Yesterday, Cameron Bailey tweeted: CAMERON_TIFF Lost a film today, and a lot more.
What does that mean?
And then this morning I read (via a link on TIFFReviews) that some filmmakers are protesting TIFF's City to City selections, saying they paint an uncritical picture of Tel Aviv (or Israel, rather).
Is the "lost film" related to this? Has some filmmaker withdrawn his/her film in protest?
According to Xtra.ca, John Greyson pulled his short film "Covered" from TIFF.
Here's the article:
http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/Gay_filmmaker_pulls_out_of_TIFF_in_protest-7390.aspx
and info on the film:
http://www.tiffreviews.com/films/2009/covered/
While I'm siding with TIFF on this issue, I'm curious to see how TIFF responds to this criticsm, esp. if the protest picks up steam and a significant number of films are pulled (or negative publicity is cast on the festival). It seems like it will also behove the directors of the chosen City to City films to address the protest in their Q&A.
I respect Greyson as a filmmaker (and have enjoyed his films, such as Zero Patience, Lilies and Proteus), but I can't agree with this protest. While films that take a critical look at Isreali policy or history would not have been inappropriate to the City to City series--I don't think it's mandatory, either. And I don't know that its absence is cause for this type of boycott of the festival.
TIFF has a great history of showing films that are critical of governments, industries and individuals. I don't think it's trying to whitewash anything, nor is it trying to promote some kind of Israeli propaganda. City to City is a series of films gathered in tribute to Tel Aviv (on its 100th anniversary). That's it. And next year there will be 10 films about another city. This is not an examination of Isreali domestic and foreign policy. That's something else.
I applaud Greyson's (and others') concern, but rather than take your film out of TIFF, why not make a film that critiques and exposes the injustice you see? I'm sure TIFF would be happy to show that film.
John Greyson's short film is now available for viewing here (until September 19th, 2009): http://www.vimeo.com/6308870
You can also read his open letter to TIFF here: http://tiny.cc/tiff_open_letter
Now magazine and the CBC have picked up this story.
TIFF's Tel Aviv turmoil
http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=171064
Canadian director protests TIFF Tel Aviv spotlight
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2009/08/29/greyson-tiff-pullout.html
Cameron Bailey's response posted on the TIFF website: An Open Letter on City to City: Tel Aviv
http://www.tiff.net/livefromthefestival/openlettercitytocity
From today's Globe and Mail: Film fest's focus on Israel 'propaganda,' artists say
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/film-fests-focus-on-israel-propaganda-artists-say/article1274104/
More than 50 prominent filmmakers, writers, artists and academics - including Ken Loach, David Byrne, Naomi Klein, Alice Walker, Jane Fonda, Wallace Shawn and Danny Glover - have signed a letter protesting against the Toronto International Film Festival's decision to spotlight the city of Tel Aviv and the work of 10 Israeli filmmakers.
The letter is to be published online today, with a call for more signatories. "As members of the Canadian and international film, culture and media arts communities, we are deeply disturbed by [TIFF's] decision to host a celebratory spotlight on Tel Aviv," the letter begins. "We protest that TIFF, whether intentionally or not, has become complicit in the Israeli propaganda machine."
When the Melbourne Film Festival faced a similar campaign, the festival head wrote this piece in the Guardian: Censorship has no place in film
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/aug/27/ken-loach-film-festival
We were told that unless we rejected Israeli funding Loach would withdraw his latest film, Looking For Eric, already confirmed and printed in the official guide. This isn't the first time that Loach has pulled this stunt. Earlier this year the Edinburgh Film Festival buckled after complaints from Loach that Israel had provided £300 to fly director Tali Shalom-Ezer to the screening of her film Surrogate. The funding was withdrawn. This was a repeat of a shameful 2006 episode when Edinburgh returned a travel bursary funding flights for another Israeli director, Yoav Shamir.
