The Loud Silence
A 30-minute documentary about a group of women who stand in silence in the centre of Leeds, dressed in black and holding placards calling for an end to the war on the Palestinian people and to all forms of violence. Each of these women has her own reasons for standing with the group week after week in support of Palestinian rights. The film draws close to eight of them, revealing these motivations and their hopes of creating change, however small.
The film was made in Leeds by the Palestinian journalist and film-maker Juman Quneis in August 2025. She spent a year in the city studying cinematography and came across the vigils by chance. Juman says: “On a cold December day in 2023, in Dortmund Square in Leeds, a moment of personal grief, following devastating news of a hospital bombing in Gaza, led me to an unexpected encounter with Women in Black. What appeared to be a silent protest revealed itself as a chorus of untold human stories of women standing week after week, resisting war through silence. Guided by journalistic instinct, The Loud Silence was born. It invites audiences into this powerful British story with a Palestinian dimension, a deeply human documentary about conscience, collective pain, and the enduring hope for an end to war”.
For information about Leeds Women in Black – see the Facebook page
For information on Women in Black international – see https://womeninblack.org/
Borrow the film or host a screening
We are happy to lend the film to any group who would like to screen it for education or discussion purposes. It can be streamed, but not downloaded, from a Vimeo link with a password. The password will expire after 14 days. Where possible one or two of us may be available to join the discussion, in person or by zoom, where the film is being used.
If you would like to offer a donation, that will be used to pay for the ongoing hosting of the film and the website.
To borrow the film, or for general enquiries to Women in Black, please complete the form below.
About the filmmaker
Juman Quneis is a Palestinian journalist, filmmaker, and cinematographer, and a media lecturer at Birzeit University in Ramallah, Palestine.
She previously worked as a radio and television journalist and has produced numerous documentaries.
Her films combine journalistic depth with a cinematic approach, exploring themes of identity, resistance, and social justice while amplifying marginalized voices and lived realities.