Israeli filmmaker urges local artists to protest Toronto Fest
Udi Aloni calls on leading gay filmmakers to step 'out of their political closet' and protest occupation.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news West BankLeft wing Israeli filmmaker Udi Aloni has called on top Israeli artists to step out of their "political closet" and protest the upcoming Toronto Film Festival over its spotlight on Tel Aviv.
Several Israeli films are being screened at the festival's new City to City event, which this year celebrates Tel Aviv's centennial. A growing number of American filmmakers, actors and influential voices have signed on to a petition to boycott the festival, claiming it was covering up the occupation and the plight of Palestinians.
Aloni has directed his appeal specifically at directors Gal Uchovsky and Eitan Fuchs, whose film "The bubble" will be screened at the festival.
Uchovsky, a journalist and one of the judges on "A Star is Born," and Fuchs, a film director and producer, are prominent activists in Israel's gay community.
"The reason I chose to address you directly and publicly is, among others, the aggressive 'outing' campaign which you decided to run against Israeli celebrities during the large LGBT support rally in Tel Aviv last month," Aloni wrote in his appeal to Uchovsky and Fuchs.
"Following the rally, I decided it was time for the political 'outing' of you two, addressing you once and for all with the question: Are you with us or with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs?"
Aloni urged the filmmakers to choose sides, stipulating that if they were to choose opposition to West Bank occupation, they should also sign the petition against the Toronto Film Festival.
Aloni called his petition a "challenge to an ideological debate," following last month's shooting at the gay center in Tel Aviv, which placed Uchovsky under the media spotlight as a leading spokesman for the gay community.
In his weekly column in Tel Aviv "Time Out" magazine, Uchovsky personally "outed" one of Israel's top music performers. The column sparked many responses in Israeli media regarding the aggressiveness of Uchovsky's "outing" campaign.
'Just say no'
The petition to boycott the festival was drafted by an ad-hoc committee including Aloni, culture critic Naomi Klein and director John Greyson, who announced their protest over the homage to Tel Aviv.
Actors Jane Fonda, Danny Glover and Eve Ensler have also recently joined the growing list of artists such as Ken loach and Slavoj Zizek.The three have added their names to a letter aimed at festival officials claiming that Tel Aviv was built on violence, ignoring the "suffering of thousands of former residents and descendants," as reported on the Perez Hilton blog.
Two-time Oscar winner Rabbi Marvin Hier, who founded the Simon Wiesenthal Center, called the boycott "an attack on the heart and soul of Israel." "People who support letters like this are people who do not support a two-state solution," he was quoted as saying on Hilton's blog.
"By calling into question the legitimacy of Tel Aviv, they are supporting a one-state solution, which means the destruction of the State of Israel. I applaud the organizers of the festival for celebrating on the 100th anniversary of Tel Aviv. If every city in the Middle East would be as culturally diverse, as open to freedom of expression as Tel Aviv is, then peace would long have come to the Middle East."
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I do not see any sense in remaining Racists and going on with this abhorrent decision, Israel!
That's all they are. And I agree with Rabbi Hier, that these individuals want Israel wiped off the map.
These mock moralists attempting boycott of Israel at Toronto Film Festival align themselves with the death-worshipping murder-suicide child-indoctrinating bombers of innocent people, Jews, Israelis, lovers of freedom and supporters of truth. Congratulations, you've drawn the line, and placed yourselves outside that of civil societies!! If you have no shame, you should know that you have joined the ranks of a shame society. Look it up!
Another boycot of Israel. Another self-lothing anti Israeli Leftist Jew once again appologizing that Jews would dare have their own nation state and have to face the reality of continued existence. Why does he not just get on with it and condemn Israel for even existing? After all to agree with such as Udi is to agree with Irans mullahs. Push Jews into the sea and give the "Newly Created" Palestinians the land they never had.
The principle of the boycott is not all that far from my views?if it concerns the gentrification of Jaffa, for example. However, I was personally blown away by Jane Fonda signing her name to the boycott! OMG, she is probably one of the richest woman capitalists in the world, not in the least probably thanks to her marriage to and divorce from tycoon Ted Turner, and for years she plugged her inane bestselling workout videos (1982-1995). Now, what did that do for the feminist cause? And how can Naomi Klein bear to add her name to the same list with her? How can Fonda fight for equality and the rights of the disenfranchised when she epitomizes exactly the (super-rich) opposite? As for Gal Ukhovsky, the commercial-consumption manufacturer, probably would ?out? his soul for a buck or a provocation, and hence, his formulaic and manipulative movie, Bubbles!?
