Jerusalem24 – Our guest for this episode, Dima Saqf Al Heit, joined us to discuss the film screening of Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese’s “Mother I’m Suffocating, This is My Last Film About You.” A captivating semi-documentary film chronicling the director’s journey from a small South African village to Germany, as well as a love letter to his mother and homeland. The film, which was chosen best African film of 2019, is a lyrical masterpiece that relies on the visuals, music, and symbolism scattered throughout rather than the narrative. We also delved into the fascinating world of video art, and how the Al Qattan Foundation’s decision to support these Palestinian artists stemmed from a lack of understanding of video art, as evidenced by the submissions received, which resembled documentaries and photographs more than video art. The foundation is organizing a four-hour workshop over two days (September 18th and 25th) to address the video art community’s lack of exposure and understanding in Palestine, as well as to celebrate their underappreciated work. Exploring alternative approaches to sound, lighting, and cinematic presentation, as well as explaining the inspirations and journeys behind each film, is only one part of the workshops. Rawan Sharaf, Raeda Sa’adeh, Adel Abedeen, and Shorouq Harb will be among the workshop’s remarkable and established instructors. If you’re interested in the class, you can fill out a short form on their Facebook page and expect to hear back around a week before the workshops begin; if you’re interested in the public screenings of their films, you can also check out their Facebook page for event details.
