Artists Against Apartheid.

October 31, 2007

Artists Against Apartheid.

Part of the 5th international week of action against the apartheid wall, initiated by the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, to oppose Israeli occupation and ethnic cleansing and to support the movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions.

Leading up to ‘Palestinian Perspectives’, an evening of film screenings at the Cinéma du Parc in Montreal on November 29th, to commemorate 60 years of occupation and to celebrate the Palestinian voice. Featuring cutting edge cultural projects from Montreal & internationally, uniting in expression against Israeli Apartheid.

Performances by:

* Lubo Alexandrov: A Bulgarian-born guitarist, composer and singer, Alexandrov has developed a unique musical style, merging Bulgarian, Turkish and Roma musical traditions. Recipient of the 2007 Juno Music Award for the ‘Best World Album’. http://www.luboalexandrov.com

* Valerie Khayat: Poet, singer songwriter, Khayat has been active in folk, poetry and spoken word circles since 2004. She released her first book of poetry, ”The Road to Vesper”, and her first full length album, ”Resonance in Blue”, in 2007. http://www.myspace.com/valeriekhayat

* Kalmunity Vibe Collective members:

Jason Selman: Performance poet & musician
Mohamed Mehdi: Singer songwriter, poet.
Phenix: Hip-hop artist, poet of the Haitian diaspora.

* Ehab Lotayef: Writer, photographer, poet, activist and engineer.

* DJ Kandis: Middle Eastern, international beats, music from DJ Kandis.

Screening two films from the ‘Beyond Blue & Gray’ documentary project of Eyes Infinite Films, with an introduction by series producer Nirah Shirazipour:

* Jerusalem in Exile. (10 minutes)

Jerusalemite artists Steve Sabella and Najwan Darwish invite Palestinians who are unable to reach the holiest of cities, to describe their most personal memories of the place. It is an invitation that summons the visual images of Jerusalem that exist in the minds of Palestinians across the globe.

* Meet Me Out of the Siege. (13 minutes)

Hani Zu’rob, one of Palestine’s most prominant emerging visual artists, has been stuck in Paris for over a year. Originally traveling to France for a short stay, Hani has been unable to return to his wife and his homeland due to Israel’s severance of all diplomatic ties with the Palestinian Authority after the election of Hamas. Hani is joined in Paris by another deeply respected Palestinian artist, Kamal Boullatta, who shares his own story of exile that begun in 1967.

This event will benefit Tadamon! Montreal’s work, directed at building solidarity between movements for social and economic justice in Montreal and Lebanon. In Canada, Tadamon’s is working to support the boycott, sanctions & divestment of Israeli apartheid & to challenge the listing of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization by the Canadian government.

Tadamon! Montreal
514 664 1036 / tadamon[at]resist.ca