[2129] in peace2
Refusal to allow Palestinian Film to Enter the Oscar Race
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Aimee L Smith)
Mon Dec 9 13:07:53 2002
Message-Id: <200212091807.NAA08111@gold.mit.edu>
To: peace-announce@MIT.EDU
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Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2002 13:07:47 -0500
From: Aimee L Smith <alsmith@MIT.EDU>
That whole "Land without a People for a People without
a Land" myth just won't die...
Please consider taking a moment to write to The Academy
and explain to them that Palestinians are human beings
just like you and I...
--- MIFTAH Organization <miftah@miftah.org> wrote:
> The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of
> Global Dialogue & Democracy
> The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
> Refuses Palestinian Film to Enter the Oscar Race
> By Al-Awda
> December 07, 2002
>
>
> The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has
> refused to allow any Palestinian-made films to enter
> into the Oscars foreign film race because it does
> not accept Palestine as a "nation". The Palestinian
> Authority tried to submit Elia Solaiman's film,
> "Divine Intervention", but was refused, even though
> the film was highly awarded at the Cannes Film
> Festival this year.
>
> Below is a response from a Hollywood Producer on
> this news lightly mentioned in the film industry
> trade magazine, Variety.
>
> You may write/contact the Academy of Motion Picture
> Arts and Sciences at:
>
> Academy Foundation
> 8949 Wilshire Blvd.
> Beverly Hills, CA 90211
> Phone: 310-247-3000
> Fax: 310-859-9351
> www.oscars.org
> Email: ampas@oscars.org
>
> The Academy Goes to War with the Bush Administration
> in the Oscar Race
>
> The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has
> decided to refuse the Palestinian entry, "Divine
> Intervention", for the nomination of Best Foreign
> Film, while accepting submissions from countries
> like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Chad.
>
> This decision has been expedited under the false
> pretext that the Academy doesn't recognize Palestine
> as a nation. It would be interesting to read the
> definition of "nation" as seen by the Academy of
> Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
>
> What the Academy knows and therefore reminds
> everybody, is that the government of each nation is
> allowed to submit one film to represent its country.
> This more or less defines the right for a film to be
> presented. Therefore, as long as the Palestinian
> government had agreed to submit "Divine
> Intervention" by Elie Souleimane, the Academy had no
> right to refuse to include it in the selection,
> unless the Academy, sitting atop its unchallenged
> power and authority doesn't recognize the
> Palestinian government. That would be unfortunate.
>
> Even the Bush administration, although they would
> prefer that such government doesn't exist, was able
> to communicate and negotiate with Palestine, thus
> recognizing its existence. If Palestine doesn't
> exist in the movie world, why then was the same
> "Divine Intervention" selected as a Palestinian
> entry at the Cannes Film Festival this year? I'm
> sure that by now, Palestinian filmmakers - and there
> are a few, very talented people - wonder what
> nationality they are. Israeli? How ironic!
>
> As we very well know, the Israeli government would
> never choose to send to Hollywood, a Palestinian
> film to represent its country. So for the Academy,
> it's probable that Palestinian films simply cannot
> be submitted, denying in a way, their right to
> exist.
>
> Sounds familiar? Isn't it in the Constitution of the
> Academy, or at least in its principles, to promote
> art without any distinction of race, religion or
> politics? Well, sometimes, the Bush administration
> would use the phrase "in times of war."
>
> Now that art has to be put to the service of
> politics, it seems to me that the Academy and the
> entire Hollywood film industry has lost yet another
> piece of its credibility.
>
> By Phil Ed for Au-Cinema.com
>
> http://www.miftah.org
>
