Next Catastrophe Club: “Patu” plus panel discussion

Tuesday 28 May 7.30

A rare screening of ‘PATU’, followed by a discussion.

“Patu” is a startling documentary record of the mass civil disobedience that took place throughout New Zealand during the winter of 1981, in protest against a South African rugby tour.  It is a landmark in New Zealand’s film history, and marks a moment when New Zealand was torn in two by  the 1981 Springbok rugby tour over the issue of racism and indigenous rights.

With its highly-charged images of mass pitch invasions and clashes between police and anti-tour marchers, Patu firmly sided with the later,  and is passionate, activist film-making at its most compelling.

The director: Maori filmmaker Merata Mita was the first woman to direct a feature-length documentary in New Zealand, and also directed the feature-film ‘Maori’.

DISCUSSION: Anti-Apartheid: South Africa, Israel and Sporting Boycotts  Professor Jonathan Rosenhead (BRICUP chair), on the anti-Apartheid ‘Stop the Tour’ campaigns of the 70′s & 80′s, with Michael Deas, BDS National Committee (BNC) for Palestinian rights on ‘Kick Israeli Racism out of UEFA‘.  All welcome!

***Delicious Middle-Eastern food by Alia***

Doors open 7pm, film starts: 7.30pm. Free entry.

at Passing Clouds, 1 Richmond Road, Dalston E8 4AA

Junction with Kingsland Road, behind The Haggerston Pub.

Buses 67, 149, 242, 243 / Dalston Junction or Haggerston train

CATASTROPHE CLUB: Film and discussion events

“This is Not a Subject for Comedy”

Tuesday 30th April

“This is Not a Subject for Comedy“ is a one-man show written and performed by Ivor Dembina, the Jewish comedian whose 60-minute ‘story with jokes’ tells us how he was brought up in North London’s mainstream Jewish community but how his visits to the West Bank forced him change his views about Israel-Palestine.

The show will be followed by a conversation on Jewish opposition to  Zionism with Ivor and Hackney resident and co-editor of the Jewish Socialist Magazine, Simon Lynn .

Black Power MixTape 1967-1975

Tuesday 26th March

‘Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975′ is a compilation film featuring extraordinary footage of the black power movement’s struggle against US racism, injustice and the colonial wars of the late 1960′s while building alternative forms of social  solidarity and education. Rare, intimate interviews feature alongside rousing speeches from figures including Stokely Carmichael and Angela Davis – this film shines a light on one of the most important political movements of the last century.

Following the screening, guest speaker Margaret Henry, film producer at Postcolonial Films, will be in conversation with Stella Dadzie, co-founder  of OWAAD (Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent), to reflect on their experiences and the legacies of these movements, as well as on cross-cultural, cross-historical dimensions.  Come and join the discussion!

Additional screening announced: “5 Broken Cameras”

Many apologies to those who were turned away at the door for the screening of  ”5 Broken Cameras” due to the venue being full to capacity.  We have arranged a repeat screening for this popular event, this time with a reservation system to avoid disappointment.

Catastrophe Club presents: “5 Broken Cameras”

The Oscar-nominated film about the Palestinian struggle.

Tuesday 26th February

Emad Burnat and his wrecked cameras

Not to be missed! Filmed from the perspective of a Palestinian farm laborer (Emad Burnat),    ”5 Broken Cameras” was shot using six different video cameras – five of which were destroyed in the process of documenting Emad’s family’s life as well as Palestinian and international resistance to Israeli appropriation of land and occupation. This is a film about a family life set against 6 years of the collective struggle of the villagers of Bil’in against the erection of a wall on their land to separate them from the ever growing settlements. An extraordinary work of both cinematic and political activism, ”5 Broken Cameras” meshes personal essay with political cinema, showing how cameras and protests change lives. A moving testament to collective resistance.

Directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi, 2011

Followed by a conversation with filmmaker Jenny Morgan on film, protest and democracy in Israel-Palestine. 

View trailer.  Read articles in The Electronic Intifada and Mondoweiss

A father protests the arrest of his son by the Israeli military in ’5 Broken Cameras’

Doors open 7pm for 7.30 start.  Free entry!

*Delicious Middle-Eastern food available from the bar!*

at Passing Clouds, 1 Richmond Road, Dalston E8 4AA

Junction with Kingsland Road, behind The Haggerston Pub.

Buses 67, 149, 242, 243 / Dalston Junction or Haggerston train

CATASTROPHE CLUB: Film and discussion events

Tuesday 29 January

“I do not want for this poem to end”
Palestinian Life Stories, Poetry and Cultural Resistance

Mahmood Darwish (1941-2008)

This special event includes readings and a conversation between Dina Matar and Atef Alshaer on different ways of narrating Palestine, and why telling, witnessing and archiving memories and personal narratives are politically and existentially significant for Palestinians.

During the evening Alshaer will read from acclaimed poet, Mahmoud Darwish, and Matar will read excerpts of  life stories from her book “What it Means to be Palestinian: Stories of Palestinian Peoplehood”.

Followed by an audience discussion.

Middle Eastern food available at the bar.   All welcome!  

Dr Atef Alshaer was born in Gaza in 1982. Atef’s writings  focus on Arabic language and literature, and the cultural and political dynamics and discourses in the Arabic-speaking world. Currently he is a Leverhulme Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Political Communication at SOAS. He writes and translates poetry.

Dr Dina Matar is Lecturer in Arab Media and International Political Communication at the Centre for Film and Media Studies, SOAS. She is a former foreign correspondent and editor covering the Middle East, Europe and Africa. She is a co-editor of the Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication.   Dina is interested in the relationship between politics, culture and communication in the Arab world, especially in discourses of power and resistance. Also in processes of empowerment and democratization, particularly as experienced by emerging communities and forces in the Arab world, Islamist politics; Arab cultural studies; memory and oral history, diasporas and social movements.

“Checkpoint Rock”

The most recent Catastrophe Club showing of Checkpoint Rock led to requests for info on how to get hold of this great film about the range of music being made by Palestinians under occupation,and how it helps their struggle..  We now have this advice:

Try the fermin muguruza  website.  good luck!