ARD Removes Annemarie Jacir’s Palestinian Film Wajib from Their Program

Broadcasting network ARD called off the airing of the acclaimed Palestinian film Wajib – The Wedding Invitation (2017) by Annemarie Jacir, which was scheduled to be shown on November 19, 2023. Furthermore, the film will not be made available in ARD's media library. Wajib is a comedic drama that depicts a Palestinian father and his estranged son as they deliver wedding invitations in Nazareth.

Responding to a request from SPIEGEL, the ARD program management declared that in light of the recent events in the Middle East, they “currently do not consider it to be properly placed in the program, as it could be misunderstood due to its narrative perspective.” While the film’s political backdrop is subtly woven into the narrative, offering a glimpse into the daily reality of Palestinians living in the Israeli state, its storyline does not advocate violence or promote any form of antisemitism.

Palestinian-American director Annemarie Jacir sharply criticized the decision: “At this dark moment in history, it is shameful that ARD would choose to suppress independent voices instead of offering a space where we can share our stories, our culture and our dreams. It is the opposite of everything a free world should be.”

The film’s German co-producer, Titus Kreyenberg, expressed his dismay in an interview with Deadline, stating, “This film is about dialogue, a dialogue between a father and son. Cinema can help dialogue.” Christian Granderath, head of the department for television film, feature film and theater at Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) and co-financier of the film, considers the cancellation of the film "wrong and unjustified with regard to the freedom of art." He underscores the importance of enriching discourse by incorporating Palestinian perspectives.