No one can deny that the New Orleans film industry is on the rise, but the city also has a vibrant film community that appreciates and showcases films from around the world all year long. The New Orleans Film Festival, which was just held in October, boasted an impressive lineup of international films and earlier in the year, the French Film Festival (early July) screened some of the best movies that country had to offer.
Another film festival is slated to start this weekend that focuses on another region of the world – the Middle East. An area not typically known for its cinematic pursuits, the Middle East also has a film industry on the rise and has produced some extremely thought-provoking and powerful films in the past few years.
“In any writing or screenwriting class you quickly learn that the most important element to any good story is conflict. In the Middle East, conflict is a more abundant natural resource than even oil. The annual festival explores the extremely rich and complex history, politics and culture of this volatile region,” explains festival director and Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center founder Rene Broussard.
Now you might think New Orleans is unusual place to host such a festival, but Broussard explains, “Founded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, with a city of refugees, it soon became quite obvious the many parallels to our situation and the many conflicts of the Middle East. Issues such as racism, Human Rights, social justice, land grabs, Right of Return, etc. So partly as a diversion from and largely out of solidarity, the festival was born.”
So with that, the festival was established, and with literally no money and through a completely grassroots effort it continues to grow every year. And now in its 5th year, the New Orleans Middle East Film Festival boasts over 30 new films from 10 countries, including Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. This year’s event also features the controversial art exhibit “A Child’s View From Gaza,” which has been banned in other parts of the country and will on display in the Zeitgeist’ OCH Gallery December 9 – 30.
—– Here is this year’s full festival schedule —–
Friday, DEC 9
5:30 to 7:30 pm – Opening Reception, featuring the controversial “A Child’s View From Gaza” art exhibit
7:30 pm – This Is Not a Film (Iran, 75 mins.) – Opening Night Film
9:00 pm – How to Start a Revolution (Iran, Syria, Egypt, 87 mins.)
Saturday, December 10:
5:00 pm – No Sharp Objects and A Child’s View from Gaza short film (Palestine, 45 mins.)
6:00 pm – Pastports: Najeeb’s Amazing Adventure and Telling Strings (Palestine, 105 mins.)
8:30 pm – Love During Wartime (Israel/Palestine, 92 mins.)
Sunday, December 11:
4:30 pm – The First Movie (Iraq, 76 mins.)
6:00 pm – Gaza-Strophe, Palestine and Challenging Power (Israel/Palestine, 113 mins.)
8:30 pm – The Green Wave (Iran, 80 mins.)
Monday, December 12:
6:00 pm – The Art of Flight (Egypt, 81 mins.)
8:00 pm – Occupation Has No Future (Israel/Palestine, 84 mins.)
Tuesday, December 13:
6:00 pm – Damascus with Love (Syria, 90 mins.)
8:00 pm – Half MG Nicotine (Syria, 97 mins.)
Wednesday, December 14:
6:00 pm – 12 Angry Lebanese (Lebanon, 85 mins.)
8:00 pm – Dog Sweat (Iran, 90 mins)
Thursday, December 15:
6:00 pm – Passion (Syria, 90 mins.)
8:00 pm – Heliopolis (Egypt, 96 mins.)
Friday, December 16:
6:00 pm – Woman (Syria, 91 mins.)
8:00 pm – 18 Days (Egypt, 125 mins.)
Saturday, December 17:
2:30 pm – Voices and Faces of the Adhan: Cairo (Egypt, 75 mins.)
4:00 pm – Fragments of a Lost Palestine (Palestine, 74 mins.)
5:30 pm – Before Your Eyes and It’s My Turn (Turkey, 111 mins.)
8:00 pm – Microphone (Egypt, 120 mins.)
Sunday, December 18:
3:30 pm – Dubai: A City of Dreams (United Arab Emirates, 76 mins.)
5:30 pm – Tattooed Eye and Maria’s Grotto (Lebanon + Palestine, 82 mins.)
7:30 pm – Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Turkey, 157 mins.)
10:00 pm – Award Ceremony, and lagniappe screening of Audience Award winner Best Short Film
Festival All Access Pass:
$50 individual donation or $75 for a couple
Day Pass:
Monday through Friday – $10.00 donation
Saturdays or Sundays – $15.00 donation
Suggested donation per film:
$8 general / $7 students & seniors / $6 Zeitgeist members & children / Free for Zeitgeist Patrons
This festival, like all of Zeitgeist’s programming, is presented annually without any grants or public funds. And like all of Zeitgeist’s programming, is also presented without any paid staff, so donations are greatly needed and appreciated.
So come out to the Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center (1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. New Orleans) this weekend and take advantage of this unique film-going experience and all the Zeitgeist Arts Center has to offer. And by doing so, help support one the premier alternative arts center in the South.
Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center website: http://www.zeitgeistinc.net
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This article was written by Chris Henson, who typically writes about film news and events in New Orleans for examiner.com. You can check out his articles at: http://www.examiner.com/indie-movie-in-new-orleans/chris-henson and follow him on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/thechrishenson – or – http://twitter.com/#!/NOLA_FilmEvents
