In addition to our regular film screenings, TPFF 2011 is pleased to host a number of exciting special events this year. These include the TPFF Travelling Art Show, panel discussions, our ever-popular brunch, and closing night party.
TPFF Travelling Art Show
When: Saturday Oct 1st - Thursday Oct 6th, various times*
Where: Jackman Hall Theatre at the Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West, Toronto
Facebook Event Page
Art Show Blog
Tickets: Free Admission
Art is a form of representation; artists mark the canvas with paint, the paper with a photograph and blocks into sculptures. The strong meaning behind each artwork increases its valubility and has been throughout the years. Curated by Nadine Khoury, the TPFF Travelling Art Show aims to highlight the visual artists' that mark their emotions and feelings towards Palestine through artwork. well rounded array of powerfull paintings, printmakings, photography and more will be shown and coupled with the film screenings will uniquely convey the message of love.
Nadine Khoury Nadine has been studying fine arts at OCAD University for 3 years. Her interests are based around curatorial and criticism practice. In addition to the TPFF Travelling Art Show, Nadine will be curating other upcoming shows in October.
* The exhibit will be set up only for film screenings that are programmed to take place at the Jackman Hall Theatre.
TPFF Panel: Arab World Perspectives on Film and Art
When: Saturday Oct 1st, 2pm
Where: Jackman Hall Theatre at the Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West, Toronto
Tickets: Admission with ticket to Stray Bullet - Please purchase here
Moderated by Dania Majid, TPFF 2011 Programmer, this panel discussion will explore opportunities and challenges for filmmakers and artists working in the Middle East. Panellists include director, Georges Hachem (Stray Bullet) and actor Ashraf Farah (Pomegranates and Myrrh).
Georges Hachem Georges Hachem graduated from the National School Louis Lumière, in Paris, and also studied drama at the Lebanese University. He has created and directed several short films in acting workshops that he has coached since 1992 in Paris and Beirut. Since returning to Beirut in 2006, he has been in charge of the audiovisual department in the Antonine University. He also promotes the works of Lebanese playwrights. In 2009, he wrote and directed a 20-minute short film, Evening Mass, followed by his first feature film, award-winning Stray Bullet.
Ashraf Farah Ashraf Farah's breakthrough film was as the lead in the award-winning film Pomegranates and Myrrh, by director Najwa Al Najjar. Winning best film at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, it received its American premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and European premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. The film has also been selected at various festivals internationally including Dubai International Film Festival and Rotterdam International Film Festival. More recently, Ashraf starred in the Julian Schnabel latest film, Miral which received its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, 2010. Ashraf also stars in Balkis, one of the leading TV historical series in the Arab world this year.
Sahtain - TPPF's Traditional Palestinian Brunch with John Kameel Farah*
Co-hosted with Beit Zatoun (TPFF Community Partners)
When: Sunday Oct 2nd, 11am
Where: Beit Zatoun, 612 Markham Street, Toronto
Facebook Event Page
Tickets: $20 Please purchase here*
Sahtain - TPFF's Traditional Palestinian Brunch is a celebration of Palestinian cuisine. Enjoy a traditional Palestinian brunch catered by the highly reviewed chef and owner of 93 Harbord, Isam Kaisi. This year's Brunch will feature a special live performance by award-winning composer, pianist and electronic musician, John Kameel Farah.
John Kameel Farah Classically trained in composition and piano performance at the University of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory, John Farah received the Glenn Gould Composition Award twice during his studies. Toronto's NOW Magazine named him as Best Pianist 2006 for his unique fusion of renaissance and baroque counterpoint, experimental improvisation, middle-eastern texture, ambient minimalism, Electronica and electro-acoustics. More recently, Farah was awarded the 2011 K.M. Hunter Artist Award by the Ontario Arts Council. To date, Farah has released two albums, Creation and Unfolding and is looking forward to releasing his next album in 2011. Visit his website and MySpace page for more information.
*Tickets nearly sold out!
