PULSE Exclusive

As you may have heard by now, British film legend Ken Loach has pulled out of the Melbourne Film Festival because the organizers” refusal to observe the cultural boycott of Israel. Following is an exchange of letters that took place between Loach, long-time co-writer Paul Laverty, co-producer Rebecca O”Brien and Richard Moore, the director of the MFF. Recall that earlier Ken Loach had drawn hysterical responses from the media when he pressured the Edinburgh Film Festival to return the funding they had received from the Israeli embassy.

Letter to the Director of Melbourne Film Festival 2009
13th July 2009

Dear Richard Moore

Sadly, we learn that your festival is sponsored in part by the State of Israel.

As you are no doubt aware, many Palestinians, including artists and academics, have called for a boycott of events supported by Israel. There are many reasons for this; the illegal occupation of Palestinian land, destruction of homes and livelihoods, the massacres in Gaza, all are part of the continuing oppression of the Palestinian people.

We have no alternative but to respond to their appeal for help.

The Israeli poet, Aharon Shabtai, has said “I do not believe that a state that maintains an occupation, committing on a daily basis crimes against civilians, deserves to be invited to any kind of cultural event.”

This is not a boycott of independent Israeli films or filmmakers but of the Israeli state.

We hope you can reconsider accepting Israel as a sponsor. If not, then we feel obliged to withdraw our film, Looking For Eric, from the festival.

Yours sincerely,

Ken Loach – Director
Paul Laverty – Writer
Rebecca O”Brien – Producer

Sixteen Films

Reply from Richard Moore
14th July 2009

Dear Rebecca,

Thank you for your letter and for informing me of your concerns.

I”m replying to inform you that the State of Israel has been a sponsor of the festival for a few years now, including last year when we played Mr Loach”s film ITS A FREE WORLD . Their sponsorship – like that of the British Council , the Goethe Institute , the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office , the Korean Ministry of Culture ,Sports and Tourism et al – is provided free of conditions and is , I believe , one of the many forms of cultural assistance they offer to Australian arts organisations – including the Adelaide film Festival , The Sydney Opera House et al , and indeed the Sydney Film Festival ( in past years) , which opened with LOOKING FOR ERIC this year .

As a festival we have a long tradition of programming films that present and examine various points of view on the Middle East including on the so called Israel Palestinian question.

This year such films include AMREEKA – a drama that outlines the difficulties that a contemporary Palestinian family faces adapting to life in mid west USA : YOUNG FREUD IN GAZA – the efforts of a young Palestinian psychiatrist to deal with psychological problems faced by Palestinians living under occupation and also forced to deal with internecine Palestinian power struggles.

In 2008 MIFF programmed a small programming stream called BORDER PATROL showing films that dealt with the Israel Palestinian question – Eran Riklis”s award winning THE LEMON TREE about a Palestinian woman”s fight for justice to stop the Israeli army destroying her lemon grove : THE SALT OF THE SEA – a Palestinian drama centred around a Palestinian”s attempts to reclaim their original home : WALTZ WITH BASHIR – a personal autobiographical account of an Israeli soldier and his involvement in one of Israel”s entries into Lebanon , ending with footage of the Shabra/ Shatilla massacres. and STRANGERS – a romantic liason between a Palestinian and an Israeli shot in and around the world cup finals in Germany .This small sample is illustrative of our wider concern to show films that deal with contemporary political issues and to allow audiences to judge these films on their own merits . We try to adhere to a policy of open dialogue in our dealings with all agencies ,embassies and cultural entities who offer to support our independent non profit organisation.

I understand that this issue is a particularly emotional one for people but we will not participate in a boycott against the State of Israel , just as we would not contemplate boycotting films from China or other nations involved in difficult long standing historical disputes.

I trust you will respect this decision.

Your sincerely

Richard
_________________________________________________
Richard Moore
Executive Director
58th MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
__________________________________________________________________

2nd Letter/Reply Sent to Richard Moore
14th July 2009

Dear Richard

Thank for your email.

We understand that Israel is and has been a sponsor of many festivals, including some which have shown our films. However, situations change. It is the Palestinians themselves, writers, artists, academics, people from all walks of life who are calling for our support. We are forced to make a choice by those who are suffering such intolerable oppression.

The boycott of apartheid South Africa suffered similar criticisms to the ones you now make. But who would now say it was wrong?

Film festivals will reflect many points of view, which are often radical and progressive. It is also true that there are many brutal regimes and many governments, including our own, which have committed war crimes. But the cultural boycott called for by the Palestinians means that remaining sympathetic but detached observers is no longer an option. You either support the boycott or break it.

For us the choice is clear.

Yours sincerely

Ken Loach
Rebecca O”Brien
Paul Laverty