The story of the involvement of Israel and zionism with the running of the Melbourne International Film Festival is just too interesting to forget about and keeping the issue alive in the public mind is an absolute necessity.
Many thanks to those who publicised the issues: Antony Loewenstein, Crikey, the ABC and others.
Antony Loewenstein
How the Melbourne Film Festival embraces apartheid Israel
Published on 31 July 2010 in Israel.
Back in 2009, film-maker Ken Loach withdrew his film Looking for Eric from the Melbourne International Film Festival after it was revealed that the Israeli government offered financial support for the event.
This year there was supposedly no controversy despite the festival again taking funds from the Israeli government (the director, Richard Moore, is a Zionist whose son has served in the IDF).
(Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Yes, Dear
Melbourne lobby group Australians for Palestine has just posted the following appeal on its website:
"Last year Australians for Palestine (AFP) initiated a cultural boycott in Melbourne protesting Israel's partnership with the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF). The protests continued over the 12 days of the festival to much heated debate in the media over the rights and wrongs of boycotting cultural events. English film maker Ken Loach withdrew his film Looking for Eric, which then sparked an exchange of letters with MIFF's Executive Director Richard Moore who refused to reconsider Israel's sponsorship. This year's festival will be held from 22 July - 8 August and Israel is again a cultural partner. The protest is not directed at any film or filmaker but against the cultural partnership that MIFF has with the state of Israel. We are simply asking you to let MIFF know that you do not approve of normalising relations with an apartheid state that is currently oppressing some 5.5 million Palestinians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem and in Israel itself."
So what's Mr Moore's problem? How much bad news from Israel can one absorb before the penny drops?
The Australian Jewish News of July 16 sheds some light on a dark corner.
Some excerpts from A chat with Richard Moore:"This time last year, the MIFF was embroiled in controversy when director Ken Loach withdrew his film because of Israel's support of the festival. Has there been any backlash this year?"I was very happy to declare this festival a Loach-free zone. I decided not even to bother going to see his film at Cannes this year, because we objected so strongly to what he did last year. I gather it wasn't a terrific film, it didn't get very good reviews. The Australians for Palestine have started up their annual campaign against MIFF but we were undeterred by their protest last year and we approached the Israeli Embassy again this year and they were more than happy to support us. But so far this year, we've had no controversy like that.
"That must be a relief."Well yes, I guess so, although from a publicity point of view, it's a terrible result. We're trying, as much as possible, to deeply offend some people...
"You're not Jewish, so where does your affinity with Israel come from?"My wife is Jewish, I lived in Israel for two-and-a-half years, I speak Hebrew and I've got two Jewish sons, so that goes some way to explaining my affinity with Israel."
I see, so marrying a Jew, and a stint in Israel, renders one immune to independent thought. )
And then something changed a few weeks ago, an issue that has thus far received no mainstream media coverage. Australian, Jewish academic Ned Curthoys has written an exclusive report for this site:
About a fortnight ago, some friends of the Palestinian people alerted the production company Human Film that the 2010 Melbourne International Film Festival lists the state of Israel as a cultural partner and therefore official sponsor of the festival. Their award-winning Iraqi film Son of Babylon was due to screen on Wednesday the 28th of July and Friday the 30th of July.
On behalf of Human Film, the Director Mohamed Al-Daradji, the Producer Isabelle Stead and the Producer Atia Al-Daradji wrote on Sunday the 25th of July to the Executive Director of MIFF, Richard Moore, stressing that Son of Babylon is a Palestinian co-production and that as they, as filmmakers, are ‘wholeheartedly against the Israeli governments’ actions against the Palestinian people and as such cannot screen our film at Melbourne IFF whilst there is Israeli government support involved’.
The signatories stressed that they are not against the Israeli people or Israeli filmmakers but ‘against the Israeli government actions against Palestine’ and that they refused to have any association with the state of Israel until it respected the human rights of the Palestinian people. They repeated their request to withdraw the film.
