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What happened to these books? Find out in “The Great Book Robbery”. Image via www.thenational.ae

Well, it was a great summer for Fresno Filmworks.  We had fun this summer, but we’re ready to come back with a new slate of movies.  Our fall season is promising to be our best ever with a lineup of unique films you won’t find at the multiplex!

Our new fall season starts this Friday, September 9th with “The Idol”.  This latest film from acclaimed director Hany Abu-Assad adds to the already rich history of Palestinian cinema.  Our new blogger took a look at the films of Abu-Assad and the impact he is having on Palestinian cinema, but he is just one current filmmaker adding to the worldwide cultural impact of Palestinian cinema.  With such a complicated history it is no wonder that many of the most exciting films in modern Palestinian cinema are non-fiction.  Here is a look at two recent documentaries gaining notice and acclaim.  These films tell stories of war, resistance, art, and community and present unforgettable portraits of one of the most beautiful places on earth.

“The Great Book Robbery”

This 2012 documentary takes a look at one of the hidden costs of war.  The loss of culture, art, and control over the version of history left behind are touched on in this film about the 1948 looting by the Israeli army of books and other artifacts from Arab homes.  This film explores the sadness that will eventually be felt by everyone when a culture is in danger of being lost forever.

“Budrus”

With so much current talk in the United States about walls and what they can and cannot accomplish, “Budrus” might especially resonate with audiences.  It tells the story of Palestinian and Israeli members of a village and their reaction to a wall that was supposed to separate them.  When confronted with a fence designed to bisect their village and keep everyone on their own side, the residents of Budrus banded together to protest the policies they felt were being forced on them.  “Budrus” not only tells the story of these groups coming together in protest, it shows how in the end it was the teenage girls of the village who realized they could have the biggest impact on the fight to keep their home intact.

These are just two suggestions to feed your need for new and exciting films.  Be sure to keep checking our website for new blogs, features, and film suggestions.  We’re back at the Tower Theater this Friday and the second Friday of every month.  So join us for more stories of the bizarre, the beautiful, and the sublime.