|
Excerpts from the
Press on Shashat’s Women Film Festival
I. Cultural
Perspective
“The poet Ghassan Zaqtan described
the Festival as a ‘major cultural breakthrough through its
programming and organization.’ It was presented by an arts
organization, through a focused objective, but more
significantly, it avoided most of the pitfalls which had
accompanied such important cultural and artistic activities. It
also decentralized its activities outside of the Ramallah
region….”
Al-Ayyam, 29.9.2005.
“A Salute to
Shashat and the Festival
The Women’s Film Festival, which
opened at the Ramallah Cultural Palace last week, pointed to a
qualitative change in Palestinian cultural activity. The newly
formed Shashat was able to entrench its nascent presence in the
Palestinian cultural scene through this festival - more
pointedly through its good organization and intelligent
programming, which are the two aspects missing from most
cultural activities in Palestine.
The presentation of ‘women’s
cinema’ in its two dimensions - the aesthetic and the
informational - in Ramallah, Nablus and Bethlehem, also
contributed to spreading knowledge and awareness of fundamental
issues, which the emergency conditions we have been living under
has made marginal and reduced to the least important priorities.
The importance of this festival, in
addition to the above, lies in highlighting the urgent need to
present a qualitatively different cultural perspective which
highlights women’s creativity and the vitality of women’s lives,
through works of high artistic value. In addition, the festival
also opened a public space for the creative contributions of
Palestinian women filmmakers who were real partners in this
festival. These can be counted as the accomplishments of the
Festival and its programs.”
The Editor – Cultural Section. Al-Ayyam,
28.9.2005.
“Fatin Farhat, Executive Director
of the Sakakini Cultural Center in Ramallah defined the Festival
as “an exceptional event which has contributed much to
Palestinian cultural life and its cinema sector, especially that
it devoted attention to and brought Palestinian women filmmakers
into central stage. It also left an excellent impression
because of its logistical efficiency as evident by the
high-level organization…” Farhat then added: This is
breakthrough cultural event, which made available very high
quality international films, and formed the best possible launch
for the organization Shashat.
Youssef Al-Shayeb, Al-Ayyam.
29.9.2005
“Jihan Al-Helou, Director General
of Tamer Institute for Social Learning, commented that the
Festival highlighted publicly women’s contributions to creative
endeavors in all sectors, especially cinema. It also focused
attention on issues that are central to women’s lives, both in
Palestine and outside Palestine.”
Saed Abu Farha, Al-Ayyam, 1.10.2005
“The poet (and arts administrator)
Mahmoud Abu Hashhash emphasized that the Festival’s special
screenings for high school and university students is a
testimony to the seriousness of the intentions of the Festival
and its organizers. He continued that one can testify to the
‘success of the Festival’ based on the Ramallah events which he
participated in daily, in terms of smooth organization and
developing the practice of discussion after the screenings of
the films. He cited the impressions which he gathered from
Nablus and Bethlehem further confirmed his assessment of the
success of the Festival in those two cities, perhaps a more
important success than Ramallah even, which has traditionally
been the center of Palestinian cultural life.”
Al-Ghad (Jordan), 1.10.2005
II. The
Palestinian Cinema Movement Perspective
“’Now we Palestinian women
filmmakers have a base.’ With these words director Ghada Terawi
summed-up her impression of Shashat as an organization devoted
to women’s cinema. Terawi then added: “What encouraged me to
participate in the festival was the quality of the other
filmmakers works, we are all at a similar stage professionally.
Also, it is evident the professionalism and focused mission
underlying the Festival, which points favorably to the future,
either in the coming days of the festival or after the
festival. This focused mission provides a reference point for
us Palestinian women filmmakers, especially that many of us have
no experience in networking with Arab or international cultural
organizations, in matters such as funding, etc.”
Director Liana Badr pointed that
the festival “filled a large gap in this sector, not for
Palestine only but in the Arab world as well…” She added:
“Women’s expression in the arts, especially cinema, is special,
but there has been marginalization of ‘women’s cinema.’ The
Festival has worked to redress this marginalization, and to
advocate for a Palestinian feminist women’s cinema, and at the
same time expose the general Palestinian public to perspectives
in cinema that they have not seen before.”