Do you slay the chimera of boycott, or ride away like Bellephon upon Pegasus to avoid the madness? If so, seek not Lobates, or cross the Xanthus. Your observation is both astute, and a fragment. Is not Israel a bit like Iphigenia, and her father Israel's right? Whom shall love Hippolytus, Aphrodite, or Artemis? Shall you tell us. o' Euripedies?
The best defensive is a good offensive. This does not mean one should engage in mindless aggression. Rather it is a better idea to press one's goals through means which promote it rather than to try and destroy an opponent.
politicizing everything good; filmaking, dance, painting, sports,universities, where does it end.
And since it strikes me that the whole world's gone mad, I've just put on clean underwear and am now patiently awaiting the END DAYS.
The two state solution doesn't involve any changes to Tel Aviv, so why should anyone boycott a tribute to T A's centenary? Are they saying T A shouldn't be a Jewish city?
Loach threatened to walk out if the Israeli movie was not withdrawn. The democratic director said OK, "leave" and Loach went. Democracy prevailed over the fascists hiding in their "liberal" clothing. Good riddance to them all. Viva Freedom!
there was a good full-page article in one of the local papers that questioned the rationale behind this so-called boycott. there is the question of mixing politics with arts and whether or not this is a modern-day witchhunt. keep in mind that Naomi Klien boycotts everything in life (her book "No Logo" is all about boycotts) and the D-list celebrities that are on the boycott list probably know nothing about true politics. the boycotters look stupid, so please, come to the film festival to continue to make them look stupid.
no udi aloni we are against you and everything you stand for.
It is astounding that any gay would be against supporting Tel Aviv - which is probably the most progressive city in the entire middle east with respect to gays. In fact, gays who support the Palestinians over Israel should probably have their heads checked, since the Arab discrimination and persecution of gays is well known - as is Tel Aviv's acceptance of gays and reputation as a progressive gay city. Does Aloni plan on screening any of his films in Gaza City or Ramallah? Of course not - since he'd be lynched there.
Jaffa is documented as having existed in King David's time. Just because it has been swallowed up by Tel-Aviv's municipality does not mean that this fact does not deserve a mention. Mr. Huldai's celebrations could also have referred to Al-Manshiyyeh (a Jaffa suburb that now comprises Florentine/Dolphinarium/gigantic hotel complexes such as the King David Intercontintal and the Dan Panorama/Carmel market), or Sheikh Munis (now Tel Aviv University campus) or Salameh (now Kfar Shalem), to mention only the largest places that existed when Tel Aviv was founded and which were razed and their occupants sent to God knows where in the aftermath of the war of Independence. As it is, nothing of this is featured in the centenary celebrations. Tel Aviv's sand dunes were, in fact, already inhabited when it was founded. When the gaps in the city's history are duly filled, true healing can begin. That really WILL be reason to celebrate.
There is nothing wrong with supporting both gays and Palestinians. There are some people in the world who support all marginalized peoples, regardless of their beliefs or ideological tendencies. Saying that gays supporting palesitnians is like jews supporting nazis, ignores the fact that Nazis were not persecuted or marginalized. While in the case of gays and Palestinians, both groups suffer from discrimination and abuse. Anyone who understands the concept of Human rights should understand this.
It is obvious that gays who support such a boycott would be stupid in the extreme. Tel Aviv is known as a haven for gays, while the Palestinians persecute them. Any gay film activist who boycotts a celebration of Israel would be a two-faced and very naive idiot.
#1 Swiss Dino: The LIbyan boycott of Switzerland is justified. But the boycott of Tel Aviv is unjustified.
It is particularly ironic that he turns to the gay film makers. It is well known that in Moslem lands gays are viciously persecuted and many Palestinians flee to Israel for sanctuary, fearing death. For gays to support the Palestinians would be like Jews supporting Nazis.
....may those decent human beings become "legion" soon. It's about time for the TRUE moderates (not some of the "pseudo-moderates" here on Haaretz TB, who are going to side with the right-wingers as soon as things are only getting a little bit tough) to stand up for what is right. One thing is for sure: Those who condemn this man are definitely NOT moderate Israelis/Diasporas....