BERLIN: A film depicting the 1976 hijacking of an airliner to Entebbe, Uganda and the spectacular rescue of passengers by Israeli commandos casts light on the enduring obstacles to negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, its director said.
“7 Days in Entebbe,” which premiered on Monday at the Berlin film festival, focuses on the hostages and their hijackers — two militants from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and two from an allied West German ultra-leftist group.
The flight was en route from Tel Aviv to Paris on June 27, 1976 when, after a stopover in Athens where four hijackers slipped on board, it was commandeered and diverted to Entebbe. The four hijackers were joined by several others there.
Separating Israeli from non-Israelis after removing them from the plane, the hijackers freed 148 non-Israeli passengers over the course of several days and kept 94 mainly Israeli passengers along with the 12 crew members, threatening to kill them if their demands were not met.
In the film, as terrified hostages await their fate in a grimy, disused airport terminal building, Israeli politicians debate whether to negotiate with the hijackers — who want dozens of imprisoned Palestinian guerrillas and other militants freed — but ultimately decide on the rescue mission.
After a 2,500-mile (4,000-km) undercover flight to Uganda, elite Israeli military commandos stormed the terminal building under cover of darkness on July 4, saving all but four of the hostages, who were killed, and killing all the hijackers.
The only death among the commandos was their commander Yonatan Netanyahu, eldest brother of current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who became a national hero.
Director Jose Padilha said it was difficult for Israeli or Palestinian politicians to negotiate because those who do so lose political clout among their compatriots — something he wanted to demonstrate in his movie.
“In this recurrent conflict, it’s very easy for politicians to present themselves as: ‘I’m going to defend you against the enemy’, and, once you frame the relationship as a relationship like that — two enemies — it becomes hard to negotiate,” he said at a post-screening news conference. “That’s still true today.”
Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been frozen for years over Israeli settlements in occupied territory that Palestinians seek for a state, borders, refugees and the disputed status of Jerusalem.
Rosamund Pike, who plays one of the militants from the West German Revolutionary Cells, said all the characters had a cause and the film presents the beliefs of the hijackers and Israeli government alike but leaves it up to viewers to make a judgment.
“I think we all agree that any act of extremism is deplorable. But it is interesting to not make them one-dimensional villains but be able to recognize that emotion, human emotion, plays a part, whether you’re the hero or villain, right?” she told Reuters.
Her co-star Daniel Bruehl, who plays the other West German hijacker, said the film tried to show there were multiple versions of history rather than just one.
“(It’s) a film that is not easy, a film in which you know all these different voices and mindsets are heard and seen in order to understand also where we are coming from and what the situation is right now,” he said.
Jacques Lemoine, an engineer who survived the hijacking, said he liked the film and found it was an accurate depiction.
“7 Days in Entebbe,” is one of around 400 films being screened at this year’s Berlinale but is not competing for the Golden and Silver Bears to be awarded on Saturday. The festival in the German capital runs until Feb. 25.
Film on 1976 plane hijacking illuminates Israeli-Palestinian conflict, says director
Film on 1976 plane hijacking illuminates Israeli-Palestinian conflict, says director
Couturier Gaurav Gupta on the Met Gala, dressing Beyonce and his Arab clients
- Gaurav Gupta flew to Dubai to showcase his latest collection just before he made his Met Gala debut by dressing actress Mindy Kaling
- ‘We have many Arab brides coming to us for their wedding dresses,’ he told Arab News
DUBAI: Indian couturier Gaurav Gupta is no stranger to the limelight. Over the past two years, his clothes have become regular sightings at the Oscars, Grammys and the Cannes Film Festival. His celebrity client list gets longer by the season, especially since his debut on the Paris Haute Couture Week calendar in January 2023.
Last year, he was in the news globally for dressing Beyonce not once but three times during her world tour and this week he made his Met Gala debut by dressing Hollywood’s Mindy Kaling at the coveted event in New York. Arab News spoke to the designer during a recent visit to Dubai, where he was exhibiting select pieces from his Spring/Summer 2024 couture collection.
“I don’t have the entire collection here, many of the pieces are still with celebrities in (Los Angeles),” laughed Gupta. The collection, titled “Arohanam,” embodies his tryst with sculptural garments and sees him experiment with complex garment construction techniques.
“We’ve worked with new techniques like the reptilian cage embroidery with the bugle beads on some of the clothes. It was also the first time we’ve done metal casting – and there are snakes on a metal breastplate,” he explained.
“We’ve had clients from all over the world, including the Middle East,” the couturier said, adding that bridalwear is of particular interest to clients in the Gulf.
“We have many Arab brides coming to us for their wedding dresses, so that’s why I brought the white gown that closed the Paris show,” he noted.
As he approaches the two-decade mark of his brand, New Delhi-raised Gupta has much to commemorate. He is the third Indian designer to be a regular on the Paris Haute Couture Week Calendar and his international acclaim is skyrocketing.
In April, US icon Mariah Carey wore a crystal gown by the designer during a performance in Las Vegas, Shakira recently sported a gown by the designer in a magazine shoot and superstar Beyonce showcased three of his designs during her “Renaissance” tour — a custom crystal bodysuit, a neon green sari-style gown, and a crystal-encrusted gown that took 700 hours to create.
“Every moment we’ve shared with her has been iconic, they’re all so unique and are almost historic. Interestingly, the neon green sari wasn’t custom-made for her, it was from our ‘Hiranyagarbha’ collection. It was selected …and was sized for her.”
