By Joe Burns, Commission member The Commission part-sponsored the Leeds Palestinian Film Festival event at Wheeler Hall on 30 November. Rather than an individual film, this event showed several short films. The connecting thread for them was that in the previous 12 months, despite immense difficulties, there have been two film festivals held within Gaza itself. […]
Palestine
27 Nov – Where Olive Trees Weep
The SPARK-sponsored film in the Leeds Palestinian Film Festival this year (the tenth year) was called ‘Where Olive Trees Weep’. The film cleverly cut between talking heads, filmed footage from various encounters by ordinary Palestinians with Israeli military forces and some archive footage. It was at times harrowing to watch.
15 May – Leeds to Brighton for MAP
You may remember, from previous years, the incredible fundraising of Tim Devereux.For the last three years, he has cycled for four or five days in the summer, covering about 250 miles.Tim says: “This year, I’m planning to ride the 301 miles from Leeds to Brighton in June. I hadn’t intended to do any fundraising, but […]
25 Apr – Stop Arming Israel
By David Somerville, Our Lady & St Cuthbert parishOn the 2nd April, around 200 people joined a march organised by the Bradford Friends of Palestine in Baildon, Shipley to the gate of Teledyne who make high-tech weapons for use by the Israeli military.They are on the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) list of suppliers […]
21 Dec – Partnership with Palestinian Film festival goes from Strength to Strength
Our involvement with the last film in this year’s Palestinian Film Festival, on 9th December, was sponsored by SPARK Social Justice – as there are always many younger people in the audience. This year it was sold out. The film was called Israelism and explored how many young Jewish people in the USA are brought […]
11 Dec – What can we do about the conflict in Gaza?
By Carol Burns, Leeds Diocese Pax Christi grp ‘If we don’t learn to live together, we are doomed, this land will be our graveyard’ -these are the words of a representative of the Parents Circle Family Forum. (https://www.theparentscircle.org/en/pcff-home-page-en/) As helpless bystanders, sometimes we can feel the same. There is no solution unless there is negotiation, […]
07 Nov – Film Presentation Israelism
This year SPARK Social Justice is sponsoring one of the films in the Palestinian Film festival. It will be the last film to be shown. The presentation will take place on Saturday December 9th at 2pm. As well as showing the film itself, the director will be available for a post-film discussion via Zoom. Additionally, […]