Description:

A devoted son of Holocaust survivors and ardent critic of Israeli foreign policy, the polarizing American political scientist and author Norman Finkelstein has been called a lunatic and self-hating Jew by some, and an inspirational revolutionary by others. Exploring the deeply complex issues at the heart of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, American Radical is the insightful and enraging documentary that follows Finkelstein around the world as he attempts to negotiate a voice among his impassioned critics and supporters. Uncompromising even in the face of his recent denial of tenure at DePaul University, Finkelstein is revealed as a complex and supremely lonely figure whose self-destructive nature often undermines his academic credibility. A guaranteed argument starter, this potent documentary plunges viewers into the psychological and intellectual underpinnings of a vitriolic personality.

“For us, Finkelstein is the consummate documentary subject: a complex firebrand, principled to the point of self-ruin, at the apex of several of the world’s largest conflicts. A man who has never been asked to appear on mainstream American television, but who regularly appears – always creating controversy – in the international media. At once anti-hero, clown, and merciless scholar, Finkelstein creates as many storms as he enters. And to what end? When radicals collide, does it create understanding? Some would argue that it sometimes does. Others would claim that Finkelstein’s principled but too often bitter advocacy does much to discredit the cause of a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Audiences can decide for themselves.” —directors David Ridgen & Nicolas Rossier

Reviews:

“American Radical is a nuanced and powerful portrait of the scholar Norman Finkelstien, one of the nation’s most courageous and embattled intellectuals.  It is a reminder that mendacity and timidity, when in the service of conventional beliefs, are more highly prized in most universities that truth.  It illustrates that those who unmask the lies of the intellectual elite swiftly become their victims.  The power and subtext of this film, however, is not in the wars fought between Finkelstien and those like Alan Dershowitz who seek to destroy him, but in Finkelstein’s powerful fealty to his mother’s suffering in the Warsaw Ghetto and later the Nazi death camps.  Finkelstein sees in all who are oppressed his mother’s degradation and pain.  This is a movie that is, at its core, about the unshakable bond of love between a parent and a true and faithful son who refuses to forget or compromise.”
—Chris Hedges, former New York Times War & Middle East Correspondent and author of “American Fascists”

“’American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein’ is a cautiously respectful documentary portrait of a political firebrand who presents himself as a beacon of moral truth in the murk of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

—Stephen Holden, New York Times

“Surprisingly entertaining…a compelling portrait of a difficult man.”
—Mark Cohen, The Jewish Daily Forward

“Presents a humanizing portrait of a complex and principled individual…‘American Radical’ deserves to be seen widely as a fascinating introduction to the man and his views.”
—Susan Ryan, Cineaste Magazine

“A fascinating, well-rounded portrait of Finkelstein that simultaneously informs, inspires and infuriates…the filmmakers ride a delicate line, assembling a warts-and-all portrait that shows why Finkelstein is deeply respected and equally reviled.” 
—Mark Achbar, director of ’The Corporation’ and ’Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media’

“With impressive restraint, the fascinatingly thorny ‘American Radical’ is less interested in the validity of Finkelstein’s ideas—seriously mounted, if inflammatory—and more in the topsy-turvy life of today’s professional academic. Amazingly, that choice doesn’t result in a boring movie.” 
—Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York

“A guaranteed argument starter…an engaging portrait of an academic whose work is both fueled and undermined by his vitriolic personality.” 
—J.R. Jones, Chicago Reader

“‘American Radical’…presents a more balanced portrait of Finkelstein, who, when his passion doesn’t carry him off on a wave of anger, is shown to be thoughtful, intelligent and deeply melancholy.” 
—George Robinson, The Jewish Week

“(Norman Finkelstein’s) conclusions can be debated, his methods can be deplored, but as (‘American Radical’ directors) Ridgen and Rossier take pains to point out, a man so rigorously committed to putting an end to oppression ought not be so easily dismissed, even if coming to grips with such a challenging figure may be finally as difficult as getting to the bottom of the Arab-Israeli conflict itself.” 
—Andrew Schenker, Slant Magazine

“A blood-boiling, very good documentary.” 
—Mark Keizer, Boxoffice Magazine

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In Theaters

Typecast Releasing is pleased to announce that American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein, the new feature-length documentary film from directors David Ridgen (Mississippi Cold Case) and Nicolas Rossier (Aristide and the Endless Revolution), enjoyed a successful premiere and week-long run in NYC at Anthology Film Archives in February—with Norman Finkelstein and the directors in attendance at opening weekend screenings for Q&A. A full list of theaters where American Radical will be playing can be found here:

* February 11-17, 2010 . New York, NY at Anthology Film Archives
* March 8-11, 2010 . Seattle, WA at Northwest Film Forum
* March 12-18, 2010 . Los Angeles, CA at Laemmle Theatres
* March 23-30, 2010 . New Orleans, LA at Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center
* March 28, 2010 . San Francisco, CA at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
* April 15-16, 2010 . Columbus, OH at Wexner Center for the Arts
* April 23-29, 2010 . Montreal, QC at Cinema du Parc
* May 23-26, 2010 . Vancouver, BC at Pacific Cinematheque
* June 3, 2010 . San Francisco, CA at Roxie Theater
* August 8-12, 2010 . Saskatoon, SK at the Broadway Theatre
* November 11, 2010 . Philadelphia, PA at International House

At Festivals

*September 2009 . Chicago Underground Film Festival . Chicago, IL. USA
*September 2009 . DocuDays: Beirut International Film Festival . Beirut . LEBANON
*October 2009 . North of Nowhere Expo . Edmonton, AB . CANADA
*October 2009 . Boston Palestine Film Festival . Boston, MA. USA
*October 2009 . Carleton Cinema Politica . Ottawa, ON . CANADA
*November 2009 . Sheffield International Documentary Festival . Sheffield . ENGLAND
*November 2009 . Copenhagen International Documentary Festival . Copenhagen . DENMARK
*November 2009 . International Documentary Festival of Amsterdam . Amsterdam . THE NETHERLANDS
*November 2009 . Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire de Montreal . Montreal, QC . CANADA
*December 2009 . Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival . Jerusalem . ISRAEL
*January 2010 . Argus Film Festival . Denver, CO . USA
*January 2010 . Atlanta Jewish Film Festival . Atlanta, GA . USA
*March 2010 . KinoTeatr.doc Film Festival . Moscow . RUSSIA
*March 2010 . New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival . New Orleans, LA . USA
*April 2010 . Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine . Buenos Aires . ARGENTINA
*April 2010 . Frontline Film Screenings . London . ENGLAND
*April 2010 . It’s All True Documentary Film Festival . Sao Paolo & Rio de Janeiro . BRAZIL
*April 2010 . Chicago Palestine Film Festival . Chicago, IL . USA
*May 2010 . Hot Docs Film Festival . Toronto, ON . CANADA
*May 2010 . DOXA Documentary Film Festival . Vancouver, BC . CANADA
*May 2010 . Planete Doc Review Film Festival . Warsaw . POLAND
*June 2010 . Biografilm Festival . Bologna . ITALY
*June 2010 . Documentarist Film Festival . Istanbul . TURKEY
*July 27-August 1, 2010 . Traverse City Film Festival . Traverse City, MI . USA
*October 1-21, 2010 . Tri-Continental Film Festival . Johannesburg . SOUTH AFRICA
*October 20-27, 2010 . Bergen International Film Festival . Bergen . NORWAY
*November 23-28, 2010 . Warsaw Jewish Film Festival . Warsaw . POLAND

Links:

Vote for American Radical for Cinema Politica’s Audience Choice Award!

Review: Finkelstein’s transformation to victim hero in “American Radical” – Electronic Intifada

Interested in the work of Prof. Finkelstein? Take a look at “This Time We Went Too Far,” his newest book at the ORBooks website.

“Better than any other book, ‘This Time We Went Too Far’ shows how the massive destruction visited on Gaza was not an accidental byproduct of the Israeli invasion but its barely concealed objective.” — Raja Shehadeh, author, Palestinian Walks

On Demand

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Description:

The daughter of a leader of the pro-North Korean movement in Japan, Yonghi Yang was separated from her brothers at a young age when they were sent to North Korea under a repatriation campaign.  However, as the economic situation in the North deteriorated, the brothers became increasingly dependent for survival on the care packages sent by their parents. The film shows Yang’s visits to her brothers in Pyongyang, as well as conversations with her father about his ideological faith and his regrets over breaking up his family.

Providing a rare glimpse into North Korea, Dear Pyongyang provides the viewer with a haunting and profound vision of one of the most isolated countries on earth.

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Description:

Filmed with a borrowed camera and featuring a cast made up almost entirely of the director’s friends and relatives, Taking Father Home is the moving story of Xu Yun, a teenager who lives in a remote village in China’s Sichuan province. With nothing but a basket of geese to use as currency, he travels to the city of Zigong to find and retrieve his father who walked out on the family six years before. Once in Zigong, Yun learns quickly as he finds no shortage of mentors eager to impart advice.