Did he envision this when he embarked on his journey all those years ago?
“I always felt that something significant would happen and now it’s all unfolding at once. I’m in that overwhelming swirl of things right now,” he said.
British Lebanese actress Razane Jammal named Cartier ambassador
DUBAI: British Lebanese actress Razane Jammal has been named Cartier’s newest brand ambassador.
“It is my absolute honor to be joining the Cartier family,” the actress, famous for her roles in the Netflix series “The Sandman” and “Paranormal,” said in a statement. “I look forward to work with a Maison known for its timelessness and iconicity.”
Jammal – who also made headlines for her role in the show “Al-Thaman” – took to Instagram to share a series of images from a shoot with the French luxury label.
In one ensemble, she wore a black suit, complemented by understated gold jewelry, including a necklace, a watch, a bracelet, a ring and earrings.
In another look, she was adorned in a white blazer, accentuating with dangling diamond earrings and a coordinating necklace.
This is not the first time Jammal has worked with Cartier.
In March, she starred in the brand’s Ramadan campaign alongside Saudi athlete Husein Alireza, Egyptian Montenegrin model and actress Tara Emad, Tunisian actor Dhaffer L’Abidine and Emirati host Anas Bukhash.
In March 2023, Jammal walked the runway at a Cartier event in Dubai. She wore a black form-fitting dress with a plunging neckline, a thigh-high slit from the center and padded shoulders.
She walked alongside a long list of celebrities from the Arab world including Saudi actress and filmmaker Fatima Al-Banawi, Egyptian veteran star Yusra, Egyptian Tunisian actress Hend Sabri, French Algerian filmmaker Farida Khelfa, Somali model Rawdah Mohamed, Emad, L’Abidine, and Bukhash.
In January this year, Jammal was also named the brand ambassador for French luxury label Dior’s beauty line Dior Beauty.
“It was such an incredible experience to represent the iconic fashion house of @dior. It is a privilege to be able to represent my culture within a brand with a strong history of empowering women,” she wrote to her Instagram followers at the time. “I’m grateful to see my Dior family grow and to be aligned with exceptional women from both sides of the pond. Thank you for your trust in me.”
In October 2022, she was named the Middle East’s ambassador for Dior, the fashion house.
Saudi Film Commission takes charge of cinema sector
- First phase includes regulating licensing for the operation of permanent, temporary and special cinemas
- CEO Abdullah Al-Qahtani: The Film Commission will undertake a comprehensive review of all procedures related to the cinematic sector
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Film Commission has announced it will now have oversight over the cinema sector, which will no longer fall under the jurisdiction of the General Authority of Media Regulation.
The Council of Ministers had ordered the change, which has now been implemented after the completion of the required regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The first phase includes regulating licensing for the operation of permanent, temporary and special cinemas, as well as the production, distribution and import of movies, videos and television programs.
Abdullah Al-Qahtani, the commission’s CEO, said: “The Film Commission will undertake a comprehensive review of all procedures related to the cinematic sector with the aim of their development and enhancement.
“Key improvements will focus on enhancing the customer experience by streamlining and optimizing the processes required for all activities in the cinematic sector. This will involve reviewing the licensing requirements for the film sector, as well as simplifying the licensing process and application for related services.”
The commission posted on X: “The film and cinema sector jurisdiction has been transferred from the General Authority for Media Regulation to the Film Commission. This move, facilitated by continuous cooperation and support between the two bodies, underscores the commission’s ongoing commitment to developing and improving the sector.”
The commission’s board has approved a reduction in fees for cinema licenses. It has also waived operational license fees for three years until 2027, covering permanent, temporary, and special cinema halls. Applications for licenses can now be made through the unified electronic platform Abde’a.
US students stage walkout to protest Jerry Seinfeld’s ceremony speech
DUBAI: Several students walked out of Duke University’s commencement ceremony on Sunday to protest its guest speaker, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, over his support of Israel amid the war in Gaza.
Video of the incident posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) shows a group of students walking out of their seats and carrying a Palestinian flag as soon as the comedian and TV star was called to the stage.
The attention to the protesters was quickly diverted by the cheering crowd, who chanted, “Jerry! Jerry!” as Seinfeld would go on to give his speech and accept an honorary degree from Duke.
However, several boos and chants of “Free Palestine” could also be heard.
Seinfeld has been vocal in his support for Israel following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
The comedian also met with families of the hostages and visited a kibbutz during a trip to Israel in December.
The walkout at Duke's graduation was the latest manifestation of protests that have taken over US campuses as students call for universities to divest from arms suppliers and other companies profiting from the war.
US actor Mahershala Ali to star in NYC thriller ‘77 Blackout’
DUBAI: Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali is set to star with Tom Hardy in “77 Blackout,” a crime thriller set on the night when New York lost power and was plunged into chaos and lawlessness.
Cary Joji Fukunaga is directing, Deadline reported.
In 1977, five rogue police officers formulate a plan to rob three criminal strongholds – the Hong Kong Triads, the Italian Mafia, and the Harlem Mob – all in one night. When a blackout sweeps the city on the night of the robbery, the crew is forced to navigate a hellish landscape.
Ali is most known for two Best Picture-winning flicks: 2016’s “Moonlight” and 2018’s “Green Book.”
Hardy is known for blockbusters such as Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” and director George Miller’s 2015 action epic “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