[MIFF head] Richard Moore responded by agreeing to disagree on the political aspect of the matter and, complaining of the logistical impossibility of withdrawing the film on the eve of screening, informed the signatories that the Monday screening would be shown but that he is prepared to countenance financial compensation for the Wednesday the 28th screening.
Isabelle Stead, the main producer of SON OF BABYLON, writing on behalf of Human Film, responded that she really hoped that he, Richard Moore, had respected their wishes and withdrawn the film from the festival, entirely. This isn’t about politics, she wrote, this is about humanity.
She made the point that it had only just been brought to their attention that MIF festival was supported by the state of Israel, and that upon receiving this information, they acted as promptly as they could. Isabelle was surprised that Melbourne IFF had not informed filmmakers whom have a Palestinian element/connection to their film that the state of Israel are involved in funding the festival. She pointed out that the festival was informed in enough time to stop the screening – as in 2009 when Ken Loach withdrew his film on the eve of its screening. MIFF should not underestimate Human Film’s resolve to ensure that their film is not associated with the state of Israel as long as it continues its illegal crimes against humanity.
Richard Moore refused to acknowledge that he had any obligation to inform a Palestinian co-production about Israeli sponsorship, instead claiming that revocation of permission to withdraw the film and to take action against the festival if it does not withdraw the film was a ‘divisive act’ that contravenes the film company’s ethos of breaking down cultural barriers.
Isabelle Stead repeated her willingness to reimburse the festival and repeated her point that the festival must hold some responsibility in not informing a Palestinian co-production that it was being supported by the state of Israel. She reminded Moore that in the 1980s Mr Rod Webb, The Sydney Film Festival Director, refused to accepted any sponsorship or screen films from apartheid South Africa. When Israel is no longer an apartheid state, she wrote, we will of course be proud to screen our films in conjunction with them. In the interim she would be happy to help Richard Moore find alternative sponsorship that is independent of Israel’s support for Melbourne IFF in the future.
She welcomed Moore’s allusion to their mission statement and pointed out it was still in full force and effect, since they were ‘acting from a humanitarian stance’. She asked that Richard Moore respect their wishes not to screen Son of Babylon and wanted to be informed if the film had been screened at the festival.
Richard Moore then revealed his hand by declaring, against the common wisdom of Jimmy Carter and Desmond Tutu, that the comparison of Israel with an apartheid state was ‘odious’. He now claimed that Human Film had not taken the issue of compensation seriously, and, to rub salt into the wound, smugly talked of how much the patrons had enjoyed the screening and that he hoped the film scored well in audience awards.
Isabelle Stead now accused Richard Moore of petulance, and was clearly upset that he had disregarded the multiple requests of Human Film not to have any screenings of their film at the festival. Isabelle wrote that she had spoken to the producer of Looking for Eric – who informed her that they were not requested to pay the festival any monies for pulling the film in 2009. She reiterated that she had made a fair offer to reimburse the festival for the shipment costs along with any monies paid to their sales company to screen the film. She reiterated that any permissions granted to Melbourne IFF to screen SON OF BABYLON had been revoked.
Isabelle. in a later correspondence, suggested that she was disgusted with the behaviour of the festival towards Human Film, and very saddened that Moore couldn’t see past the politics to the real heart of the issue. Human Film would now prefer to offer the proceeds of the admissions for the screening of Son of Babylon to a charity of their choice.
The second screening of Son of Babylon on Wednesday went ahead without any signal that this was against the express wishes of Human Film. One can safely draw the conclusion that just as MIFF and Richard Moore failed in their ethical obligation to inform international film makers of Israeli sponsorship of the festival, they have also engaged in a conspiracy of silence to prevent you knowing about the principled ethical objections of Human Film to screen Son of Babylon.
The public can make up their own mind but audiences of the MIFF 2010 and the wider public have a right to know about the way in which Richard Moore himself is deliberately politicizing the festival.---------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday Crikey published the full email correspondence between MIFF and the film-makers.
