NEW FILM SERIES TO FIGHT ISLAMOPHOBIA
NEW YORK: In a protest against Islamophobia, a new film series, to be shown across in May, is to feature movies from countries affected by President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban, which has been blocked by the courts.
The series, The Seventh Art Stand, announced this week, will take place in community centres, museums and theatres. More than 30 venues in states such as Hawaii, Washington, New York, Texas and Indiana have confirmed their participation.
They include the Arab-American National Museum in Michigan, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Northwest Film Forum in Seattle; and the Metrograph and Anthology Film Archives. Discussions will also be held.
The movies include Fishing Without Nets, from Somalia; About Baghdad, from Iraq; Karama Has No Walls and The Mulberry House from Yemen; and Asghar Farhadi’s The Salesman.
Farhadi, one of Iran’s bestknown filmmakers, took a stand against Trump’s ban when he said he would not attend the Oscars. His movie won the 59th Oscar for best foreign-language film.
“It is crucial to build a tradition of sharing more stories, voices and faces on our screens,” Richard Abramowitz and Courtney Sheehan, the series organisers, said. Abramowitz runs film distribution company Abramorama; Sheehan is the executive director of the Northwest Film Forum in Seattle. NYT