s name was not disclosed in accounts of the gala.

Ben Hania’s stand echoes other protests in film circles. More than 80 international artists recently condemned the Berlin Festival for ignoring Israel’s Gaza operations. Her film has fueled debates on Gaza’s civilian toll since premiering earlier this year.