LEAKED: Filmmakers demand Son of Babylon to be withdrawn from the 2010 MIFF program
July 30, 2010 – 12:59 pm, by Luke Buckmaster
This morning the makers of the acclaimed feature Son of Babylon alerted Crikey to the news that they sent numerous requests to the Melbourne International Film Festival asking for the film be removed from the festival program.
The filmmakers strongly object to MIFF’s links with the State of Israel, which is one of the festival’s sponsors. Last year British director Ken Loach withdrew his film Looking for Eric from the program for the same reason.
Son of Babylon explores the aftermath of Saddam Hussein’s downfall in Iraq. It is the second festival-selected film to attract controversy this year, following the OFLC’S decision earlier this month to ban director Bruce LaBruce’s LA Zombie.
Unfortunately for the filmmakers, Son of Babylon screenings have already come and gone. MIFF organisers claim they were not given sufficient notice to cancel the screenings.
Cinetology has not just the scoop but the entire email exchange between the makers of Son of Babylon and MIFF Executive Director Richard Moore, pasted below. Note that Cinetology has not edited the correspondence in any way.
Dear Richard,
When we grant a festival permission to screen a film that took us years to make along with danger, blood, sweat and tears - we do so with trust. I would have thought a festival would morally recognise the need to tell a Palestinian co-production that it was funded by the state of Israel?
Your tone and “reasonable” manner is petulant, along with your actions in disregarding our requests not to have any screenings of our film at your festival.
I have spoken to the producer of Looking for Eric – who informed me that they were not requested to pay you any monies to the festival for pulling the film. I have made a fair offer to reimburse you for the shipment costs along with any monies you paid to our sales company to screen the film. A more than fair offer.
Also please send to me a copy of the agreement you have in place with our agent.
I will again reiterate that any permissions granted to Melbourne IFF to screen SON OF BABYLON have been revoked.
Sincerely,
Isabelle Stead
Iraq’s Missing Persons Petition – please sign: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/iraqs-missing-campaign
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Son-of-Babylon-bn-bbl/165219640829
http://www.causes.com/iraqsmissing
Isabelle Stead
Human Film
Isabelle@humanfilm.co.uk
ADP House, 35 Hanover Square, Leeds, LS3 1BQ, UK, t: +44 (0) 113 243 8880 M+ 44 (0) 7835 378454
Human Film Inc. provides the information contained in this email message “as is” and makes no representations or warranties of any kind regarding its accuracy or reliability. Human Film Inc. disclaims all liability of any kind whatsoever arising out of your use of, or inability to use, this email message and the information contained on it.
This is a privileged and confidential communication. If you are not an intended recipient, you should: (1) reply to sender; (2) destroy this communication entirely, including deletion of all associated text files from all individual and network storage devices; and (3) refrain from copying or disseminating this communication by any means whatsoever.
On 28 July 2010 09:25, Richard Moore wrote:
Dear Isabelle
Re the question of festival sponsorship ; it is entirely a matter for our independent arts organisation to seek sponsorship wherever we see fit and we are under no legal obligation to declare our sources of funding for external groups to approve or disprove . Similarly we don’t ask filmmakers to declare their sources of funding.
For the record I find your comparison between Israel and an apartheid state odious ; we shall have to agree to disagree on this issue.
I have tried to deal with you in a reasonable manner by proposing a fair financial offer to compensate our festival for financial loss . In my view you have chosen not to treat this offer seriously.
Clearly, this situation is an unfortunate one and has been compounded by the time factor . As explained in prior correspondence, the fact that you contacted us only on the date of the first screening exacerbated this situation.