This curse must not be allowed to spread to other film festivals. Politics will always walk hand in hand with film, and with film festivals, but at the core of every festival, from Melbourne to Montreal, is the independence and integrity of the programme: it is a festival's primary asset and part of an inviolate bond of trust between a festival and its audience. To allow the personal politics of one filmmaker to proscribe a festival position would not only open a veritable floodgate, but also goes against the grain of what festivals stand for.
Some voices speaking out against the protest, incl. Robert Lantos.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/tiff-focus-on-tel-aviv-draws-protests/article1273755/
However, two other Canadian filmmakers, producer Robert Lantos and Emmy-award winning documentarian Simcha Jacobovici, weighed in Wednesday.
“[TIFF] deserves applause for its refusal to cater to the agenda of biased individuals with an axe to grind,” Mr. Lantos said in a statement.
Mr. Lantos, currently overseeing production of Barney’s Version, the Mordecai Richler novel, said Mr. Greyson’s “hypocrisy is mind-boggling. Israel is the only state in the Middle East where films are made freely and without censorship of any sort [and] the only country in the region where a gay positive film like Mr. Greyson’s could be produced and freely shown”
Mr. Jacobovici, a Toronto filmmaker who recently moved with his family to Israel, noted in a statement that the Palestinian government in Gaza had recently called a U.N. proposal to teach the Holocaust in Palestinian schools a war crime. “Why does Greyson want to align himself with Holocaust deniers?”
The list of people supporting the protest. Among them is B. Ruby Rich (former programmer at TIFF), actor Danny Glover, playwright Eve Ensler, musician David Byrne, actress Jane Fonda, and many others.
canmark: Thanks for the updates!
Here's the open letter from the protesters: The Toronto Declaration: No Celebration of Occupation
As members of the Canadian and international film, culture and media arts communities, we are deeply disturbed by the Toronto International Film Festival’s decision to host a celebratory spotlight on Tel Aviv. We protest that TIFF, whether intentionally or not, has become complicit in the Israeli propaganda machine....
http://torontodeclaration.blogspot.com/
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Further commentary in UK's Guardian and the Independent (pro and con). Given the protests at the Edinburgh Film Festival and the Melbourne Film Festival, this has clearly become a global issue. If TIFF wanted to arouse discussion, it certainly has.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/sep/01/israel-palestine-boycott-film
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/how-dare-you-ken-1693173.html
More media coverage.
National Post: Artists, authors sign letter protesting Israeli spotlight at TIFF
http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=1960040
Canadian Press: Protest mounts against program at Toronto film fest about Israeli culture
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5j-jgFPD_CYk05EVq3FdQ5tdFWqpw
Reuters: Artists protest Tel Aviv focus at Toronto film fest
http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE5825G720090903
Variety: Israeli showcase at center of fest dispute
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008105.html?categoryId=1061&cs=1
The Hollywood Reporter: Filmmakers weigh in on Toronto Israel flap
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i295a6fb278def938b91c4b53f7cdd964
IndieWIRE: Fonda, Loach and Klein Among Those Joining Protest Against TIFF
http://www.indiewire.com/article/2009/09/03/fonda_loach_and_klein_among_those_joining_protest_against_tiff/
Gawker: Filmmakers Draw Dotted Line Across Toronto's Red Carpet over Israel
http://gawker.com/5352226/filmmakers-draw-dotted-line-across-torontos-red-carpet-over-israel
JewishJournal.com: Protest sparked over Toronto Film Festival’s focus on Tel Aviv
http://www.jewishjournal.com/hollywoodjew/item/protest_sparked_over_toronto_film_festivals_focus_on_tel_aviv_20090903/
Apparently, the protesters now plan a press conference on the opening day of TIFF.
Globe and Mail editorial: Artists for censorship
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/artists-for-censorship/article1275558/
Toronto Star: Tel Aviv program protest to rear head at opening
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/TIFF/article/690802
Saturday's media coverage:
Toronto Star: Tiff over Tel Aviv films grows
http://www.thestar.com/article/691361
National Post: George Jonas: The tortured logic of Israel boycotters
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/09/05/george-jonas-the-tortured-logic-of-israel-boycotters.aspx
Globe and Mail: Group plans presser over TIFF City-to-City program
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/movies/group-plans-presser-over-tiff-city-to-city-program/article1277344/
==========
Other coverage:
NY Times: Anger Over Israeli Presence Is Heating Up Toronto Film Festival
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/anger-over-israeli-presence-is-heating-of-toronto-film-festival/?scp=1&sq=toronto%20film%20festival%20protest&st=cse
Goodness, even Perez Hilton is covering this story!
