Saleh Bakri

EARLY LIFE

Saleh Bakri was born on 1 March 1977 in Jaffa. He is the eldest son of the prominent Palestinian actor, director, and filmmaker Mohammad Bakri (1953–2025) and his wife Leila. He grew up in a Palestinian Arab family as one of six siblings; several of his brothers—including Ziad Bakri, Adam Bakri, and Mahmood (Mahmoud) Bakri—also became actors, forming a well-known artistic dynasty in Palestinian cinema and theatre. A sister, Yara, has also appeared in film. He spent part of his childhood in Bi’ina in the Galilee (his father’s hometown) and later lived in Haifa. As a teenager he initially aspired to become a painter or sculptor but turned to acting, partly to overcome social anxiety. In 1997 he enrolled at the Beit Zvi School for the Performing Arts (one of only two Arab students admitted to his course) and graduated in 2000.

CAREER

Bakri began his professional career in theatre, performing in productions such as Death and the Maiden (directed by Juliano Mer-Khamis), Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth, and other Arabic- and Hebrew-language plays at venues including Habima Theatre, Al-Midan Theatre, and the Acre Festival. He also appeared in international stage work, including Fireworks by Dalia Taha at the Royal Court Theatre in London (2015). He made his film debut in 2007 with two notable roles: The Band’s Visit (Eran Kolirin) – as Khaled; won the Ophir Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Most Promising Actor award at the Jerusalem Film Festival. Salt of this Sea (Annemarie Jacir) – his first major Arab/Palestinian film role; premiered at Cannes and was Palestine’s official Oscar submission. Subsequent key credits include: The Time That Remains (Elia Suleiman, 2009) – as Fouad (Suleiman’s father) Laila’s Birthday (Rashid Masharawi) – opposite his father When I Saw You (Annemarie Jacir, 2012) Salvo (Fabio Grassadonia & Antonio Piazza, 2013) – title role; Critics’ Week Grand Prize at Cannes Wajib (Annemarie Jacir, 2017) – opposite his father Mohammad Bakri; Asia Pacific Screen Awards recognition The Present (Farah Nabulsi, 2020 short) – Academy Award nominee for Best Live Action Short Film The Blue Caftan (Le Bleu du caftan, Maryam Touzani, 2022) – as Halim; major international acclaim, including FIPRESCI recognition at Cannes Costa Brava, Lebanon (Mounia Akl, 2021) The Teacher (Farah Nabulsi, 2023) All That’s Left of You (Cherien Dabis, 2025) – multi-generational family role alongside his father and brother Adam Palestine 36 (Annemarie Jacir, 2025) He has also worked in European and international productions (including My Zoe with Julie Delpy) and video installations. His performances are frequently noted for their quiet intensity, emotional depth, and portrayal of Palestinian and Arab experiences under occupation and displacement.

PERSONAL LIFE

Bakri maintains a relatively private personal life. He has spoken of living in Haifa and of having a wife and children. He is the eldest of six siblings in a family deeply immersed in the arts; his father’s career and political engagement strongly shaped the household. In 2013 he publicly announced he would stop appearing in Israeli productions as a protest against what he described as rising fascism in Israel. He has been involved in activism supporting Palestinian rights and culture, including support for initiatives such as the Russell Tribunal on Palestine. He frequently frames his work as a form of cultural resistance and storytelling for his people.

Saleh Bakri is widely regarded as one of the leading contemporary Palestinian actors and a central figure in the Bakri family artistic dynasty. His career bridges Palestinian, Arab, Israeli, and international cinema and theatre. He has spoken of art as a form of resistance and of the challenges of mobility, censorship, and representation faced by Palestinian artists. His work with directors such as Annemarie Jacir, Elia Suleiman, Maryam Touzani, and Farah Nabulsi has helped bring nuanced Palestinian stories to global audiences.