Yousef Al-Shayeb. Al-Ayyam,
20.9.2005
“…As to Director Nahed Awwad the
importance of the Festival is not in just exhibiting works by
women filmmakers, but more significantly because these films
portray different perspectives on women’s lives. She pointed
that ‘This is an important event for the whole Palestinian film
sector, women and men filmmakers, as it provides us with the
opportunity to interact with international filmmakers and to be
exposed to different styles and outputs of women’s cinemas.’
She concluded that the Festival was ‘additionally, an important
platform for freedom of expression.’
“Director Dima Abu Ghoush
elaborated, ‘The seriousness in organization and intent of the
Festival gives us optimism. It is important for me to
participate in festivals for they provide me the opportunity to
interact with the public and with fellow-filmmakers, either
Palestinian, Arab or international. This provides me with an
impetus to develop and produce more and better.’
Sawt Al-Nisaa (Women’s Voice),
29.9.2005
“Director Saed Abu Hmud (male)
termed the Festival a unique event in the Palestinian cinema
landscape and of great importance in advancing Palestinian
cinema.”
Al-Ayyam, Nablus & Bethlehem,
25.9.2005
“Arasoughly emphasized the high
interest in women’s cinema internationally, with its different
styles, and was incredulous that no serious attention has been
paid to this cinema both in Palestine and the Arab world,
especially that there is about 500 festivals worldwide devoted
to women’s cinema, and whole courses are offered in universities
world wide on women’s cinema.”
Al-Ghad (Jordan), 24.9.2005
III. Ministry of
Women’s Affairs
Zahira Kamal, Minister of Women’s
Affairs, in her statement on the Festival (in the catalogue),
emphasized the importance of this Festival “because it provides
us with the opportunity to see women’s lives through the eyes of
women themselves. It also opens an opportunity among
Palestinian women filmmakers to share skills and knowledge among
themselves and between them and international women filmmakers.
Many of the issues faced by Palestinian women do not differ
significantly from issues faced by other women in the Arab or
Muslim world, or other women in the world for that matter.” She
also added: “The Festival provides us with a framework for
discussion of possible solutions to women’s status, which can
contribute to awareness of social attitudes and values towards
women….this can bring about a re-evaluation of the stereotypes
by which women and men are defined socially. Because of this we
see the Festival as a crucial player in the developmental
process.”
Al-Ayyam, 20.9.2005
IV. Ministry of
Culture
Yahya Yakhluf, Minister of Culture,
stated that “when Shashat takes the initiative to organize a
Women’s Film Festival, it is attempting to put things on track.
Not only because of the centrality of women’s issues to society,
but because women were the first pioneers in Arab cinema. Arab
audiences saw what is considered either the first or second Arab
feature “Layla” in Cairo in 1927….by Aziza Amir, a
feature film which carried a woman’s name, made by a woman, and
its subject matter is a woman.” He added: “We salute this
pioneering work which Shashat has initiated…and we want to work
with them to make it an annual tradition as it combines both
exposure to aesthetics and courageous knowledge which has no
boundaries except the truth.”
Festival Catalogue. 9.2005
V.
(Woman) Minister of Jerusalem Affairs
In her opening speech at the
Festival’s opening in Bethlehem, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs,
Ms. Hind Khoury, saluted Shashat for organizing this festival
which provided the opportunity to exhibit and showcase women’s
contributions in cinema. She called for the Festival to become
a regular annual event. She emphasized that “what marks the
current cultural landscape is the dominance of the culture of
the image which is producing and spreading values and is forming
people’s consciousness, subjectivity and behavior.” She added:
“…Shashat’s Film Festival provides a vehicle to challenging the
stereotypical and traditional portrayal of women showing that
women are not only subjects in film, but that they are makers of
culture.”
Nasser Bannoura. Al-Qudsd,
23.9.2005
VI. International
Guests
Marie-Claude Behna, head of
Cultural Programming in Cinema at the Institute du Monde Arabe
in Paris* commented: “It is not incidental that an
international Women’s Film Festival has been organized now in
Ramallah. It is happening at an auspicious time to provide a
window into Palestinian women filmmakers production process, how
they make films and tell stories of themselves and others from
their perspectives and point-of-view.”
