Tricycle Theatre cancels plans to host UK Jewish Film Festival

[Crimson Dynamo]

http://i.guim.co.uk/w-620/h--/q-95/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/8/6/1407349879993/16acfa55-1100-4644-9ed6-128c10b3f08f-620x372.jpeg

"A theatre has refused to host the UK Jewish Film Festival while it is sponsored by the Israeli Embassy amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

The Tricycle Theatre in London, which has hosted the festival for the past eight years, had been due to screen at least 26 films as part of the event in November.

But Indhu Rubasingham, artistic director of the Tricycle, said the festival should not accept funding from ''any party to the current conflict'' between Israel and Palestinians. "

(The festival got £1400 from the Embassy as part of their cultural budget. The Theatre gets £750, 000 from the Arts Council. )

The festival was backed by actress Maureen Lipman, who said: ''The Tricycle have decided to punish Jewish people in the diaspora for one view of what is taking place in the Middle East and that is quite unacceptable.''


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/gaza/11014862/Tricycle-Theatre-cancels-plans-to-host-UK-Jewish-Film-Festival.html



Is this just anti-Semitic or are they taking a moral stand. Would they have done this over say Syria, Iraq or Nigeria?

[T*]

moral stand it seems

[Livia]

I'd like to know whether they'd have gone ahead with it if a private Jewish donor had offered the £1400 the Israeli Embassy was putting in. I hope the Arts Council takes this decision into account when they're next looking at funding.

[the truth]

brilliant decision, if this disgrace continues, ban israel from all sporting events too......ps lipman biased as always and wholly unsympathetic...

[Livia]

brilliant decision, if this disgrace continues, ban israel from all sporting events too......ps lipman biased as always and wholly unsympathetic...

This wasn't an Israeli event. There was £1400 worth of funding from the Israeli Embassy and because of that, they cancelled. They should have asked the Embassy to withdraw and continue with the festival. I'm sure plenty of Jewish people would have supported it financially. Being Jewish doesn't automatically make you a supporter of Israel's stance on Gaza.

[MTVN]

^ The director of Tricycle Theatre did ask the Jewish Film Festival to return a grant from the Israeli embassy if it wished to continue there and even offered to make up the difference. That offer was refused.

[Livia]

^ The director of Tricycle Theatre did ask the Jewish Film Festival to return a grant from the Israeli embassy if it wished to continue there and even offered to make up the difference. That offer was refused.

Oh well... I guess that sets a precedent for every arts organisation to be able to fully scrutinise and police every backer of every festival to make sure any money put in comes from a source they're completely happy with.

[MTVN]

But the Tricycle Theatre does actually tend to do that, according to this article (http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-tricycle-cinemas-refusal-to-host-a-jewish-film-festival-raises-issues-of-immense-complexity-9652414.html) they've always been very consistent in not allowing any events which are tinged by political partisanship:

The reason I don’t believe Rubasingham and her colleagues to be guilty even of an unconscious kind of prejudice is the consistency of their approach. Their enthusiasm for the UKJFF in the past counts for something; so do their offers to make up the lost funding, and their plainly sincere vow that they would take no money from any party to the conflict.

It’s particularly worth noting that Rubasingham has consistently taken pains to avoid compromising the Tricycle’s position by allowing any political association to colour its audience’s view of its work: recently, for example, she turned down a booking for a Labour party fundraiser.

The writer does actually go on to criticise the cancellation and makes a fair argument, but even if the decision was a misjudged one I can understand the intention and don't think accusations of anti-semitism are at all fair

[Livia]

But the Tricycle Theatre does actually tend to do that, according to this article (http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-tricycle-cinemas-refusal-to-host-a-jewish-film-festival-raises-issues-of-immense-complexity-9652414.html) they've always been very consistent in not allowing any events which are tinged by political partisanship:



The writer does actually go on to criticise the cancellation and makes a fair argument, but even if the decision was a misjudged one I can understand the intention and don't think accusations of anti-semitism are at all fair


From the same article:

We’ve considered the Tricycle’s decision as a matter of intent. But we also have to consider its effects. And this is where the defences prove inadequate.

The Tricycle may say, and mean, that it would turn down funding from Hamas, but it seems highly unlikely that the question of a Hamas-funded film festival in the UK will arise in the weeks ahead; and, for all that it rejects money from the Labour party, it certainly accepts it from the Arts Council, a stance that was not reversed during the war in Iraq.

It may say, and mean, that it would have happily provided alternative funding, but it must have known that to ask the UKJFF to forego funding from the Israeli embassy placed it in an impossible position. It may say, and mean, that its actions are aimed squarely at the prosecutors of a hideous war, and no one else. But it isn’t Benjamin Netanyahu who will be missing out on the latest works by Eytan Fox or Josh Aronson on a rainy Tuesday night in north London.

[MTVN]

Yeah I know I read it, hence why I posted "The writer does actually go on to criticise the cancellation and makes a fair argument"

And still I say that "even if the decision was a misjudged one I can understand the intention and don't think accusations of anti-semitism are at all fair"

[Livia]

Yeah I know I read it, hence why I posted "The writer does actually go on to criticise the cancellation and makes a fair argument"

And still I say that "even if the decision was a misjudged one I can understand the intention and don't think accusations of anti-semitism are at all fair"

In the scheme of things I don't think the decision was reached in order to be anti-Semitic, but at a time when attacks on Jews in Europe are at an all-time high, and while Twitter is allowing #HitlerWasRight and #HitlerDidNothingWrong and both have been strongly supported, it's just another brick in the wall. Low down on the wall, but it's in there.

[GypsyGoth]

Twitter is allowing #HitlerWasRight and #HitlerDidNothingWrong and both have been strongly supported

Holy crap that is truly frightening.

