Powerful performances by Brenda Blethyn and Sotigui Kouyaté drive this touching film from Rachid Bouchareb, the three-time Academy-Award nominated director of DAYS OF GLORY (Indigènes) and OUTSIDE THE LAW (Hors La Loi). LONDON RIVER, the story of two parents looking for their respective children following the aftermath of the London bus bombings will have its American premiere at NY's Cinema Village on December 7 and at the Laemmle's Royal in Los Angeles with Q & As slated in L.A. on Dec. 16, 17 and 18.
Javed Jabbar is a distinguished Pakistani author, filmmaker and activist.
When it was released (barely) in theaters last year, Eyad Zahra's film "The Taqwacores" met with reviews that were tepid at best. I missed the film in that go-round but caught it on DVD (just released), and as usual found myself disagreeing with mainstream critics.
MIDDLE EAST CENTER LOOKS AT IRAQ, MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT THROUGH THE LENS OF THEATRE IN PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS/PERFORMANCES JUNE 17
For Immediate Release [Los Angeles, May 23, 2011] As a topic of conversation, Iraq typically conjures up images of war and the U.S. military occupation that began in March 2003. Rarely do Americans have an opportunity to learn about the long history of theatre in Iraq, nor about theatre arts throughout the Middle East. Where can Americans learn more about Iraqi and Middle Eastern theatre and how it can bridge our cultural differences? On Friday, June 17, 7pm, the Levantine Cultural Center will present FROM BABYLON TO HOLLYWOOD: How Theatre Bridges the U.S. and the Middle East, an evening of performances, readings and conversation devoted to Iraq and theatre within the Arab/Muslim World. The evening is co-presented by Golden Thread Productions of San Francisco and Theatre Without Borders.
On Friday, June 17, the Levantine Cultural Center will present FROM BABYLON TO HOLLYWOOD: How Theatre Bridges the U.S. and the Middle East, an evening of performances, readings and conversation devoted to Iraq and theatre from/to the Arab/Muslim World. The evening is co-presented by Golden Thread Productions of San Francisco and Theatre Without Borders.
The new book from the authors of "Invisible History": Afghanistan's Untold StoryThe United States is spending an estimated $1 million per soldier per year for each of the 120,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan, but what do Americans really know about the war there? What do we know about the people of that distant land, bordered by Iran and Pakistan? To address these and other questions, journalists Elizabeth Gould and Paul Fitzgerald—reporting from Afghanistan since the 1980s—will present their new book Crossing Zero: The Afpak War At The Turning Point Of American Empire at the Levantine Cultural Center on April 7, 2011, 7:00 pm, 5998 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90035. This will be the co-authors' second appearance at the LCC following their presentation of Invisible History: Afghanistan's Untold Story in 2009.On Saturday, March 19, Women's Voices Now presents the final day of the Women's Voices from the Muslim World: A Short-Film Festival. The event will include screenings of a multitude of amazing and empowering films along with roundtable discussions and a book reading and signing. Topics include: girls in the Muslim world, health taboos in the Middle East, and women at work, among others. The event will wrap up with an awards ceremony and closing benefit.
Women's Voices from the Muslim World: A Short-Film Festival presents a collection of voices from women of all faiths living in Muslim-majority countries and Muslim women living as minorities around the world that fills the void in information created by traditional news, media and art sources.
The selection includes many never-before-seen films from women filmmakers in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.
Reviewed by Jawad Ali