One-channel video 13'44'' On June 9, 1967, the Egyptian president at the time, Gamal Abdel Nasser, appeared on television and radio to inform the Egyptian citizens of their country's defeat in the war. During the speech, he also announced his resignation. For many, Nasser's speech was the first hint of the full scope of the loss and the disillusionment with the pan-Arab vision he had led. The film weaves numerous stylistically divergent excerpts together, extracted from Egyptian movies and television series produced between 1976 and 2016; the found footage excerpts were edited to reconstruct Nasser's speech of resignation according to the original text by using elements appropriated from popular culture. By collecting, cataloging, and rearranging visual materials associated with that speech, Palestinian artist Essa Grayeb's film sheds new light on the challenge of conveying historical and political events via artistic means and the power cinema has on building a collective memory, especially among post-traumatized nations.

14 minutes
Essa Grayeb
Experimental/Short
2019 - Palestine 

Screens with: Mayor

Municipal politics are challenging – especially for a city under occupation. Musa Hadid, the mayor of Ramallah, is on a mission to improve the lives of his citizens in the face of overwhelming odds. Whether he is addressing everyday concerns such as fixing sidewalks and planning Christmas celebrations, to pursuing of his ultimate goal of ending the occupation of Palestine, Mayor Hadid approaches his work with dignity, determination and care for the city he loves. The documentary is a close-up view of city life in occupied Ramallah.

Past Festivals
TRUE/FALSE FILM FEST
CPH:DOX (Winner, NEXT:WAVE Prize)
FULL FRAME (Winner, Grand Jury Prize)
SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
HOT DOCS
MARYLAND FILM FESTIVAL
NANTUCKET FILM FESTIVAL
WOODS HOLE FILM FESTIVAL
NEW ZEALAND FILM FESTIVAL

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Co-presented by Canadian Arab Institute and Faculty 4 Palestine