Watani Habibi

Certificate presented to Rim Banna by Yassser Arafat in recognition of her
services to the arts. Nazareth, 2005.

STEVE SABELLA, well known Palestinian photographer is currently working on his project Jerusalem in Exile - tangible memories. Visit the website:

http://www.jerusalem-in-exile.net/art.htm

PALESTINIAN DAYS

The Palestinian Days Film Festival is organised and run by the London Film Forum. This selection of films have been screened at the Doha National Theatre in Qatar, Sao Paolo in Brazil, Belfast, Northern Ireland and in the SPARK festival in Hamilton, New Zealand. The dispersion and exile of Palestinians since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 means current Palestinian filmmakers bring together a variety of influences and operate in very different environments. However, the continuation of the Israeli colonial occupation has meant that Palestinian filmmakers working in the West Bank and Gaza continue to suffer from a lack of facilities, trained technicians, and the necessary freedoms of movement for a full local film industry to develop. The collection includes WATANI HABIBI. MY BELOVED HOMELAND. The programme includes feature length documentary films GAZA STRIP by James Longley and JENIN, JENIN by Muhammed Bakri as well as the 13 minute short film LEMONADE by Hicham Kayed

PDF Download - the complete programme of films.

BLUE WATER PRODUCTIONS are currently in pre-production with their new documentary film, to be filmed in Kolkatta. Titled HELLO AUNTIE, the film is an investigation into the lives of five women beggars who live on the streets of Kolkatta and earn a living from the tourists around New Market and Sudder Streets in the central city. Beggars have had a remarkable existence in history and the beggars of Kolkatta are often present in novels, films and stories. To all outward appearances these women are lively and charming but have a complex and difficult existence, to be revealed in the film.

The film, YANIV, currently in production, is the story of a teenage boy with Aspergers Syndrome who began painting in 2008. In the early months his paintings were selected as finalist works in two major New Zealand contemporary art competitions and his art practice is continuing to develop in strength. The film documents his family life and the development of his art career. Visit his blog at:
http://y-artist.blogspot.com

MIN BA'D, WISSAM MURAD'S first solo CD, was released by Sabreen Association for Artistic Development. The CD is a compilation of songs and musical pieces composed by Murad to lyrics of the late Egyptian poet, Biram Altunisi, whose poetry was chosen because of its depth and his close relationship with Sayyed Darwish, Murad's mentor and source of inspiration. The music created is modern, with a classical perspective. It crosses many boundaries, defies categorization and brings sentiments of the past in a contemporary musical setting.