Arab Film Festival: “Since You Left”

On November 1, 2007 The Center on Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School, in conjunction with USC Middle East Studies Program, presented a screening and discussion of "Since You Left"

As part of the Arab Film Festival, "Since You Left" is the autobiographical documentary of Palestinian actor and director Mohammad Bakri. Focusing on the violence inflicted on Palestinians and Israelis in recent years -- caused by Israeli occupation and oppression, Bakri incorporates his tumultuous media life in Israel into the film.

Panel Discussion

An hour-long discussion followed the screening, with panelists from the School of International Relations and the Annenberg School:

Prof. Laurie Brand, Director, USC School of International Relations
Prof. Reuven Firestone, Professor of Judaic Studies at Hebrew Union College
Prof. Nicholas Cull, Director, USC Master of Public Diplomacy Program

ABOUT THE FILM

Mohammed Bakri, a renowned Israeli Arab actor and director, visits the grave of his mentor, the late Palestinian writer and politician Emil Habibi (1921-96), to share with Habibi what has happened since his death. In the course of this autobiographical documentary, which incorporates archival news footage, personal testimony, and his own performances, Bakri chronicles the worst that has happened since Habibi has been gone, such as the events that led up to the Second Intifada, and the invasion of Jenin. But as Bakri tries to continue his creative work and spread his ideas of reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis, two events change the course of his life and profoundly shake his beliefs: the Meron terror attack, in which two of his nephews were charged and convicted; and the outcry in Israel against his film Jenin Jenin (2003), which was initially banned by the government. Ultimately, this complex and compelling film oscillates between pessimism and anger at the status quo, and faint glimmers of hope about possible futures: Bakri returns often to Habibi’s life and work for inspiration, and in his relationship with his Jewish friend and lawyer, offers a sense of what cohabitation and mutual respect can be like.