Wittgenstein remarked that when someone said he was optimistic because the law of historical development showed that things were bound to get better--this was nothing he could admire. "On the other hand, if someone says: 'By the look of them, things are getting worse, and I can find no evidence to suggest that they will improve. And yet in spite of this, I believe things will get better!' --I can admire that."-
The London Palestine Film Festival is the largest event of its kind in Europe. Now in its second year at the Barbican Centre, the festival brings together the finest in narrative, art, documentary and experimental work related to the subject of Palestine. In keeping with the festival’s commitment to providing a platform for rarely seen work from a broad spectrum of perspectives, this year’s rich programme includes work from five continents treating themes such as Palestine in the visual archive, women and resistance, refugees and identity, and Palestinians in Israel.
Guests of the 2006 festival include some of the most exciting figures in Palestinian film-making, such as multi award-winning actor and director Mohammed Bakri (Jenin, Jenin; Since You Left), writer and director Rashid Mashrawi (Waiting (Attente); Metres Away), and Juliano Mer-Khamis (Arna’s Children). Panel discussions, special double-bills and a series of Q & A sessions will supplement what is a rich programme with unique opportunities to discuss specific works as well as general themes relating to video art, Arab cinema and political film-making.
The festival will be opened on April 21st by acclaimed Egyptian novelist and critic Ahdaf Soueif, and following the London premiere of startling new German-Lebanese documentary ‘Massaker,’ director Monika Borgmann will join the audience for an exclusive Q & A session on this remarkable and challenging new film.
All told, some 32 works will be shown over the course of the festival. As in previous years, these have been selected to offer audiences a chance to engage with both new and established artists, and to see unusual, lost or previously banned work not generally available, as well as new work premiering in the UK.
For the full 2006 schedule, please visit the festival website: www.palestinefilm.org