** Please note that this event is not included as part of TPFF10 Card
TPFF Panel: Representations of Arab Women in Film and Media with Ruba Nadda and Nahla Abdo
Co-presented with NOW Magazine and the Toronto Women's Bookstore
When: Sunday October 2nd, 3pm
Where: Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto Facebook Event Page
Tickets: Free Admission
Moderated by Susan Cole, Entertainment Editor for NOW Magazine, this panel discussion will explore representation of Arab women in mainstream and alternative film and media and engage in critical questions of how Arab women are presented and represented in these forms. Panellists include award-winning director Ruba Nadda and renowned feminist scholar, Dr. Nahla Abdo.
Ruba Nadda is an Arab Canadian film director. She was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to a Syrian father and a Palestinian mother. She has made several award-winning short films, including Lost Woman Story, Interstate Love Story, So Far Gone and Damascus Nights before writing and directing features I Always Come to You, Unsettled and Sabah. Her movie Cairo Time won the Best Canadian Feature Film award at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. She is known for shooting feature films in very short time spans. Ruba is currently working on a new film.
Dr. Nahla Abdo is an Arab feminist activist and Professor of Sociology at Carleton University. She has published extensively on women, racism, nationalism and the State in the Middle East with special focus on Palestinian women. Among her recent publications are: Women and the Politics of Military Confrontation: Palestinian and Israeli Gendered Narratives of Dislocation (2002), Violence in the Name of Honour: Theoretical and Political Challenges (2004), Palestinian Women's Ordeals in East Jerusalem (2006); Women and Poverty in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (2007); Women and Citizenship in Israel: Comparing Palestinian Mizrahi and Ashkenazi Women (2009); and Women in Israel: Gender, Race and Citizenship (2011). Dr. Abdo is the founder of the Gender Research Unit at the Women's Empowerment Project/Gaza Community Mental Health Program in Gaza. She is the co-founder of Women Against Occupation in Canada.
TPFF Closing Night Party ft. Shadia Mansour, Mazzi - S.O.U.L Purpose, Yaseen - iVoice, DJ Leila P
When: Friday Oct 7th, 9pm
Where: The Pilot, 22 Cumberland Street, Toronto
Tickets: $10 - (Available at door only)
19+ only
Shadia Mansour represents her homeland and her people to the fullest everywhere she goes. Being the first lady of Arabic Hip Hop and especially being a Palestinian, she is a great motivator for both the youth she works with in Palestine as well as others including international artists. She has conducted workshops and performed in youth centers and refugee camps around the West Bank. She has toured the US, Europe and the Middle East as well as having hosted many Arabic Hip Hop Contests. Most recently, Shadia Mansour has started in the film, Hip Hop Is Bigger than the Occupation. Visit her Facebook and YouTube pages for information.
S.O.U.L Purpose (Mazzi) Mazzi is a part of the hip hop group, S.O.U.L. (Sense Of Understanding Life's) Purpose. He has been performing since 1995 and has performed with artists such as Eminem, G-Unit, Black Eyed Peas, Big Pun, RUN DMC, The Lox, Ghostface, D12, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Immortal Technique, Faith Evans, Nina Skye, Erykah Badu and many more! Check out his website, MySpace and YouTube channel for more information.
i-Voice (Yaseeen) i-Voice consists of two Palestinian rappers living as refugees in Lebanon: Yaseen and Mohammad Turk aka T.N.T. Their refugee camp in Lebanon is Burj Al Barajneh Camp, which resides only 91 Km north of their unreachable homeland. i-Voice members perform their very own genre, Trap (Tarab Rap), Tarab being the classical music genre of the Arab culture. Trap integrates Tarab into Hip-Hop through instrumentation and choice of beats, thereby creating an original output that naturally reflects the combination of I-Voices surrounding culture and their modern frustration. Check out the official I-Voice Youtube Channel for more information. DJ Leila P Leila P. is the co-organizer and DJ of Gayfinity Fridays, a monthly queer dance party at Naco Gallery.
