“We’re talking about solidarity with students and workers, and you’re talking about dolly shots and close-ups." (Jean-Luc Godard at the protest with New Wave filmmakers which shut down the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, in support of the protests and strikes in France at the time.)

What is the connection between cinema screened in the halls of the Cinematheque and the socio-political struggle that blazes the streets? In recent months, a series of protests have swept the country and the world, one after another. In the United States, for example, protests against police violence and institutionalized racism raged following the assassination of George Floyd. The citizens of Israel also demonstrated following the killing of Iyad al-Khalak, violence against women and in opposition to the evident annexation of the West Bank... More so, the streets flared up in huge protests against government corruption and the economic conduct during the Corona crisis. In this current atmosphere under the influence of the vital involvement of youngsters and students in the fight for social change, this program curates films that deal closely - and often in real time - with the theme of struggle. The filmmakers point their lens at protests around them - demonstrations, manifestos, petitions and other unconventional actions. The films in the program share the burning passion in the protesters themselves and their sense of urgency to shout out in order to influence reality around them. At the same time, a second voice emerges in these films, one that examines the approach of cinematic work itself in the face of demonstrations. How can art and culture engage in real time with those protesting about life itself? If the filmmakers are observing the struggle from the outside, is it legitimate that they mediate the cry of the protesters themselves? These thresholds create a fascinating creative space, a fertile pad for astonishing cinematic expressions. They produce an exciting and thought-provoking viewing experience, one that is especially relevant these days as it explores the boundaries of cinema as a timeless art. Curator: Yuval Parnass-Mader

Age of Valiant, Dir: Willis Ho, Lo Chun-yip
2020

Black Panthers, Dir: Anis Varda
1968

Night Flight, Dir: Clara L'Heureux-Garcia
2016

Questions of a Dead Worker, Dir: Aya Somech
 2002

Details 2&3, Dir: Avi Mograbi

© 1968 ciné-tamaris