Stars Boycott Toronto Film Festival Due To Israeli-Palestinian Conflict!
http://perezhilton.com/2009-09-04-stars-boycott-toronto-film-festival-due-to-israeli-palestinian-conflict
Variety: Toronto slate angers Arab filmmakers
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008169.html?categoryId=2652&cs=1
The Hollywood Reporter: Toronto protesters plan press conference
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i418c5bc24c7b68c520a1f7bdf3f6d8c0
The Guardian: Toronto film festival hit by cultural boycott over Tel Aviv strand
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/sep/07/toronto-film-festival-boycott
More TIFF tiff coverage.
IndieWIRE: TIFF Protesters Plan Press Conference For Fest’s Opening Day
http://www.indiewire.com/article/2009/09/07/tiff_protesters_plan_press_conference_for_fests_opening_day/
Globe and Mail: We don't feel like celebrating with Israel this year (by Naomi Klein, one of the protest signatories)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/we-dont-feel-like-celebrating-with-israel-this-year/article1278582/
National Post: Boycotting Israeli films is just the beginning (commentary by James Morton and Karen Mock)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/09/07/james-morton-and-karen-mock-boycotting-israeli-films-is-just-the-beginning.aspx
Toronto Star: Tel Aviv tiff at TIFF (editorial)
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/692083
Huffington Post: Dust-up in Toronto
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erica-abeel/dust-up-in-toronto_b_278771.html
MartiniBoys.com: TIFF Tel Aviv Controversy Sparks Conspiracy Theories Amongst Industry Big-Wigs
http://www.martiniboys.com/Toronto/articles/TIFF-Tel-Aviv-Controversy-Sparks-Conspiracy-Theories-Amongst-Industry-Big_d_Wigs-13257.html
Piers Handling weighs in on the controversy.
The Hollywood Reporter: Toronto fest director speaks out on Tel Aviv tiff
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3id519a27d3f06495a034592d117cb6448
Toronto International Film Festival director Piers Handling has weighed in on the growing artist protest over next week's Tel Aviv and Israeli cultural spotlight, saying it will stir debate and an exchange of cultures that film festivals should encourage.
"Films are designed to do a bunch of things. And a (festival) program can pose a series of questions," Handling said as a growing list of filmmakers, actors and activists, including Danny Glover and Jane Fonda, sign on to a campaign criticizing Toronto for its 10-film Tel Aviv spotlight.
* * *
Handling recalled earlier festival sidebars that stirred nationalist accusations and division, including in 1997 when Toronto presented 19 films from ex-Yugoslavia under the banner of "Balkan Cinema: Home Truths."
The films, which included Emir Kusturica's Cannes award-winner "Underground," and Dusan Makavejev's "WR: Mysteries of the Organism," came from new republics of the former Yugoslavia, and countries like Romania and Bulgaria that shared a recent communist past.
"There were lots of communities, strong memories. And they all protested the inclusion of another community's films," Handling remembers.
* * *
Globe and Mail: There's justice, and then there's propaganda (Robert Lantos)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/theres-justice-and-then-theres-propaganda/article1281264/
New names (over 1000) have been added to the Toronto Declaration list, including "music and cinematic legends Harry Belafonte and Julie Christie. Actor Viggo Mortensen, who will be attending this year's festival, just added his name. Leading intellectual figures Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler and Anne McClintock have also recently endorsed the declaration, along with prominent Canadian writers Rawi Hage, Joy Kogawa, Dionne Brand, and Kerri Sakamoto. Celebrated local filmmakers Velcro Ripper, Min Sook Lee and Lynne Fernie have also signed the letter."
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Toronto-Declaration-Ad-Hoc-Committee-1042719.html
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