I confirm that we have screened the film : it was enjoyed by many patrons and I sincerely hope it scores well in our audience awards.
regards
Richard Moore
Richard Moore
Executive Director
Melbourne International Film Festival
22 July – 8 August, 2010
http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/
Direct: 61 3 8660 4804
Fax: 61 3 9654 2561
Postal Address: GPO Box 4982, Melbourne VIC 3001 Australia
Street Address: Level 5, 225 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Become a Member and/or join our e-newsletter Widescreen here:
http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/join
Please consider the environment before you print this e-mail
Dear Richard,
I am happy of course to reimburse you for any money you paid to screen the film to our Sales company – along with shipment cost – but please also recognise the festival must hold some responsibility in not informing a Palestinian co-production that it was being supported by the state of Israel.
In the 1980’s Mr Rod Webb The Sydney Film Festival Director, refused to accepted any sponsorship or screen films from apartheid South Africa, when Israel is no longer an apartheid state, we will of course be proud to screen our films in conjunction. In the interim I would be happy to help you find alternative sponsorship that is independent of Israel’s support for Melbourne IFF in the future.
Thank you also for relaying back to me our mission statement which I am please and proud to say is still in full force and effect, to reiterate my last email – we are acting from a humanitarian stance.
I apologise if you felt threatened by my last email this was not my intent, nevertheless as said at present we have revoked your rights to screen our film and hope that you respect and have respected our wishes. Please can you inform me if the film has already screened at your festival?
Furthermore I am happy to work out an alternative for Melbourne audiences to view the film, independent of the Melbourne IFF.
Sincerely,
Isabelle Stead
Iraq’s Missing Persons Petition – please sign: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/iraqs-missing-campaign
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Son-of-Babylon-bn-bbl/165219640829
http://www.causes.com/iraqsmissing
Isabelle Stead
Human Film
Isabelle@humanfilm.co.uk
ADP House, 35 Hanover Square, Leeds, LS3 1BQ, UK, t: +44 (0) 113 243 8880 M+ 44 (0) 7835 378454
Human Film Inc. provides the information contained in this email message “as is” and makes no representations or warranties of any kind regarding its accuracy or reliability. Human Film Inc. disclaims all liability of any kind whatsoever arising out of your use of, or inability to use, this email message and the information contained on it.
This is a privileged and confidential communication. If you are not an intended recipient, you should: (1) reply to sender; (2) destroy this communication entirely, including deletion of all associated text files from all individual and network storage devices; and (3) refrain from copying or disseminating this communication by any means whatsoever.
On 27 July 2010 05:58, Richard Moore wrote:
Dear Isabelle
As I outlined in my previous email I look forward to seeing your written offer of financial compensation . I do not agree that you have provided us with enough time to cancel the screening. I have entered into correspondence with you promptly about this in order to find a solution.
Its unfortunate that you now resort to threats to “take appropriate action against the festival “. Indeed , it seems extraordinary to me that an organisation that claims to “break down cultural barriers through film “.. to “ further understanding” and that also states that it does “ not apply any language,cultural,political,religious or any other barriers to our film making practice “ would engage in such a divisive act.
For your information the second screening of SON OF BABYLON is sold out. We estimate the costs of withdrawing the film at
Admissions $3,300
Hire of venue $400
Replacement film hire $500
Staffing $250
Total $4,450
These hard costs do not include the distress and potential upset caused to our patrons and the cost of communicating with everyone who has purchased a ticket.
I expect to hear confirmation of your agreement to compensate the festival on these costs before I will reconsider the matter of the second screening of the film.
Regards
Richard Moore
Richard Moore
Executive Director
Melbourne International Film Festival
22 July – 8 August, 2010
http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/
Direct: 61 3 8660 4804
Fax: 61 3 9654 2561
Postal Address: GPO Box 4982, Melbourne VIC 3001 Australia
Street Address: Level 5, 225 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Become a Member and/or join our e-newsletter Widescreen here:
http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/join
Please consider the environment before you print this e-mail
Dear Richard,
Thank you for replying to our email. Please be aware Mohamed is currently in Sarajevo promoting the film and our Iraq’s Missing People Campaign.