(The Biennale of Arab Cinema in
Paris received the “Festival’s Arab Film Award.” Marie-Claude
Behna received it on behalf of the Biennale).
Saed Abu Farha. Al-Ayyam,
29.9.2005
“(Producer Sally) Hibbin expressed
her appreciation for the quality of Palestinian documentary
films and commented that these works tell of living under
occupation and how this has affected all areas of Palestinian
life.”
Nablus & Bethlehem. Al-Ayyam,
25.9.2005
“Dickinson spoke of the negative
image of women in international cinema, and how the history of
cinema has been formed by male directors. She pointed to how
women constitute only 4% of the directors working in Hollywood
and she attributed this to a disregard for women’s abilities and
points-of-view.
Dickinson also criticized cinema
which focuses on women’s bodies, which is in evidence in
Hollywood’s films.”
Nablus & Bethlehem. Al-Ayyam,
28.9.2005
“Shashat’s Women’s Film Festival
which ended its activities this last week, presented its
‘International Film Award’ to the well-known British woman
director, Kim Longinotto, for her outstanding feminist
documentary work. Shashat’s “Palestinian Film Award” was
awarded to Sulafa Jadallah, who was the first Palestinian woman
to carry a camera in an attempt to record the history of her
people. This prompted the festival organizers to call the
Palestinian Film Award “The Sulafa Jadallah Award”, and she was
its first recipient in this first edition of the Festival.”
Yousef Al-Shayeb. (The
London-based) Al-Hayat, 7.10.2005
VII. Viewers
“The Jerusulamite, Samir Fahl, an
employee in a commercial establishment, saw the Festival as a
courageous initiative, in that the films presented stories of
women’s lives and condition from their perspectives and
point-of-view.”
Saed Abu Farha. Al-Ayyam,
1.10.2005
The Arab-American Louis Nakhleh who
has been living in Palestine with her husband for the last 12
years shared her friend’s opinion adding that, “…this is the
first time an activity like this takes place, and this is why we
have been attending the Festival to learn of the different
experiences of women and the conditions they face in different
countries.”
“Dr. Qostandi Shomali expressed the
view that Palestinian society is still patriarchal and women do
not enjoy many rights socially, politically or legally. He
pointed to how cinema can explore the condition of women’s lives
and advocate for having equality between men and women not only
in their responsibilities but also in their rights. He lamented
the obstacles facing Palestinian women which constrict their
social and public role, although they have shouldered their
share of the Palestinian national struggle.”
Hasan Abdel-Jawad. Cultural
Supplement.
VIII.
The Press
“Shashat, an NGO, focuses on
women’s cinema and the social and cultural implications of
women’s representations. Shashat aims at intervening in gender
representations through showcasing and creating alternative
gender portrayals and critiquing existing ones through a “School
Gender Media Literacy Outreach Program.”
Ahmad Salim. Al-Quds,
11.9.2005
“The long-term negligence and lack
of sustainable institutional accountability in dealing with
women’s representations in cinema has prompted a group of women
involved in culture and media to form a Palestinian
non-governmental organization. They have taken the initiative
of focusing on the vital importance of women’s representations
in the hope of contributing to social and cultural awareness of
the issues underlying the works of Palestinian and international
women directors.”
Muntasir Hamdan. Sawt Al-Nisa’,
15.9.2005
“For seven-years now, filmmaker and
academic, Dr. Alia Arasoughly has dreamt of founding a group
which devotes itself to women’s cinema and addresses
marginalized or silenced topics. Shashat, which announced its
existence (in a press conference) this morning is the only
Palestinian institution of its kind, unique in its mission even
in the whole Arab world, with the mission of organizing an
annual women’s film festival, which also carries the name
Shashat.”
Al-Ayyam, 10.9.2005
“Shashat has focused and shown
special interest in exhibiting films in schools and universities
as a vehicle to discuss women’s representations, the
implications of these representations and what governs them, and
how women express themselves in their different worlds.”