[the truth]

Holy crap that is truly frightening.

it is frightening , bit its just words, stupid words, the actions of the israelis is far far more frightening

[arista]

I'd like to know whether they'd have gone ahead with it if a private Jewish donor had offered the £1400 the Israeli Embassy was putting in. I hope the Arts Council takes this decision into account when they're next looking at funding.


I would think so
then it would be more hidden

[joeysteele]

I think the Theatre is wrong and I also think the truly vile things being said at present relating to the Jewish people should have those making them called to account.

What is happening in Israel and Gaza, is a complicated issue,there are probably great faults on both sides which sadly, even the USA and the UK seem unable to find the right compromising answer to as well.

Israel is surrounded by Nations that detest its very existence there,it is horrific what is happening there of course but comments like the ones highlighted above as to Hitler are the most disgusting and disgraceful ones around at present
Really this Theatre hasn't helped the situation either in my view by its actions on this too.

[Kizzy]

Fair play to them for sticking to their principles, it offered an alternative solution and this was rejected.
The arts are for everyone and should remain as impartial as possible to maintain a respect for all cultures.
There will always be ignorant people that say reactionary things, that'll never change.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Fair play to them for sticking to their principles, it offered an alternative solution and this was rejected.
The arts are for everyone and should remain as impartial as possible to maintain a respect for all cultures.
There will always be ignorant people that say reactionary things, that'll never change.

the festival is for jewish people around the world and not Israel

It seems the Tricycle has decided to punish all jews around the globe by its actions..

[Kizzy]

the festival is for jewish people around the world and not Israel

It seems the Tricycle has decided to punish all jews around the globe by its actions..

It's not 'punishing' anyone, it's taking an ethical stance against the war as have many Israelis and Jewish alike.

[Livia]

It's not 'punishing' anyone, it's taking an ethical stance against the war as have many Israelis and Jewish alike.

Although they were quite happy to accept Government money through the Arts Council while we were at war with Iraq. It looks like they pick and choose which ethical stance they're willing to take dependant on how much cash is involved.

[Kizzy]

Although they were quite happy to accept Government money through the Arts Council while we were at war with Iraq. It looks like they pick and choose which ethical stance they're willing to take dependant on how much cash is involved.

Not really comparable livia sorry.

[the truth]

I think the Theatre is wrong and I also think the truly vile things being said at present relating to the Jewish people should have those making them called to account.

What is happening in Israel and Gaza, is a complicated issue,there are probably great faults on both sides which sadly, even the USA and the UK seem unable to find the right compromising answer to as well.

Israel is surrounded by Nations that detest its very existence there,it is horrific what is happening there of course but comments like the ones highlighted above as to Hitler are the most disgusting and disgraceful ones around at present
Really this Theatre hasn't helped the situation either in my view by its actions on this too.
lets get some perspective
blowing up 1400 innocent people is 1400 more important that a few choice words

[GypsyGoth]

lets get some perspective
blowing up 1400 innocent people is 1400 more important that a few choice words

Holding all people who happen to be jewish responsible for what is happening in Gaza is completely wrong.

If you can't see that then I worry for you. What's next, you and some like minded friends have a get together and burn dvds of the movies that were gonna be shown at this theater.

Every rocket that Hamas fires is attempted murder on innocent lives.

[Livia]

Not really comparable livia sorry.

Not in your opinion. In my opinion, completely comparable. You can't cherry pick, you're either making an ethical stand regarding where your funding comes from on every occasion, or you're not.

[Kizzy]

Not in your opinion. In my opinion, completely comparable. You can't cherry pick, you're either making an ethical stand regarding where your funding comes from on every occasion, or you're not.

I can cherry pick, I can't see one similarity at the moment., could you provide one?
Not that I think you're trying to divert the topic.

[Livia]

I can cherry pick, I can't see one similarity at the moment., could you provide one?
Not that I think you're trying to divert the topic.

Can I provide one? Isn't it obvious? And no way am I diverting the topic, it's relevant. They turned a group away because it was part-funded by the Israeli government and they disagreed with Israel's attack on Gaza. But they accepted a substantially larger amount of money from the British government at a time when we were invading and bombing Iraq, despite massive public disapproval.

We're never going to agree on this, or anything. Might as well leave it there.

[JoshBB]

Anti-Zionist, probably. Anti-Semitic, no.

[Kizzy]

'Too many of our cultural and educational institutions have been quiescent in suppressing uncomfortable truths'

Let's not forget that is is a worry that history can be and is rewritten...
Debating that it serves as a comparison that the arts in the UK are funded by the government of the UK is a bit of a non argument really.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/mar/18/nick-cohen-british-museum-hajj-saudi

[lostalex]

it's definitely anti-Semitic. the films aren't made by the Israeli government, it is jewish filmmakers. Saying Israel is the same as jews is just like saying muslim is the same as Iran or Saudi.

[Livia]

it's definitely anti-Semitic. the films aren't made by the Israeli government, it is jewish filmmakers. Saying Israel is the same as jews is just like saying muslim is the same as Iran or Saudi.

Alex summing it up in a nutshell there. It's so simple I'm surprised people are struggling with it.

[Kizzy]

And the last 8yrs they hosted was anti-Semitic?
Saying you refuse funding for ethical reasons from Israel is nothing like being anti-Semitic, logic and reason shows that.

[Livia]

And the last 8yrs they hosted was anti-Semitic?
Saying you refuse funding for ethical reasons from Israel is nothing like being anti-Semitic, logic and reason shows that.

My previous post to you said we're never going to agree about this, you're never going to see it from my perspective, ever.