Director Ying Liang’s remarkable evocation of the sights, sounds and smells of Zigong is breathtaking, recreating the mood and character of an entire culture with just the simplest of touches and the most basic use of dialogue. An utterly engaging emotional experience, Taking Father Home has established Ying as one of world cinema’s most promising young talents.

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Reviews:

Ying presents China with an incisive, analytical eye; in his calmly unfolding tableaux, the dramatic action seems to arise from the jarring locations, such as high-rise buildings abutting rundown alleys and desolate boulevards that loom in the night like dead zones. The eruption of the foretold devastation—the floods, which are shown in documentary images—corresponds to the moral devastation that surrounds the boy’s desperate mission. This richly nuanced yet powerfully symbolic movie is an astonishingly accomplished début.
- Richard Brody, the New Yorker

Description:

Women across the Arab world are redefining their role as leaders in Islam. In director Brigid Maher’s insightful documentary film, Veiled Voices , three influential women Islamic leaders are profiled—along with their families and the communities in which they serve:  Ghina Hammoud in Lebanon, Dr. Du’ad Saleh in Egypt and Huda al-Habash in Syria.

Filmed over the course of two years, Veiled Voices reveals a world rarely documented, exploring both the public and private lives of these women. As a divorced woman, Ghina Hammoud faces a personal challenge in gaining legitimacy as a leader, since divorce is controversial in communities throughout Lebanon. In Egypt, Dr. Su’ad Saleh must continually fight for public recognition by the Egyptian religious authority at al-Azhar—the famous Cairo mosque and university founded in the 10th century. Huda al-Habash in Damascus enjoys both institutional support and the support of her husband as she teaches women in Syria and lectures all over the Middle East, helping others “move…from ignorance to knowledge.”

The three personal stories featured in Veiled Voices give insight into how Muslim women are increasingly willing to challenge the status quo from within their religion, promoting Islam as a powerful force for positive transformation in the world.

Reviews:

“The film, the first of its kind…is not to be missed by any who wish to enter the world of contemporary Islam with its lively gender dynamics being refashioned under our very eyes.”
–Margot Badran, Feminism In Islam

Film review from the IGN Digigods Podcast.

“Veiled Voices is a good start to a conversation by and about women in Islam to change misconceptions held about the role of women in the religion.”
- Andrea Hance, the Feminist Review

“Veiled Voices is a film filled with loud, bright stories that enlighten an audience in need of authenticity about Islam in general and the lives of Muslim women in particular.”
– Anisa Mehdi, Common Ground News Service

“…the fact that they are from different areas of the Arab world surely points to a kind of movement that is beginning to take place, and is worth watching — as is this film.”
– Mata H, BlogHer.com

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In Theaters

Colorado College, Max Kade Theatre – Colorado Springs, CO – April 9, 2010 – FREE

At Festivals

This film is screening at the following festivals:

• Twelfth Annual Celluloid Bainbridge Film Festival – Bainbridge, WA – April 18, 2010

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Description:

2-Disc Special Edition DVD!

An opus in three parts, Iraq In Fragments offers a series of intimate, passionately-felt portraits: A fatherless 11-year-old is apprenticed to the domineering owner of a Baghdad garage; Sadr followers in two Shiite cities rally for regional elections while enforcing Islamic law at the point of a gun; a family of Kurdish farmers welcomes the US presence, which has allowed them a measure of freedom previously denied.

American director James Longley spent more than two years filming in Iraq to create this stunningly photographed, poetically rendered documentary of the war-torn country as seen through the eyes of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds. Winner of Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Editing awards in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival documentary competition, the film was also awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 2006 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, was named Best Documentary at the Chicago International Film Festival, and was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2007 Academy Awards.

DVD Special Features

Trailer:

In Theaters

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At Festivals

Fri, May 07 9:30 pm – Innis Town Hall - Hot Docs Film Festival

Reviews:

“. . . if Longley’s astonishing feat of poetic agitation has a precedent in the entire history of documentary, I’m not
aware of it.”
- Rob Nelson, The Village Voice

Academy Award Nominee: Best Documentary Feature, 2006

Home Video DVD copies also include Sari’s Mother, an Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary Short, 2007. Also available on Blu-ray!

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Description:

Seattle’s do-it-yourself ethic and uncompromising artistic sensibilities are at the center of Seattle Women in Film , an eclectic collection of the best short films by Seattle’s top women filmmakers.