Muntasir Hamdan. Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah,
11.9.2005
“Shashat’s Women’s Film Festival,
and its different activities over a week’s period in Ramallah,
Bethlehem, and Nablus has made a major breakthrough in
Palestinian cultural life in several ways: First, it showcased
publicly Palestinian women’s achievements through the works of
Palestinian women filmmakers who addressed very pertinent
issues. It also brought Palestinian cinema to international
attention through the interaction of the festival guests with
Palestinian women filmmakers. Third, it brought a different
cinematic world to Palestine through the important international
films included in the festival. That Palestinian women are the
ones who initiated and organized this Festival is a source of
pride and esteem.”
Al-Ayyam, 29.9.2005
“It was re-iterated over and over
again in the different activities of the Festival of panels,
workshops and screenings the need to have women’s NGO’s, the
private sector, and the Ministry of Culture provide support to
women’s cinema in particular and to Palestinian cinema in
general, as cinema can play a vital role as a cultural bridge
between peoples and civilizations, and can be a form of exchange
and communication across cultures.”
Hassan Abdel-Jawad.
Cultural Supplement.
IX. Films & Panels
“Catastrophic.” With one word
writer Muyassar Abu Ali, unsuccessfully holding back her tears,
expressed her feelings about the film Massacre by
Monica Borgman, Luqman Slim and Herman Thiessen, which was
exhibited the second day of the festival.
London-based Al-Hayat Newspaper.
24.9.2005
“Sherine Salama, director of
Wedding in Ramallah did not leave after the wedding like
the other guests, but followed the life of the newly-wed for
nine months as she stayed with the bride whose husband left her
after the wedding in order to go back to his work in the U.S.A.”
Naila Khalil. Al-Ayyam, 29.9.2005
“What distinguishes ‘Shashat’s
Women’s Film Festival in Palestine’…is that it includes a series
of specialized workshops and panels, presented by the
international guests. The first will be at Shashat, and is
titled, ‘Producers, Commissioning Editors and Festivals,’ which
will be presented by the producer Sally Hibbin, who produced the
festival circuit hit for 2005, Yasmin. This will
be presented jointly with Marie-Claude Behna, Deputy Director of
the Biennale of Arab Cinema in Paris, one of the more important
Arab film festivals.
At Birzeit University, Rebecca
Hillauer, a German journalist and author of the only
encyclopedia on Arab women filmmaker, currently being translated
into English, will present, “Arab Women Directors – Styles and
Themes.”
Al-Quds, 19.9.2005
“Longinotto showed clips from her
outstanding films as she explored her cinematic techniques in
documentary filmmaking. One of the more moving sequences was
from the 1991 film, “Hidden Faces”, which tells
the story of a poor Egyptian family. The film revolves around
Safa’, the child servant, who suffers the full tragedy and wrath
of a patriarchal family.”
Fadi Aruri. Al-Ayyam, 29.9.2005
“Sally Hibbin’s Yasmin
shown during Shashat’s Women’s Film Festival elicited strong
audience responses wherever it was shown. The film tells
through a personal and human portrait of Yasmin of the
transformations in attitudes towards Muslims in the West, and
the efforts of this Pakistani girl to reconcile her family’s
traditions and her own aspirations to be in an open and
fast-paced Western society in Britain. The discrimination and
denigration of Muslims which followed the events of September
11, turns her life upside down.”
Al-Ayyam, 29.9.2005
X. Post Festival
“Divorce, Iranian Style,
which was screened by Shashat for the Girls Community
Training College, elicited very strong response from the
audience. A long discussion ensued after the screening in which
the college girls emphasized the need for girls to have a say in
the choice of their marriage-mate otherwise things could lead to
divorce. They placed major importance on the values of respect,
communication and understanding between the two spouses in order
to make the marriage successful. The girls discussed the
draw-backs of early marriage for girls are then too young to
understand what marriage is, nor are they ready emotionally or
physically to take on the responsibilities of marriage. They
emphasized the need for girls to be older and mature in order
for them to evaluate the suitable marriage-mate who will share
with them the responsibilities of raising children, and will be
of help if the wife decides to combine work and marriage.
This is the first screening out of
five screenings Shashat is organizing at the Popular Art Centre
for the Girls Community Training College as a follow-up to the
screenings it held for the College during the “Women’s Film
Festival” as part of its ‘School Gender Media Literacy
Program.’”
Al-Quds, 17.11.2005
|