I am the main producer for SON OF BABYLON, on behalf of the director, myself and our team I really hope that you have respected our wishes and withdrawn the film from your festival, entirely. This isn’t about politics this is about humanity.
To request a withdrawal of our film to a festival is our last wish and we are sorry for any inconvenience this causes to you, your colleagues, your festival and your audiences especially at such short notice. Please know it was only just brought to our attention that your festival was supported by the state of Israel, upon receiving this information, we acted as promptly as we could.
We have only just last week, taken over the festivals from Roissy Films our sales company and will of course ensure in the future that we check in advance a festival’s sponsors, before accepting an invitation. Nevertheless I am surprised that Melbourne IFF do not inform filmmakers whom have a Palestinian element/connection to their film that the state of Israel are involved in funding the festival?
The festival was informed in enough time to stop the screening – as I understand you were able to do this in 2009 when Ken Loach withdrew his film on the eve of it’s screening. Therefore if you have knowingly disregarded our wishes and screened the film, we will of course be left with little alternative than to take appropriate action against the festival. We would of course, be very reluctant to do this, but you should not underestimate our resolve to ensure that our film is not associated with the state of Israel as long as it continues it’s illegal crimes against humanity.
Sincerely,
Isabelle Stead
Human Film & Iraq Al-Rafidain
Iraq’s Missing Persons Petition – please sign: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/iraqs-missing-campaign
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Son-of-Babylon-bn-bbl/165219640829
http://www.causes.com/iraqsmissing
Isabelle Stead
Human Film
Isabelle@humanfilm.co.uk
ADP House, 35 Hanover Square, Leeds, LS3 1BQ, UK, t: +44 (0) 113 243 8880 M+ 44 (0) 7835 378454
Human Film Inc. provides the information contained in this email message “as is” and makes no representations or warranties of any kind regarding its accuracy or reliability. Human Film Inc. disclaims all liability of any kind whatsoever arising out of your use of, or inability to use, this email message and the information contained on it.
This is a privileged and confidential communication. If you are not an intended recipient, you should: (1) reply to sender; (2) destroy this communication entirely, including deletion of all associated text files from all individual and network storage devices; and (3) refrain from copying or disseminating this communication by any means whatsoever.
On 26 July 2010 17:02, Mohamed Al-Daradji mohamed@humanfilm.co.uk http://mohamed@humanfilm.co.uk wrote:
Answer her by no money will pay to them and we drowthe film out
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Richard Moore moore@melbournefilmfestival.com.au http://moore@melbournefilmfestival.com.au
Date: 26 July 2010 06:54
Subject: SON OF BABYLON
To: mohamed@humanfilm.co.uk
Cc: Michelle Carey carey@melbournefilmfestival.com.au http://carey@melbournefilmfestival.com.au, Jess Langley langley@melbournefilmfestival.com.au >, Petrina Dorrington dorrington@melbournefilmfestival.com.au >
Dear Mohamed
Michelle Carey our head of programming has forwarded me your email which
arrived many weeks after the festival program has been announced and 3
months after you supplied us with all the technical information about your
film. This document we regard as official confirmation of your acceptance of
our conditions for the festival.
You sent the email on the day of the first screening of the film. I wouldn’t
suggest that your timing intended to cause our festival disruption; however,
I should point out that we have sold tickets to this session and we have an
eager public willing to view it.
You have your political opinions, which clearly I don’t share – lets put
that to one side. To request a withdrawal of the film on the day of the
screening is simply not acceptable and shows a lack of respect for our
organisation . We have worked hard to bring your film here and your
selection meant that other films could not be included in the program. We
are not able to replace the film at short notice and we will screen it
today.
