PURCHASE COLLEGE SUNY PARTNERS WITH “OTHER ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL” TO BRING GUEST ARAB ACTOR/DIRECT...

Purchase College SUNY’s Jewish Studies Program is partnering with the Manhattan-based “Other Israel Film Festival” to bring the new documentary “Zahara” to Westchester for a public screening on November 11, 2009. With touching personal style and breathtaking cinematography, Director Mohammad Bakri tells the story of his 78 year old aunt Zahara, from the times of pre-state Palestine to present, leading the family with love and wisdom through the many trials of life.

The film’s producer, Carole Zabar, and the director, Mohammad Bakri, will be present at the screening to discuss the importance of the film as it relates to the Arab-Israeli conflict. The screening is part of a semester-long course on Israeli literature and cinema offered by Visiting Assistant Professor Andrea Siegel.

The film screening is free of charge and open to the public. It will take place Nov. 11th, 4:30pm in the Humanities Building (Room 1077) located at Purchase School of the Arts, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY.
Anyone wishing to attend should contact Professor Siegel at 914-251-6563 or andrea.siegel@purchase.edu to pre-register.

“The goal of the Other Israel Film Festival is to promote tolerance,” said Festival founder Carole Zabar. “Film is a great vehicle for cultural understanding and social awareness and we are excited to continue our conversation and shine a light on a segment of Israel’s population that noone gets to see. I never imagined three years ago that the Other Israel Film Festival would be in the center of the Israeli film industry. We have just produced our first film “Zahara” by Mohammad Bakri and we are thrilled with the films that you will see at this year's festival.”