Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies
Review of film: "Visually striking, but narratively undernourished, the father-and-son-bonding drama “Homeward” unfolds against the backdrop of a fraught road trip from Kyiv to Russia-annexed Crimea and marks a flawed debut from young Ukrainian helmer-writer Nariman Aliev, a Crimean Tatar. Indeed, the plight of Crimean Tatars (both historically and currently) forms an important element of the plot.
The 1st annual Sabira Cole Film Festival ventures online for 2020, inviting viewers into a new virtual space that continues to bring the Pittsburgh community a curated collection of independent cinema from or about the African Diaspora. This year’s festival brings not just dynamic features and short films but also live events with filmmakers and local organizations. Find the full festival schedule here: SCFF2020
Khader El-Yateem was born in Bethlehem. He was a 19-year-old theology student when Israeli police raided his home, woke him from sleep, arrested him without charge and subjected him to 57 days in solitary confinement. His brother-in-law, an international attorney, was able to secure Khader’s release. Khader went on to complete his studies and was ordained a priest in the Lutheran Church. In 1992, he was sent by the Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem to Brooklyn, New York, to minister to the large Arab immigrant population there.
This sensitive film explores the evolving relationship of a group of Jewish Americans to the state of Israel during a 12-day visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Courageous veterans of the Israeli military have come forward to testify to the violence that they were ordered to carry out against Palestinians living under occupation. House demolitions, night raids of Palestinian homes, arrest and detention of children, and other human rights abuses are routine. In 2004, Israeli Defense Forces veterans, who have seen and participated in these atrocities, formed Breaking the Silence, whose purpose is to bring these stories to the Israeli public. The film, based on a play, presents verbatim testimonies of former Israeli soldiers.