By Necva Tastan
ISTANBUL (AA) - Fashion designer Alana Hadid, the sister of Palestinian-American models Bella and Gigi Hadid, has launched a film production and distribution company called Watermelon Pictures.
Labeled as a "Palestinian-owned independent film distribution, production and financing" outfit, it seeks to promote cultural representation, advocate for social causes and elevate the voices of filmmakers who are often overlooked globally.
"For too long, we’ve been misrepresented, villainized, shut out. This is how Hollywood portrayed us. The stories they’ve told about us fueled our alienation and our oppression. But that is not who we are. We are our culture, our history, our resilience, our communities. We are our stories that tap into centuries of storytelling tradition and deserve to be seen by the world. That is why we are launching a Palestinian-owned film label rooted in creative resistance," the company said on Instagram.
It "promises to make sure that from now on, from the river to the screen, Palestine will be seen," it added.
Watermelon Pictures’ debut film will be Walled Off, a documentary about the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem which is managed by Palestinians and was designed by renowned British street artist Banksy.
The documentary, produced collaboratively, features contributions from Anwar Hadid, Alana Hadid's sibling, known for his diverse roles in American-Palestinian modeling and music, along with Roger Waters from Pink Floyd and Kweku Mandela, a grandson of former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Mohamed Hadid, Gigi and Bella’s father, was born in Nazareth, Israel but fled to Syria and moved to the US when he was a teenager.
The Hadid sisters have been publicly expressing their support for Palestine, facing criticism from their fans, while several brands have cut off working with them due to their pro-Palestinian stance.