I have not read the BDS letter in the Guardian but learning of it in Jewish News, I disagree with the move against the modern day equivalent of the Hebrew Bible. I supported Israeli film from the beginning.
In my student years I saw "Turn Left" a film with the Union of Jewish Studies about a family Indian immigrants to Israel. On my last trip to Israel I discovered the subsidised film industry that made "Fla'ot" a film about gangsters that kidnap a Rabbi they believe to have magical powers. Students at Sussex continue to celebrate the feminist film focusing around a bizarre check-point mix up, Israel's answer to Hollywood's "trading places". Other anti-cuts activists make it impossible for many young people to have a proud Jewish Left-wing identity. I have not read Ken Loach's letter to the Guardian but I saw his film "The Spirit of '45" which of course ignores the pioneering work of socialists in Israel-Palestine under the British Mandate. If it were not for subsidies from the state of Israel to Hebrew film it would be as dead as Elstree's film industry. I am not a big film buff but I hope any up-coming London politicians will keep their promise to oppose divisive boycotts recognise how essential SERET film festival is to our culture.
Ben Samuel, via email
No comments:
Post a Comment