I have promised a mail about circumstances of the film festival described in one of the first posts. I have already written about movies themselves and my impressions with relation to Israeli cinema.
Today it will be (less nicely) about circumstances and events around the festival.
Ireland is very anti-Israeli - sometimes not on a verge but straightforwardly anti-semitic and with a very strange approach to many things.
When the festival was planned quite a few places refused hosting the event either because they didn't want to be involved in anything Israeli or because they were afraid of the trouble. Finally Filmbase in Temple Bar agreed to host the event and put a lot of work towards it - even though they received threats and some employees for fear of what might happen took some time off.
They stated that any film festival is worth having and it is up to people to decide weather they want to come and weather they like what is being shown. It seemed obvious to me but apparently not for many Irishmen connected to Palestinian movement who were constantly for 4 days protesting, sometimes loudly, calling festival "brainwashing" and accusing it for many many different things. Nobody was ever protesting in Dublin when other film festivals (sometimes of movies from countries with totalitarian or oppresive governments, in contrast to democratic Israel) were organised. And of course it should be so as art, movies, human thought and its expressions should always be looked upon idependently from politics (unless we talk about pure totalitarian propaganda).
Myself being very critical about what Iranian governments do for last 32 years at least I love some of the Iranian literature and have seen quite a few Iranian movies (though none recently). And I was sure in a free European country this approach will be understood without need to explain obvious.
Not so with Israeli art shown in Ireland! A guy from pro-Palestinian movement, an Irish composer on dole Raymond Deane - having in the movement the all-telling "Israeli anti-cultural officer" title organised protests. BTW the very title reminds me Orwell's 1984 and - from life not literature - those horrible times in Soviet block when the artist might go to prison if his/ her art was considered "not socialist enough" or - God forbid - modern.
None of the films shown had any contemporary political accents yet there was constant political demonstration in front of filmbase. Including (seen by myself) trials to talk to minors from organised school groups contrary to teachers' demands. Talking about brainwashing!
There were even some funny incidents connected to those protests. During official opening few pro-Palestinian (or rather of what they have shown anti-Israeli) activists sneeked inside. They had nice appetizers, good wine and when Mr. Gilmore (Irish Foreign Affairs Minister) and Mr. Ambassador started opening speeches they started shouting (in few rounds) being immediately thrown from the room by security.
As it happens there was not enough chairs and many people were standing so after the first 2 activists were thrown away and 2 chairs were emptied an elderly gentleman stood up and nicely asked remaining activists to leave then as more chairs were needed. He was applauded warmly and subsequent shouts were met with comments that we will have few more chairs.
Nevertheless the way anti-Israeli activists were acting was really deserving the title of their "anti-cultural officer"! And I suppose (and know from my Irish friends) that many of Irishmen were deeply ashamed that such a trial at blocking freedom of speech and freedom of art and freedom of choice was made in Dublin.
Generally the most apparent result of those protest for me was sad reflection on some Irishmen's anti-semitism and longing for state censorship and dictate what others are entitled to see or like (of course under the condition that those given few Irishmen will be in control and will be censors). I have seen those things in my life already and I felt sorry for my open-minded Irish friends.
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