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Commemorate The Sabra and Shatila Massacre Screening - Frontiers of Fears and Dreams by Mai Masri
When: 1:30 PM Saturday September 15, 2007
Join Al-Awda San Diego this Saturday as we commemorate the Sabra and Shatila
Massacre 25 years later - The commemoration (and post film discussion) will be
led by Mahmoud Zubaidi, Coordinator of Al-Awda's West Coast Refugee Support Committee.
About the Massacre
The Sabra and Shatila Refugee Camp Massacre took place between 15 to 18
September 1982. This massacre is considered the bloodiest single atrocity
committed against the Palestinian people in living history. Similar in
magnitude to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, which left close to
3000 innocent people dead, according to the International Committee of the
Red Cross, more than 2,750 Palestinian men, women and children were
massacred in the Sabra and Shatila camps in Beirut while the city was
occupied by the Israeli army.
The principal war criminal bearing legal responsibility for the massacre
is then Israeli Minister of Defense, General Ariel Sharon - the perpetrator
of the Kibya Massacre nearly thirty years before. Even Israel's Kahan
Commission could not hide the fact that Ariel Sharon was "personally
responsible" for the Sabra and Shatila massacre. Until recently, Ariel
Sharon was Israel's elected prime minister.
About the Film Frontiers of Fears and Dreams
Frontiers of Fears and Dreams is an outstanding documentary film which
touches on life in the refugee camps of Shatila in Lebanon and Deheisha
near Bethlehem through the eyes of children growing up within the camp
walls. Focusing on 2 young girls, Mona, 13 yrs old from Shatila, and Manar, 14, from Deheisha, the lives, dreams and experiences of the girls,
their families and peers are touchingly presented to the viewer.
Although living under Israeli military oppression and in exile, the girls
find ways to live as normal teenagers, enjoying birthdays, taking care of
daily chores, attending schools when open, and discussing fashion, love and
normal teenage concerns. Mona and Manar who both have been orphaned by the
massacres and sieges upon the camps, are still able to celebrate life and
keep the spirit of their identity and homeland alive. The children in the
camps sing tearful nationalistic songs, discuss the history of their
homeland, and how politics affect them as displaced persons. Scenes are
shown of the children working on a camp beautification program and painting
the walls with heartfelt pictures reflecting their love of Palestine and
each other.
The girls get to know each other as pen pals, sending letters, gifts, and
e-mail. At one point in the film, Mona asks Manar to visit her original
homeland village near Nazareth, as she is unable to cross the
Lebanese border to occupied Palestine. Manar relates to her the visions and
feelings experienced there and also video tapes her visit.
An emotionally charged meeting between the two girls was filmed at the
Lebanese-Israeli barbed wire border. Non stop talk, tears, hugs, and kisses
were exchanged through the metal chain-link divider.
The message sent by "Frontiers of Dreams and Fears" is not one of despair
but that of hope. Hope for goodness, dignity, and solidarity.
About the filmmaker: Mai Masri- Producer & Director
Mai Masri is a Palestinian filmmaker, graduate of San Francisco State
University. She has directed and produced several award winning films that
are broadcast on more than 100 television stations around the world. Ms.
Masri formed MTC and Nour Productions with filmmaker Jean Chamoun."Frontiers of Dreams and Fears' has won first prize at Ismailia Film
Festival, a Special Jury Award at Beirut International Film Festival, the
Earth Vision Award in Tokyo 2001 and Best documentary Egyptian Documentary &
Film Critics Assoc. Mai has also produced 'Children of Shatila', 'Hanan
Ashrawi: A Woman of Her Time', 'In the Shadows of the City', 'War
Generation-Beirut', and 'Wild Flowers' to name a few of the films which have
received prestigious awards.
Admission Free! All Welcome!
Please publicize, call and invite your friends!
Note: Tickets for the upcoming Marcel Khalife concert in San Diego will be
available for sale at this event.
For other upcoming Al-Awda San Diego events, visit:
http://al-awdasandiego.org/events.html
For more information:
Al-Awda San Diego
The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568
Email: [email protected]
WEB: http://al-awdasandiego.org
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