I am prepared to consider other options for the second screening but I will
also need to consider the financial ramifications to our organisation of
having to bring in another film and the inevitable confusion and disruption
this will cause our patrons. Perhaps you will be prepared to offer us some
financial compensation for withdrawing your film.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Regards
Richard Moore
Richard Moore
Executive Director
Melbourne International Film Festival
22 July – 8 August, 2010
http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/
Direct: 61 3 8660 4804
Fax: 61 3 9654 2561
Postal Address: GPO Box 4982, Melbourne VIC 3001 Australia
Street Address: Level 5, 225 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Become a Member and/or join our e-newsletter Widescreen here:
http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/join
Please consider the environment before you print this e-mail
From: Mohamed Al-Daradji mohamed@humanfilm.co.uk >
Sender: mohamedaldaradji@googlemail.com
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:09:19 +0100
To: Michelle Carey carey@melbournefilmfestival.com.au >
Cc: Isabelle Isabelle@humanfilm.co.uk >; atia
aldraji atia_alrafdeniraq@yahoo.com >
Subject: RE: We would like to withdrew our film Son of Babylon from
Melbourne IFF 2010
Dear Michelle,
It has just been brought to our attention that the Melbourne IFF is
supported by the state of Israel.
SON OF BABYLON is a Palestinian co-production. We the filmmakers are whole
heartily against the Israeli government’s actions against the Palestinian
people and as such cannot screen our film at Melbourne IFF whilst there is
Israeli government support involved.
As human beings we feel duty bound not to support Israel’s aggressive
actions against the people of Palestine, who have been refused basic human
and political rights within an apartheid system, who are subjects to ongoing
military violence by the Israeli state, and let’s not forget the appalling
siege of Gaza which has deprived a besieged population of their basic human
needs such as clean water, food and medicine.
Rest assured we are not against the Israeli people or Israeli filmmakers, we
are against the Israeli government actions against Palestine..
It is therefore from a humanitarian stance that we refuse to have any
association with the state of Israel until they respect the human rights of
the Palestinian people.So we would liek to withdrew Our film Son of
Babylon.
We will be more than happy to work with you in the future if there no
Israeli government support to your festival.
I am looking forward to hear from you.
Faithfully,
Mohamed Al-Daradji – Director
Isabelle Stead – Producer
Atia Al-Daradji – Producer---------------------------------------------------------
ABC - THE DRUM UNLEASHED
Robust Community Debate 3 June 2010
Occupied with free speechJacinda Woodhead The Melbourne International Film Festival is receiving Liberty Victoria's free speech award, the Voltaire award, for its "refusal to buckle in the face of intense pressure from a foreign government and a left-wing filmmaker last year".
The "foreign government" was China, which urged MIFF not to screen a documentary on Rebiya Kadeer, a Uighur Independence leader who was also a guest of the festival. The award seems valid here: MIFF allowed for a minority voice to be heard, and didn't kowtow to governmental bullying.
On the other hand, the "left-wing filmmaker" was Ken Loach, whose series of written exchanges questioned MIFF's decision to accept funding from "cultural partner", the state of Israel. Loach wrote:
As you are no doubt aware, many Palestinians, including artists and academics, have called for a boycott of events supported by Israel. There are many reasons for this; the illegal occupation of Palestinian land, destruction of homes and livelihoods, the massacres in Gaza, all are part of the continuing oppression of the Palestinian people.
We hope you can reconsider accepting Israel as a sponsor.
The letters saw a showdown between Loach and festival Executive Director, Richard Moore. Loach eventually withdrew his film, Looking for Eric, from the festival, quoting Israeli poet, Aharon Shabtai:
I do not believe that a state that maintains an occupation, committing on a daily basis crimes against civilians, deserves to be invited to any kind of cultural event.
Despite Moore – the self-proclaimed winner of last year's fracas – crowing that he would not be pressured as "part of an orchestrated campaign", it is bizarre that Liberty Victoria would deem MIFF's position on Ken Loach worthy of an award.
Moore and the festival have consistently misrepresented Loach's withdrawal. As with the Edinburgh Festival, where he successfully made the same appeal, Loach stated: "This is not a boycott of Israeli films or filmmakers but of the Israeli state." Thus, it was always a matter of accepting funding from a country that continuously and flagrantly disregards United Nations regulations and human rights appeals.
