Palestinian cineaste criticizes Israeli cinema policy

Renowned Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi has slammed the Zionist regime for its policy of strict censorship over anything related to photography or filmmaking.

Addressing participants in his ‘Resistance Cinema’ workshop held on the sidelines of the 36th Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran, Masharawi said Israel strictly controls each and every single screenplay, photo, documentary or movie with the theme of Palestine.

The filmmaker noted his experience of making 25 movies, both feature and documentary, and his participation in festivals such as Toronto, Venice, and Cannes, saying he has faced a multitude of obstacles made by the Zionist regime, for his films were revolving around Palestine.

Masharawi pointed out his flick ‘Passport’, chronicling the life of Palestinian people, and said he was subsequently after production, invited to several international festivals to screen his movie, but the Zionist regime immediately banned him from travelling.

The Palestinian director expressed hope to coproduce a couple of movies with Iran, on the culture of the two nations.

The cineaste wrapped the lecture up by recalling his experience of being witness to massacres by Zionist regime ever since he was 5, and pinpointed that as his cause to make films on the life, culture, love and marriage, sacrifice and popular resistance against the occupying Zionist regime, and other themes in his people’s lives, and to bring the pictures to world people.

MF/MF