Due to the current Israeli activities in the Lebanon, the Irish Film Institute has decided to cancel the sponsorship provided by the Embassy of Israel in Ireland for 'Walk on Water', one of the feature films being screened this Friday in the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.From here. Are they not sponsored by the Arts Council and Lotto funding which I am guessing is supposed to be non-political funding. Thus making them a non-political organization. So where does this leave us now. Is the film Institute now a political organisation. Can we now vote for or against them?. Is their job no longer to promote film but to promote a political message as well? Or am I being to unreasonable? Hat tip Manhattan Notes.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Irish Film Institute now a political organisation?
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4 comments:
is the film Institute now a political organisation. Can we now vote for or against them?. Is their job no longer to promote film but to promote a political message as well?
Ehh, hello? The IFI obviously were pleased to be associated with the Israeli Embassy (a political institution) before, and you clearly have no problem with that. Just because they've decided - and most people will agree with this - that the carnage of the last couple of weeks in Lebanon isn't something they want to be associated with isn't a big deal.
It's clearly not that you've suddenly decided that they should be "non-political" (err, hello? LGBT festival?) but the direction of their politics that you (and the harpy) find so disagreeable.
so you see LGBT as being political. Emm Interesting.
Anyway way fair point
Sorry, I didn't mean that to sound quite so hostile. But to accuse the IFI on this is silly, given the circumstances. I'm not surprised at her given her output to date, but I would have thought other people would have found it within reason.
And yes, LGBT is political - just look at how controversial it still seems to be to allow two same-sex partners to marry.
don't know much about the Israeli sponsorship thing at all - but would say that the LGBT festival is political in a couple of senses - firstly it happens, it brings people together, they talk about issues, they are visible, it gets sponsorship which causes controversy and not necessarily the sponsorship from the embassy. Secondly the festival committee invited McDowell to open last years festival - that made the festival very political much to many attendees dissappointment as they see it as a cultural event and not an event to be manipulated by a minister who advocates inequality.
All that said I hugely enjoy the event and know many others do who want to see themselves or their lives on film and I was glad I could attend this year as I boycotted last years festival due to McDowells invitation.
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