As with his opinion piece in The Guardian, 'Censorship has no place in film', Moore continues to frame the issue as one of censorship, claiming:
Politics will always walk hand in hand with film, and with film festivals, but at the core of every festival, from Melbourne to Montreal, is the independence and integrity of the programme.
When Richard Moore and Liberty Victoria recognise the festival's independence, what are they claiming it is independent of – influence from, or relationship to, the outside world? Why shouldn't international law and crimes against humanity be of interest to an Australian film festival? Cultural events, by Moore's own admission, are also political.
There is a history of censorship with Moore and MIFF, as there is with all festivals – whatever the Melbourne International Film Festival chooses to show or omit from the festival's selection helps to decide film in Australia for the next couple of years. It's an incredibly influential position, and a glaring example of censorship through inclusion and exclusion.
Since Moore assumed the mantle of Executive Director, MIFF has gone out of its way to strengthen cultural ties with Israel. In 2007, MIFF showcased the thriving industry of contemporary Israeli cinema. In 2008, perhaps due to some concern about bringing Israeli cinema to the fore, MIFF had a Border Patrol section that theoretically "look[ed], in different forms and style, at the so-called 'Israeli/Palestinian question', from different perspectives".
One of the two Palestinian films to screen in this section was Salt of the Sea. This brilliant film screened once at MIFF, near midnight on a cold wet week night. Filmmaker Annemarie Jacir has described the near physical impossibility of making the film, not least because she couldn't get permission from Israel to shoot in any of the locations. The entire film, which tells the story of a Palestinian-American who tries to return to her grandmother's house, was shot illegally in Israel.
Richard Moore states: "To be frank, there isn't a lot of Palestinian cinema around". But the reason the Palestinian film industry is so small is because Palestinians are living under occupation, in circumstances in which it is almost impossible to finance and resource a film project, let alone get permits to film, particularly if the film is at all critical of the occupying power, Israel.
The argument seems then to not be a question of which films Moore is choosing to bring to the festival, nor about the specific politics of these films, but about the films that can never be made. As Ken Loach suggested, until we have a free Palestine, we can never have industries without censorship. To pretend otherwise is to tacitly approve and support a boycott on Palestine; one where Palestinians can't go to universities or hospitals or visit their families, let alone make cinema, which is a real testament to the brutality of the occupation under which they live.
Israeli journalist Gideon Levy recently wrote:
Doctors, professors, artists, jurists, intellectuals, economists, engineers - none of them are permitted to enter Gaza. This is a complete boycott that bears the tag 'Made in Israel'. Those who speak about immoral and ineffective boycotts do so without batting an eye when it comes to Gaza.
MIFF is right not to bow to pressure from countries like China, who have a questionable human rights record. Equally, they shouldn't bow to the bullying tactics of the state of Israel. Because when you accept Israel as a "cultural partner", then you collaborate in a social, political and cultural denial of an entire people.
This year, Moore is emphasising his autonomy once more by declaring the 2010 festival 'a Ken Loach-free zone': "I won't be going to see his film and if it plays in Melbourne, it won't be in MIFF."
This claim seems more than a tad disingenuous. Moore has, after all, confirmed that this year's festival will again accept Israeli government funding, so nothing about MIFF's understanding of their relationship to the world beyond the festival doors has changed. Most likely, the real reason Loach's film about the war in Iraq won't be showing this year is because he will ask the question: is MIFF still taking money from Israel?
This was never an issue of censorship, or not showing Israeli films. It was always about how Richard Moore and Australian cultural festivals are politicising their programs by accepting money from Israel, thereby supporting the actions of a brutal and oppressive government.
Loach again:
The boycott of apartheid South Africa suffered similar criticisms to the ones you now make. But who would now say it was wrong? ... You either support the boycott or break it.
Jacinda Woodhead is a Melbourne writer and the online editor for Overland literary journal, where she blogs about politics and literature.
