[Peace] PR: Chicago Palestine Film Festival 2004 (fwd)

[sara zainab bokhari]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 12:23:53 EDT
From: Eyas0701 at aol.com
To: Eyas0701 at aol.com
Subject: PR: Chicago Palestine Film Festival 2004

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Chicago Palestine Film Festival

For Details, Contact:
Dwan Kaoukji
Media Contact
Direct Phone: 773-592-9940

P.O. Box 805017
Chicago, Illinois 60680
U.S.A.

Phone: 312-873-4401
Fax: 312-873-4401
Email: info at palestinefilmfest.com
Website: www.palestinefilmfest.com

The third annual Chicago Palestine Film Festival begins Friday, June 4,
at the Gene Siskel Film Center. The festival moves to the Southwest
Youth Collaborative on June 18. The selections this year include 20
films by Palestinian, Israeli, American and European filmmakers. This
powerful program of features, documentaries, and shorts will be shown
in English or Arabic, Hebrew, German or French with English subtitles.
The festival selections feature numerous North American premieres and
one world premiere film.

Highlights include the opening-night screening of "Arna's Children," by
Palestinian-Israeli director Juliano Mer Khamis. Shifting back and
forth through time, the film shadows a Palestinian youth theater group
from 1989-96, revealing the tragedy and horror of lives trapped by
Israeli military occupation. The film won "Best Documentary Feature" at
the Tribeca Film Festival 2004.

On Saturday June 5, the festival will hold the world premiere of
"Jihad!" by New York-based Palestinian director Muhammed Rum. Rum, who
wrote, acted in, and directed this dark comedy will be present for
audience discussion.

On Sunday, June 13, Egyptian/French documentary filmmaker Samir
Abdallah will present the North American premiere of "Writers on the
Borders: a Journey to Palestine," which he directed with Jose Reynes.

"The tenacity, tragedy, hope and humor of the Palestinian
people--whether in Palestine or in Diaspora--is reflected in the
richness, depth and diversity of these films," said Chris Khoury, the
festival's project coordinator, about the film festival.

The Chicago Palestine Film Festival began in 2001 with a mission to
promote films by Palestinian filmmakers and films about Palestine. It
is the first and largest Palestinian film festival in North America.

>From June 4 to 17, screenings are at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the
School of the Art Institute, Chicago's premier venue for independent
and world cinema, located at 164 N. State St.

Tickets to each screening are $9/general admission and $5/Film Center
members and may be purchased at the Film Center Box Office, which opens
at 5 p.m. on weekdays and at 2 p.m. on weekends. General public tickets
are also available through Ticketmaster, 312-575-8000,
www.ticketmaster.com, and all Ticketmaster outlets.

For more information, call the Film Center at 312-846-2800 (24-hour
movie hotline) or 312-846-2600 (general information, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.,
Monday-Friday), or log on www.siskelfilmcenter.org.

The Interparking SELF-PARK at 20 E. Randolph St., located between
Wabash and State, offers Film Center patrons a special rate of $13 with
no time limit. Patrons are required to show their ticket stub to
receive the discount.

>From June 18-20, screenings are at the Southwest Youth Collaborative at
6400 S. Kedzie Ave. There is no admission price for events at this
venue, and reservations are accepted only for groups of 10 or more.
Call the festival hotline 312-873-4401 for more information about this
venue and to make reservations.

For a complete schedule and updated information visit
www.palestinefilmfest.com regularly or call the hotline 312-873-4401.
Members of the press who would like a video copy of a film for review
should contact: Dwan Kaoukji at 773-592-9940.

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