Hollywood Hacks
We already knew that Sean Penn was a Hollywood numbskull, but some new contenders for numbskullery have emerged.
Sean Penn and Robert De Niro joined stars who appeared at the UN headquarters for the US premiere of a contested movie on the Middle East conflict that Israel tried to get cancelled.
Penn, De Niro, Josh Brolin and Steve Buscemi on Monday turned out to support award-winning American-Jewish director Julian Schnabel at the premiere of “Miral,” the story of two Palestinian women after the creation of Israel in 1948.
The Israeli mission to the UN had said that showing the movie in the UN General Assembly hall was “clearly a politicized decision” that “shows poor judgment and a lack of even-handedness.”
But UN General Assembly president Joseph Deiss of Switzerland turned down the Israeli request to cancel the event. A spokesman said Deiss hoped that showing the film would “contribute” to a settlement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Schnabel, who was awarded the best director at Cannes in 2007 for “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” praised the UN decision at the start of the film and called his film a “cry for peace.”
The film, with Indian actress Freida Pinto of “Slumdog Millionaire” fame in the lead role, is based on an autobiographical novel by Palestinian journalist Rula Jebreal that traces the Arab-Israeli from a Palestinian perspective.
Like Jebreal, the lead character Miral grows up in an orphanage in East Jerusalem set up by a socialite from a wealthy Palestinian family, who one morning in 1948 came across 55 children who escaped a village taken over by radical Jewish militants.
Adapted with the author, Schnabel’s film traces the lives of the two women from the establishment of the orphanage until the Oslo peace accords of 1993.
I am pretty disappointed, especially with Buscemi who has been one of my favorite actors (Brolin is Barbra Streisand’s son-in-law, and I have never really cared for De Niro). And just as I was going to start watching Boardwalk Empire.
This next video is directed at him [language warning]
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: General
This is not like the Nazis putting out hateful propaganda like "The Eternal Jew." I admit that I have not seen this film. But it is not surprising that people have different points of view on a complicated issue such as the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. You shouldn't take it so personally. Generally, the more points of view, the better. Most people would view supporting Schnabel's film as no more controversial than advocating for the Haiti Hurricane Relief fund, giving money for mosquito netting in sub-saharan Africa or giving to the Red Cross efforts to assist the tsunami victims in Japan. Don't you remember how you felt when your teacher gave out those orange boxes to collect money for UNICEF instead of trick-or-treating for candy on Halloween (or don't they have Halloween in Australia)? Same deal.
One should differentiate between a different viewpoint and a lie. Especially when the lie is being told on the wide screen or in the media. In that case broad masses are drawn into believing in such a lie, which is really dangerous. Why need give hand the Arabs in their worldwide campaign of lies against the Jewish people?
I say combat bad speech or dishonest speech with more speech. You call his film a lie, but I bet you the filmmaker sees things a whole lot differently. When Frank Capra made all those films for the War Department, the "Why We Fight" series, was the director telling lies? They certainly were propaganda films, embarrassing in their selective presentation of facts by today's standards, but they told a larger truth from one point of view. When I heard all the criticism of Steven Spielberg's film "Munich" as being unfair to Israel, I went out to see it and, honestly, I don't know what all the fuss was about. Everyone sees a film subjectively. No two people see the same film in exactly the same way. Israelis should put out entertaining films like "Exodus" "Ben Hur" or something with giant atomic ants to cash in on the ongoing radioactive scare in Japan. I've been told Jews know a thing or two about how to make an entertaining film. And they can make the case for Israel at the same time. Look no farther than IsraellyCool Productions as a start.
the filimmaker left his wife for the author of the book?
have you seen what she looks like?
the man thinks with his penis
Regardless of wether this film is a lie or not, the fact is if there are historical mistakes (like I have recently seen in a British mini series called "The promise") the majority of the people who are not familiar with the region or the History of the region won't know any different…
Make a list of anti-Israel celebrities.
Altho that could backfire…but so could your pro list.
dont worry , the next schnabel film will be about the Hevron massacre and will be shown in the UN General Assemby ass well
I'm usually leery of films backed by known "stars" like this. If Israel wants war "propaganda" films, great, make them. They serve a purpose and aren't always "propaganda" as in lies but, as with WWII, they were wonderful moral boosters and helped sell war bonds. Ever since Vietnam, I've looked askance at Hollywood types who do this sort of thing. They generally were up to no good then along with the of the hippies and I can't see the good they do in this situation. I have visions of Peace Now and Code Pink. Feh!
I can't imagine any serious thought could go into trying to prevent this movie from being made or screened. The issue is if you premiere it at the UN then the UN appears to endorse its point of view. Can you for a second imagine the UN allowing a premiere of a movie that was openly pro-Israeli, that championed the Israeli side and made the argument that the Palestinians were brutal or cold. Anyone should be allowed to make whatever movie they wish, however, quasi official governmental organizations can't lend credence to one side of a dispute and claim they are a forum that could fairly adjudicate this dispute.
i have no problem with stars showing up to a movie screening…
how many mainstream flicks get screened at the un?
btw…have you guys seen the author of the book?
she is a hot italian…barely a pali…and im not sure if anything in her book is true
but whatever
critics are panning the movie….it will get little play in the states
btw…i dont like people protesting something they havent seen yet…unless they have read the book
i waited to see the promise before ripping it apart
the un shouldve screened battle los angeles….marines killing illegal aliens….good flick
The UN should have it on a double bill with Jenin Jenin. Like peas in a pod.
There should be a counter screening of Cast a Giant Shadow with Kirk Douglas, Yul Brynner, Frank Sinatra and John Wayne. Now that’s a Movie! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_a_Giant_Shadow