The documentary “Where Should the Birds Fly?” is being shown in Fresno at CSUF as part of the Cineculture program on Friday, October 4 at 5:30 p.m. The film director, Fida Qishta, will be the discussant. It will be in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (West of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building). 58 minutes long. It is free and open to the public and parking is free after 4 p.m.
The film’s distributor, Larry Rattner (with whom we’ve worked previously) called me just a few days ago to ask if we would like to show this film at the Center during the afternoon of Friday, October 4. Though there is really not much time to advertise this, we considered the idea since it is possible that there are some people who can attend during the afternoon but not able to attend the Cineculture presentation in the evening. So……we’ve decided to do it! Best of all the film’s director, Fida Qishta will be with us to talk about the film and answer questions.
It will be at the Center for Nonviolence, 1584 N. Van Ness (SE corner Van Ness and McKinley) at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 4. There will be no charge but a donation or two would be welcome. Send me an email if you want more information. Below is a synopsis of the film.
The film documents the separate stories and shared experience of two women in Gaza. It opens by briefly introducing us two the two major characters — Mona Al Samouni and Fida Qishta. Mona Al Samouni is an 11 year old girl and Fida Qishta, the filmmaker, is a Gazan videographer, teacher, and human rights worker. Born and raised in Gaza, she began her filmmaking career as a wedding videographer and soon moved on to working with international human rights observers in Gaza, documenting day to day life. Fida’s coverage of the late 2008 to early 2009 military attack on Gaza leads us directly into little Mona’s story and her attempt to make sense of her experience. The film ends with little Mona’s hopes for a better future, and her wishes to tell the world about life in Gaza. While the film visually tells the story of the efforts of Gazans to live and work under conditions of siege, it is also about the struggle of Fida the film maker and 11-year old Mona to maintain humanity, humor and hope, and to find some sense of normality. Through the lens of the camera we see the many sides of Gaza — the border, the lives of farmers and fishermen, the impact of military attack, and the effort to pick up shattered lives and their dignity as human beings. 58 minutes.
Angela
