9/11 Opening Programme
Author: redactie redactie
The aim of the opening programme, taking place at the 11th of September, is an evaluation of the world after 9/11 by some of the guests of the festival. The outcome, like director of de Balie Anil Ramdas states in his opening speech: 'we ended up with less'. Less trust, less feeling of safety, less freedom.
First of all this applies to the U.S., where the restrictions put on its citizens by anti-terrorism legislation are immense, since there are no restrictions to government intrusion left. A clip of Nicolas Rossier's 'Brothers and Others' shows the appalling treatment of Islamic immigrants by the Bush administration as well as by fellow-citizens, who are fed with fear, is appalling. Regular news stations don't cover this side of the post-9/11 story.
Likewise, the media in the Middle East, as the Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab points out, ignore the opposition. Media tactics are required to work around this system. New technologies can be used in doing so. For example, Kuttab tells the story of a reporter who was able to record a demonstration where all recording devices were banished, using his cell phone. The Internet is a valuable tactical media device as well. Kuttab founded the first internet-radio in the Arabic world: AmmanNet. Escaping the Palestinian frequency legislation, it reaches a big audience. In Palestine, with the Intifada the Internet usage has increased tremendously. On the one hand it gives Palestinians access to a lot of information on what is happening in the world, and on the other hand it enables them to express themselves.
Jacquie Soohen of Big Noise enables Iraqi youth to express themselves by providing them with videocamera's and encouraging them to shoot their stories. The results can be very revealing and sometimes shocking, as a bit of footage she shows at the opening proves. Unfortunately, due to technical problems the sound is missing at the screening. Even so, the ignorant and brutal way in which the American soldiers on night patrol handle with Iraqis who in their opinion look or act suspicious, becomes quite clear.
The New York City artist Paul Chan provides an entirely different perspective on Iraq. Filming from an aesthetic point of view, the footage he shot from December 2002 until January the 14th of 2003, shows the beauty of water spurting out of damaged drainpipes, English, German and French books graciously flapping in the wind and young girls cheerfully dancing. This last image contrasts with the heartbreaking films about Iraq Soohen shows and the experience of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). According to this association, women in post-war Afghanistan still suffer as one fundamentalist regime is replaced by another.
Bernadette Booij
