Unity, everyday issues
tackled in film festival
Four films offer a realistic view
into the lives of Israelis and
Palestinians, abandoning the
focus of military conflicts
Jacquelyn Lewis
Pulse Editor
Conflict in the Middle East has
been the focus of abundant media
attention as of late. However, the
upcoming Middle East Film Festi
val will focus on the Israeli-Pales
tinian encounter rather than war
or conflict between the groups.
The festival, presented by the
Eugene Middle East Peace Group,
begins on Saturday and will in
clude four films intended to pro
vide a window into day-to-day is
sues confronting people in Israel
and Palestine. Two of the films will
play at Bijou Art Cinemas, located
at 492 E. 13th Ave., and two will
show in 100 Willamette.
Main festival organizer, Middle
East Peace Group member and Ju
daic Studies visiting lecturer Alon
Raab said one of the event’s main
goals is to give audience members
new perspectives and information
that popular media might not al
ways reflect.
“Our goal is to provide informa
tion that is missing from the main
stream media here and from most
information outlets,” Raab said.
“The films explain the situation as
it is happening right now in Israel
and Palestine, and some also pro
vide hope.”
Raab added that the Eugene
Middle East Peace Group worked
toward providing diversity within
this goal by selecting films with
varying themes.
“Gaza Strip,” which will appear
on Saturday at noon at Bijou Art
Cinemas, focuses on life under oc
cupation, while the “Beyond the
Walls,” screening on Tuesday at 7
p.m. in 100 Willamette Hall, is a
film about Palestinian and Israeli
prisoners uniting.
Academic adviser Karen
Kennedy, who is also a member of
the Middle East Peace Group, co
organized the film festival. She said
the themes in “Gaza Strip” are im
portant “because most Americans
don’t understand or know about
(occupied territories).”
Eugene Middle East Peace Group
secretary Lisa Fragala agreed.
“The American public needs to
educate themselves and be aware
of what is potentially happening
there,” she said.
“Promises,” portraits of Israeli
and Palestinian youth, will play at
Bijou Art Cinemas on April 19 at
noon. The final film, “Frontiers of
Dreams and Fears,” explores a
friendship between two Palestin
ian girls. It will screen on April 24
at 7 p.m. in 100 Willamette Hall.
“We hope people come away
from these films having a more
complex and richer understand
ing,” Kennedy said. “I think this
community is really hungry for
this kind of information.”
Raab said the Middle East Peace
Group hopes the festival will be
come an annual affair. He said the
peace group formed several years
ago with three goals in mind: To
foster dialogue between Palestini
ans and Israelis, increase aware
ness about the Middle East in the
community and to raise funds for
Middle East peace groups. The
members, who come from varying
backgrounds, participate in a vari
ety of activities, from fundraisers
and rallies to monthly potlucks
and holiday celebrations.
The film festival is supported by
the peace group as well as a grant.
All proceeds will benefit Grass
roots International, an organiza
tion directly supporting human
rights, medical relief, social justice
and peace work in Israel and
Palestine. Fragala said the
fundraising aspect is an important
reason people should attend the
films, and the money will help
people living in “insufferable, des
perate” conditions.
Admission to each film will be a
sliding scale donation of $5 to $15
at the door.
Contact the Pulse editor
atjacquelynlewis@dailyemerald.com.
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