Al-Awda - Voices of Resistance and Liberation

An outstanding Palestinian actor and filmmaker, Mohammad Bakri, visited the New York/New Jersey area from March 8-10, 2007, visiting New Jersey on March 8, and New York on March 9 and 10.

Mohammad Bakri directed Jenin Jenin, 1948, and Since You Left. As an actor, he starred in films such as Private and The Olive Harvest, for which he won an award for best actor. As a theatrical actor, he appeared in Hedda Gabler, co-produced Romeo and Juliet, and participated in many other productions. He also directed Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge and other plays, including a one-man play he authored, Abu Marmar, about Palestinian prisoners.

On March 8, the movie Jenin Jenin was shown in Jersey City, NJ. The film is about the 2002 massacre in the Jenin refugee camp. An elderly man, a twelve-year-old girl, and the mother of a son who was killed all share their reactions. Jenin Jenin won the Best Film award at the Carthage International Film Festival. The co-producer, Iyad Samoudi, was martyred on his way home after shooting; fortunately, the film was able to be produced.

1948 focused on the Nakba and the destruction of villages, such as Deir Yassin. Several Palestinians from different villages showed their reactions. Bakri’s daughter sang the works of the poet Mahmoud Darwish between interviews and Bakri himself narrated. 1948 was presented at Alwan for the Arts in Lower Manhattan, in Arabic with English subtitles.

On Saturday, March 10, the documentary film Since You Left was presented at Symphony Space in New York City. Bakri produced, directed and acted in the film, about his visit to the grave of the Palestinian writer Emile Habibi, in which he tells him what took place in Palestine after his death. The film was screened in Arabic with English subtitles.

After Since You Left was shown, a play, Almotashael, was presented. Produced and directed by Bakri, the play was based on Habibi’s novel, Al Motashael, about a Palestinian named Saeed who lost his land but not his determination. The play, performed in Arabic, symbolized the fate of the Palestinian people.

Since You Left and Jenin Jenin are available on DVD. More information about Mohammad Bakri is available at his website, www.mohammadbakri.com.

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May 2007	http://alawda.newjerseysolidarity.org
Palestinian Filmmaker Visits NY/NJ by Nancy Olszewski An outstanding Palestinian actor and filmmaker, Mohammad Bakri, visited the New York/New Jersey area from March 8-10, 2007, visiting New Jersey on March 8, and New York on March 9 and 10. Mohammad Bakri directed Jenin Jenin, 1948, and Since You Left. As an actor, he starred in films such as Private and The Olive Harvest, for which he won an award for best actor. As a theatrical actor, he appeared in Hedda Gabler, co-produced Romeo and Juliet, and participated in many other productions. He also directed Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge and other plays, including a one-man play he authored, Abu Marmar, about Palestinian prisoners. On March 8, the movie Jenin Jenin was shown in Jersey City, NJ. The film is about the 2002 massacre in the Jenin refugee camp. An elderly man, a twelve-year-old girl, and the mother of a son who was killed all share their reactions. Jenin Jenin won the Best Film award at the Carthage International Film Festival. The co-producer, Iyad Samoudi, was martyred on his way home after shooting; fortunately, the film was able to be produced. 1948 focused on the Nakba and the destruction of villages, such as Deir Yassin. Several Palestinians from different villages showed their reactions. Bakri’s daughter sang the works of the poet Mahmoud Darwish between interviews and Bakri himself narrated. 1948 was presented at Alwan for the Arts in Lower Manhattan, in Arabic with English subtitles. On Saturday, March 10, the documentary film Since You Left was presented at Symphony Space in New York City. Bakri produced, directed and acted in the film, about his visit to the grave of the Palestinian writer Emile Habibi, in which he tells him what took place in Palestine after his death. The film was screened in Arabic with English subtitles. After Since You Left was shown, a play, Almotashael, was presented. Produced and directed by Bakri, the play was based on Habibi’s novel, Al Motashael, about a Palestinian named Saeed who lost his land but not his determination. The play, performed in Arabic, symbolized the fate of the Palestinian people. Since You Left and Jenin Jenin are available on DVD. More information about Mohammad Bakri is available at his website, www.mohammadbakri.com. This article may be shared, reproduced or distributed under a Creative Commons License. Al-Awda is published monthly by New Jersey Solidarity-Activists for the Liberation of Palestine. We welcome submissions, letters to the editor, cultural works, and other proposals for publication. Contact us: Al-Awda Newspaper (973) 954-2521 info@newjerseysolidarity.org http://www.newjerseysolidarity.org New Jersey Solidarity 344 Grove Street, Suite 131 Jersey City, NJ 07302 Our editorial collective is responsible for editing, laying out and developing this publication. We are open to new members who are in accord with the mission and principles of this newspaper. Please contact us about your upcoming events and activities of interest to readers of this publication. Please contact us for advertising rates and information, or for material on becoming a distributor.

Palestinian Filmmaker Visits NY/NJ