Tel Aviv: film festival in solidarity with Palestinians
JVL Introduction
It is small, it is suppressed but there is opposition to the bombardment of Gaza and the occupation and support for the Palestinians in their struggle for peace with justice. Here is a focus on a film festival, centreing a film made in 2022 in Gaza as they imagine how much worse things are now, You can watch the film Erasmus in Gaza here
The Solidarity Film Festival was previously called the Cultural Intifada Festival and is more that “another feel-good, new age event. But in a year in which tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, and movies criticizing Israel have been blocked and censored by the government, this festival is the only one that dares face the reality head-on.”
Showing such films is “all very delicate,…and things are only getting worse. But I still think the fear and worry plays into their hands. The hegemony loves to use those who are afraid. We’re in a weak position, we don’t have much power – and if we make ourselves even weaker, it will only benefit them.”
LL
This article was originally published by Ha'aretz on Mon 9 Dec 2024. Read the original here.
'The Arrests of Israeli Arabs Without Trial Should Be Called Torture Camps'
‘I’m anti being scared’: The Solidarity Film Festival in Tel Aviv refuses to be cowed.
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Thank you for highlighting Erasmus in Gaza. I see the full version has recently been made available on YouTube so have just watched. Apologies if there’s a link for that in the Ha’aretz article but I could only see one for the trailer, so …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6ig0uEZ9sM
I have put the link to the full film in the introduction as well as in the body of the piece. Thank you for this
Bravo to the Solidarity Film Festival for their insight, strong principles and sheer courage.
Bravo also to the Israeli ex chairman of Amnesty Israel) – https://forward.com/opinion/681370/why-i-resigned-as-chairman-of-amnesty-israel/ – for taking a stand against senior colleagues unwilling to engage honestly and fairly with Amnesty International’s Report on Israel’s genocidal behaviour.
Solidarity and Israel Amnesty’s ex-boss are both doing what they can to create chinks of light in a sea of darkness. They’re taking frightening risks to do so. I’m so grateful for what they’ve done and for the inspiration they’ve given.