NEW YORK: The Toronto International Film Festival will screen a documentary on the 2023 Hamas attack, after all, following an uproar over the film’s disinvitation from the upcoming festival.
Earlier this week, TIFF withdrew its invitation to the film “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue.” The festival said the decision was based in part on legal clearance for footage used in the documentary. Deadline, which first reported the news, said a sticking point was the identification and legal clearance of Hamas militants’ own livestreaming of the attack.
On Thursday evening, TIFF chief executive Cameron Bailey and “The Road Between Us” filmmaker Barry Avrich issued a joint statement announcing the film’s selection.
“Both TIFF and the filmmakers have heard the pain and frustration expressed by the public and we want to address this together,” said Bailey and Avrich. “We have worked together to find a resolution to satisfy important safety, legal, and programming concerns.”
“In this case, TIFF’s communication around its requirements did not clearly articulate the concerns and roadblocks that arose and for that, we are sorry,” they continued.
The film chronicles the story of retired Israeli Gen. Noam Tibon, whose efforts to save his family and others during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack was profiled in a “60 Minutes” segment.
After being informed that the film wouldn’t screen at the festival, the “Road Between Us” filmmakers issued a statement claiming TIFF “censored its own programming by refusing the film.”
Bailey disputed that allegation, and pleaded that the situation demanded sensitivity.
“The events of October 7, 2023, and the ongoing suffering in Gaza weigh heavily on us, underscoring the urgent need for compassion amid rising antisemitism and Islamophobia,” Bailey said on Wednesday.
The Toronto International Film Festival, North America’s largest film festival, runs Sept. 4–14.
After uproar, documentary on Hamas 2023 attack will screen at Toronto Film Festival
https://arab.news/najhd
After uproar, documentary on Hamas 2023 attack will screen at Toronto Film Festival
- Earlier this week, TIFF withdrew its invitation to the film “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,” citing legal clearance for footage used in the documentary
- The film chronicles the story of retired Israeli Gen. Noam Tibon, whose efforts to save his family and others during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack was profiled in a “60 Minutes” segment
XP Music Futures unites industry experts to drive music, creativity
RIYADH: The annual XP Music Futures conference has started in Riyadh, celebrating creative voices and focusing firmly on the Kingdom’s music and entertainment culture.
Hosted in JAX District, the festival brings together artists, managers and fans in a bid to drive the region’s music scene forward. It is hosted by the MDLBEAST Foundation and includes a series of panel talks and workshops.
During the Saudi Music Managers Forum on Thursday, industry pioneers spoke about their experiences.
During on on-stage discussion between Gigi Arabia, CEO of heavy metal promotion company Heavy Arabia, and Rayan Al-Rasheed, director of operations and artist booking at MDLBEAST, the pair emphasized the importance of investing in Saudi artists.
Al-Rasheed explained that supporting the ecosystem surrounding Saudi artists from production to creative direction was a necessary component of greater success.
“What we lack in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) market is the investment in artists. When I bring foreign artists they have their own visual artists, sound engineers and more … That’s what we need to invest in, that’s what will help sell shows in the end. The more you invest, the more the product succeeds,” he said.
Zeyne, a Palestinian Jordanian artist, spoke about the importance of Arab artistic representation.
On delicately incorporating Arab culture into art, she said: “We approached everything with a lot of intention and research, and I think that’s really important when you want to represent culture.”
The mission of empowering the region’s voices through art at the festival goes beyond music, with a diverse array of creatives attending.
Rawan Al-Turki and Abir Ahmed, photographers from Jeddah, spoke to Arab News about being part of Riyadh’s ambitious creative sector. Al-Turki said: “The development that’s happening in Riyadh, it’s really beautiful … you see so much innovation from all these artists … we’re so proud of the transformation.”