Presenting a total of twenty-one works, each by a different filmmaker,Seattle Women in Film features witty, accomplished and imaginative shorts that provide a rare peek into the heart of the Seattle independent film scene.

Curated by Seattle’s own 911 Media Arts Center, the Seattle Women in Film collection is sure to impress and inspire, while giving audiences around the globe a glimpse of the Emerald City’s independent filmmaking spirit.

The Films

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Description:

Write, shoot and edit a short non-fiction film in just 5 days. You must use an all-volunteer crew, none of whom will be getting much sleep in order to submit the film before the judges’ deadline.

Started in 2006, The International Documentary Challenge is a timed competition in which filmmakers are given just five days to create and complete a short non-fiction film. The participants all work during the same time period and are required to ship their finished films by a strict deadline. The filmmakers must choose between two documentary genres and are assigned a specific theme each year that helps dictate the content and direction of their film.

This DVD collection features a variety of short non-fiction works from around the globe – from China to New York City; from Seattle to Amsterdam; from Montana to Japan – representing the very best from filmmakers who participated in the first three years of theInternational Documentary Challenge. If you’re interested in participating in the next International Documentary Challenge, you can find details at www.docchallenge.org.

Sponsored by: Hotdocs, POV, Big Sky Film Festival, KDHX, Documentary Educational Resource, Film Action Oregon, IDA, DOC, Dokufest, 48 hour film project

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Description:

A young student of the arts, Dunia aspires to be a professional dancer and poet. Her artistic expression is inhibited, however, by her inability to experience and express desire. Dunia’s reasoning that women should not move their bodies to evoke an act of love is challenged by the ardent public intellectual Dr. Beshir–played by Egyptian superstar singer Mohammed Mounir.

With his help, Dunia begins an all-consuming search for ecstasy in poetry, dance and music–taking us into the world of women in a society that both fetishizes and oppresses female sexuality. Ultimately, Dunia learns that she must confront the traditions that have destroyed her capacity for pleasure before she will be able to experience it.

Reviews:

“Dunia offers a colorful package obsessed with sensual surfaces.”
– Variety

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Description:

This second feature in Nacer Khemir’s Desert Trilogy is a visually ravishing folktale reminiscent of “The Thousand and One Nights.” The story revolves around Hassan, who is studying Arabic calligraphy from a grand master. Coming across a fragment of manuscript, Hassan goes in search of the missing pieces, believing that once he finds them, he will learn the secrets of love. With the help of Zin, a lovers’ go-between, he meets the beautiful Aziz, Princess of Samarkand. After encountering wars, a battle between false prophets and an ancient curse, he learns that an entire lifetime would not suffice for him to learn the many dimensions of love.

Tunisian director Nacer Khemir, also a poet, painter and professional storyteller, notes: “The film takes place in Moslem Andalusia of the 11th century. But it’s not a question of reconstituting a given time and place, but rather of summoning up the reflection of a forgotten garden, and out of a yearning for peace, so difficult to protect from barbarians and from destructive fanaticisms. Andalusia has been the meeting place of many cultures, a living dialog of the peoples and religions whose traces can still be deciphered in texts, music and gardens all the way from the Atlantic to the Red Sea. This is not an Andalusian love story, but Andalusia as the very essence of love, through its perfumes, poetry and gardens.”

Reviews:

“A delightful fairytale; straight out of 1001 Nights”
– FilmFest DC

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Description:

Shooting on location in East Jerusalem, Ramallah and at checkpoints in-between, Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now ) sees the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the eyes of a young woman who, with only ten hours to marry, must negotiate her way around roadblocks, soldiers, stone-throwers, overworked officials … and into the heart of an elusive lover.

This timely feature that explores love among the ruins of an occupied territory was presented with the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival’s 2003 Nestor Almendros Prize for courage in filmmaking.

According to Abu-Assad, “When the abnormalities of barriers and occupation become an everyday reality, normal things like love and marriage turn into fiction. This is life in Palestine right now. I wanted to challenge it through cinema.”

Winner of the Best Actress award at the 2002 Marrakesh International Film Festival (for Clara Khoury’s affecting performance), Rana’s Weddingpremiered during the 2002 International Critic’s Week at Cannes and has been a festival favorite in Palm Springs, Montreal, Rio de Janeiro, Cairo and London.

DVD Special Features

Reviews:

“Fascinating. It gives a more complete visual picture. . . than we ever see on the news.”
- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

“Among the finest films made in the Middle East.”
- Phil Hall, Film Threat

Trailer:

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