a l'allure garconniere

No Celebration of Occupation

Your show on Friday was intense, to say the least.

First and foremost, I agree with Naomi Klein that this “No Celebration of Occupation” open letter has created a great space for public discussion on the issue of the Israel/Palestine conflict. However, I hope it will encourage people to inform and educate themselves rather than spout misinformed political conjecture. If Simcha Jacobovici’s response is any indication, it seems that those who disagree with these conversations are more willing to put their head in the sand than actually open their ears.

Jacobovici’s charges that Klein’s “campaign” is chilling and comparing the actions of those who have drafted and signed this letter to the Holocaust unfortunately derailed what could otherwise have been a great discussion. For what it’s worth, Klein’s “campaign” is not nearly as chilling as what is currently happening in occupied Palestinian territory, but this is something that cannot be adequately addressed in a 30 minute radio segment, or in the running time of the many films made by Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers featured at TIFF this year.

What struck me most, however, is the recurring statement that films can be separated from the political climate in which they are created. Both Klein and Jacobovici stated something along the lines of “this is about art, not politics.” I was quite shocked by this, especially since we here in Canada recently had very interesting discussions about art and politics thanks to Harper’s drastic funding cuts to the arts. Since when is art not political?

Jacobovici’s resistance to these sorts of discussions and his statement that “not everything is about the conflict” clearly show his opinion that your political environment is not an influential factor in the creation of art, whether it be film or any other medium. The simple act of making a film in Israel right now, and the stories you chose to tell or not tell, is political. However, Jacobovici is the one stating we should not politicize everything, while in the very same conversation he throws around words like “anti-semetist” in regards to a critical open letter. Even though this man lives in Tel Aviv, it seems like he is living a bubble if he can think one’s art is completely separated from the political strife going on right now in the Middle East. Like Jian pointed out quite intelligently, making charges of anti-semetism and belittling anyone who disagrees with you is not a way to foster dialogue or conversation.

Films can change the world, and I for one am surprised that this fact was entirely omitted from the conversation.

Julia Caron, Québec City