Amreeka: See It

I’m not sure if I really loved ‘Amreeka’ or really, really loved it. The new film by Cherien Dabis represents something I thought I would never see on the big screen, at least not during an event I helped organize. And it is so much better than the documentaries I’ve shown simply because it is [...]

Palestinians Can Relate to ‘Inglourious Basterds’

Palestinians can probably empathize with the historical fantasy movie just released by Quentin Tarantino.

In ‘Inglourious Basterds’, Jewish American soldiers go on a bloody, vindictive rampage against Nazis. The gross violence, which involves scalping and cutting swastikas into foreheads, is lauded by audiences. The film topped the box offices opening weekend. The film’s heroes seek to assassinate Hitler and halt the Holocaust, even attempting to be suicide bombers in the process.

If Arab Leaders Made Movies…

Apparently Kim Jong-il kidnapped a South Korean film maker and forced him to re-make Godzilla as socialist propaganda in the 1970s [added fun fact, Jong-il fed the poor director grass as punishment-- good times].  Although Arab leaders routinely show a total lack of imagination it begs the question– What films would Arab leaders try to have [...]

Scottish Film Festival Joins the Israel Boycott Fun

A week ago, the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) released its program listing the Embassy of Israel as a “Programme Supporter.” The festival had received a 300 pound grant from the Israeli Embassy to pay for Israeli filmmaker Tali Shalom Ezer’s travel to attend the festival. Thanks to the efforts of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity [...]

Guest Post: the ‘Salt of This Sea’ Between Home and Identity

Guest Post: By Hoda of The Ruh of Brown Folks. Soraya, born in Brooklyn in a working class community of Palestinian refugees, discovers that her grandfather’s savings were frozen in a bank account in Jaffa when he was exiled in 1948. Stubborn, passionate and determined to reclaim what is hers, she fulfills her life-long dream [...]

Participation….

The latest film by Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad. (Skip the first 45 seconds). [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrAzY1pZ_XY]

Film Heist

The FBI (that’s right, the FBI- that organization that is using our tax dollars to run while people don’t have access to health care) is “actively investigating” an early leak of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Now, speaking as someone who has the hots for Hugh Jackman, I can’t really condemn the leakers. I am just as [...]

Sundance Channel Hookin’ You Up

If you are in the good ole US of A there might be a few treats waiting for you at home courtesy of your cable provider.  Both Time Warner Cable and Direct TV are offering three documentaries about the Arab world for free courtesy of the Sundance Channel.  I have not seen Hometown Baghdad yet, but I [...]

Joaquin Phoenix: The Al-Qaeda of Hollywood

I hope he does not kick my ass for writing this. There are several signs that Hollywood stud Joaquin Phoenix is either an actual member of Al Qaeda or is the group’s analogue in Hollywood. Trust me. I know. I’m Arab. Joaquin Phoenix has been as angry as hell lately. And so has Al Qaeda. [...]

Dabke With Ismail

The makers of the Oscar-nominated “Waltz with Bashir” released a short on the life of a Gazan boy living under Israeli siege. It artistically represents the Gaza blockade by contrasting a free bird with an imprisoned Palestinian boy, who has no place to hide from Israeli bombardment. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzqw7oBZT8k] Yoni Goodman, the Israeli director of Waltz [...]