Philly’s Queer Cinema for Palestine Film Fest gets personal - and political

Editors’ note: This story has been updated

Philly Palestine Coalition (PPC), a local activist group that organizes protests and events in support of Palestinian independence, will screen nine local and international films in West Philly and Center City this week with the return of Queer Cinema for Palestine Film Festival (QCP), an event born during an international boycott.

In 2020, dozens of filmmakers withdrew from the Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival (TLVFest). The boycott came after the festival’s expanded partnership with Israeli government institutions like the controversial Ministry of Strategic Affairs (that ministry, which among other things fought to protect Israel’s global brand and fight divestment efforts, was disbanded in 2021) and what the filmmakers saw as government “pinkwashing” — promoting gay rights to distract from human rights violations regarding Palestinians.

Israel is a leader in the Middle East when it comes LGBTQ rights, and Tel Aviv is lauded as a haven for the LGBTQ community.

A year later, 14 cities, including Philadelphia, Paris, Beirut and Seoul put on their own film festivals in solidarity with the TLVFEST boycott.

“This festival is meant to celebrate queer Arabs in a political manner — saying yes, I’m Palestinian; yes, I’m Arab and I’m also anti-Zionist,” said Nour Qutyan, leading organizer for Philly Palestine Coalition (PPC), which is hosting the QCP.

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Soon after the Inquirer first reported on the festival, PayPal blocked attempted ticket purchases for the event. The Inquirer was told the payments were blocked because the event had the word Palestine in its title. (Tickets for tonight’s event are now sold out, according to EventBrite).

Last year, with only room for about 50 people at the Rotunda on Walnut Street, The Philadelphia Coalition for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel (Philly BDS) screened three films.

This year’s expanded three-day festival features nine films across two venues and two panel discussions.

“It started very DIY and very small scale — one of the reasons why we wanted to do it again and involve more younger organizers is to show anybody can do an event like this,” they said.

The three-day festival begins on Thursday, Nov. 17 at Making Worlds Bookstore in West Philly with an screening of Pinkwashing Exposed: Seattle Fights Back! It’s a documentary following queer, Palestinian, and Jewish organizers who persuaded the Seattle LGBT Commission to cancel a pro-Israel LGBTQ event in 2012. An audience discussion will follow.

Athar Jiddo (2022) by Philly-based filmmaker and performer Aya Razzaz , Mariam (2021) by Palestinian American filmmaker Reem Jubran , Yes, Goddess (2022) by Palestinian American writer and filmmaker Randa Jarrar , and Warsha (2022) by Syrian Lebanese filmmaker Dania Bdeir will screen at Asian Arts Initiative the next day.

A selection of short queer and indigenous films made by international filmmakers from Brazil, South Africa, the Philippines, and Hawaii will finish off the festival. Films include Heaven Reaches Down to Earth (2020), The Headhunter’s Daughter (2022), Homens Invisíveis (Invisible Men) (2019) and Pili Ka Moʻo (2021).

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Hear from local panelists and moderators after screenings, including filmmaker Razzaz, Philly BDS organizer Amir Abdul , Palestinian editor, writer and organizer Nicki Kattoura , local filmmaker and co-creator of No Evil Eye Cinema Ingrid Raphaël , and Anakbayan Philadelphia organizer Remy Andrea .

QCFP Film Festival is hosted by Philly Palestine Coalition and co-presented by Al Bustan Seeds of Culture, cinéSPEAK, Batikh Batikh Collective, and No Evil Eye Cinema. It is endorsed by Philly BDS, Black Alliance for Peace, Drexel University’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Penn Against the Occupation, Jewish Voice for Peace Philly (JVP), Workers World Philly, Philly DSA, If Not Now Philly, and Philadelphia Young Communists League.

Dates: Nov. 17 at 5 p.m. and Nov. 18 and 19 at 7 p.m.

The proceeds from the event go to alQaws, a Palestinian LGBT+ civil society organization fighting pinkwashing and advocating for queer Palestinians, and Playgrounds for Palestine, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit working on rebuilding destroyed playgrounds for Palestinian children.

Tickets: The suggested donation for each night is $5 to $25. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

RSVP: Reserve your spot on Eventbrite for day one, day two, and day three.