Videowindow International III
18 dec 2007- 10 februar 2008

“The Politics of Silence”

The Politics of Silence is a screening program that showcases short
video works of 8 artists and filmmakers from Palestine. The videos
are projected throughout the night through the windows of YNKB in
Copenhagen during the months of November, December and January, the
darkest months during the year. The projections are open to the public
and can be seen by any passer by from the street. This is a program
that draws its strength solely from the image rather than the sound.
The projections are silent.
Artists whose role has traditionally been marginalized to the edges
of the mainstream art world, are now gaining considerable attention
world-wide. These new forms of infiltration into the main stream have
finally started getting noticed and are what constitutes the biggest
parts of artistic dialogue and exchange in major biennials and international
exhibitions. Art created by women and artists from countries not traditionally
associated with cultural productions are now seen as far from imitators
of western cultures, but vital contributors of new forms of artistic
expression.
As many artists from the Middle East, Palestinian artists are moulding
and tooling new ways of approaching the making of art and are telling
their stories and experiences in new unexpected ways. This in turn
has resulted in the crystallisation of a different and invigoratingly
new art language, a new set of mind for art making and the role of
the artist in society. In a way these artists function as cultural
interventionists.
The Politics of Silence presents artists whose work comments on the
conflict in the Middle East in ways not seen before. Their videos
offer an alternative view from that seen on news footage. In place
of dehumanized news imagery, we are presented with personal and intricate
commentaries on the multiplicity of the Palestinian identity inside
Palestine and the diasporas.
Their videos address the Palestinian experience on issues of identity,
exile, movement, displacement, borders and boundaries.

A World Apart Within 15 Minutes (7 min)

Mellem Jerusalem og Ramallah er der ikke kun en gigantisk mur ,fysisk
tilstede, men også en ikke- væg i folks bevidsthed. Det
er kun en kort køretur der adskiller det ene sted fra det andet
, alligevel er det svært at besvare spørgsmål om
hvor det er, hvis man bliver spurgt om vej. De syntes at Ramallah
lyder langt væk, Det er en anden verden kun 15 minutter fra
jerusalem.
Between Jerusalem and Ramallah not only is there now a huge existing
wall on the ground, but also a non-tangible wall in the minds and
hearts of people. It is a short drive from here to there, yet when
asked whether they know the way to Ramallah, many find it a hard question
to answer. To them, Ramallah sounds far, seems far–it’s a world apart
within 15 minutes.
Produced by: The Palestinian Filmmakers’ Collective & Akka Film
Starring: Annemarie Jacir
Camera: Enas I. Muthaffar
Director: Enas I. Muthaffar
Editor: Annemarie Jacir
ENAS MUTHAFFAR er født i Jerusalem.
I 2000 tog hun en BA grad som filminstruktør fra “the
Higher Institute of Cinema” i Cairo, Egypten.
Udover at skrive og instruere flere kortfilm mens hun studerede og
en spille film efter hun blev færdig, har hun også arbejdet
med flere Palestinensiske og Egyptiske filminstruktører som
assistentinstruktør og manuscriptansvarlig.

Larissa Sansour, Palestinian video artist, presents:
A program of 8 videos from Palestine
Sameh Zoabi: “ Be Quiet”,
Ayreen Anastas: “Eden Resonating”,
Ahmad Habash: “Flee”,
Annemarie Jacir: “Sound of the street”,
Rowan Al Faqih: “Summer of 85”,
Reem Bader : ”Life goes on”,
Enas Muthaffar: A World Apart Within 15 Minutes,