Occupation
and Apartheid – and Palestinian actors fighting their creative
struggle for justice, freedom and self-determination
I'm
Matthias Monroy, a German-Colombian student, activist, musician
and filmmaker. This journey started in 2011 when I traveled to
occupied Palestine to live and volunteer there for a year in a school
for blind children. One day at work I met Saber and Alaa, two actors from the great Freedom Theater in the Jenin Refugee Camp in
the northern West Bank, famous for its political theater, resisting
the continuous repression of the Israeli occupation forces and social isolation
through cultural expression. With their acting group they performed a
play for the school's children as a part of the Freedom Theater's
community-building activities. We became close friends.
With
the help of friends and family I managed to return to Palestine in
2013 to initiate the production of ACTORS OF RESISTANCE. For
three months I interviewed actresses and actors from across
Palestine, many of them from the Freedom Theater itself, and
elaborated on ideas to make ACTORS OF RESISTANCE a powerful
documentary feature that exposes the living realities of artists in
occupied Palestine, their stories and dreams, as well as their
creative struggle for freedom on and off the theatre stage.
It shows the new generation of Palestinian
actors performing their own colonial legacy, the life under military rule in the oldest ongoing occupation worldwide, as well as their revolutionary spirit and cultural activism to
bring it to an end.
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Christin Hodali - Actress of Resistance
Due
to our limited funding until now almost every person involved in the film production was volunteering. Luckily we were supported by dear friends who hosted us and lent us their equipment during the three months of
filming in 2013. Finally we released the ACTORS OF RESISTANCE short film, a first taste of the 75 minute documentary
feature we are striving for. We, Saber, Alaa and Matthias, are
convinced of our ideas, creativity and passion to continue the film
production and to present the documentary on international film
festivals from 2015 onwards. We want to spread the world with the
Palestinian call for justice through cultural resistance and make the
film accessible for as many people as possible.
We believe that art,
theatre and film can be powerful tools to reach people's hearts
and minds. They might not directly generate a political transition,
but they have the power to change people's thoughts and attitudes.
They empower us and bring us closer to each other. And most importantly they
allow us to spread the voices of those people that are too often
silenced.
SUPPORT THE PRODUCTION!
Now
we need your help to make it happen! By backing this campaign, you
enable us to fully develop the movie script and to film another three
months in summer 2014 with more professional equipment. With it we
will expand the film takes of theatrical reinterpretation of Palestine,
occupation and creative resistance.
Join
us now. This film is an appeal for solidarity with the Palestinian
struggle for freedom and justice. The occupation of Palestine is an old topic, but therefore
more urgent than ever before. That's why we can't wait to show ACTORS OF
RESISTANCE to the world.
As
Ahmad Rokh, actor from the Freedom Theater said, “We are in a time
of need for somebody to listen to us - someone that sits down and
listens carefully. Because for the last 65 years we are speaking out
without anybody listening.“
HELP
US OUT TO SPREAD THEIR VOICES.
-
Matthias Monroy, director and supporter of ACTORS OF RESISTANCE
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THE FREEDOM BUS - Playback theatre in Jaba' in the occupied West Bank
WHAT
WE NEED
Based
on our experiences of the first production period in 2013 we calculated
expenses to the tune of 23.000 € / 31.500 USD for another three months filming in Palestine:
The biggest part of the funds will be used for board and lodging of the film team. We calculated an amount of at least 7.000 € for the four persons of our film team.
We want to emphasize our will to reward all the brilliant actors, musicians, camera-(wo)men, translators and other creative contributers. 6.000 € of the collected funds are budgeted for them.
About 4.000 € will be used to buy or rent new & better equipment.
Another 3.500 € will be spent for the film team's and actors' transportation during the 3-month-production period.
Also we calculated a total of 2.500 € for necessary material for the production of the movie's fictional shots, the creative core of our work.
We are thankful for every small donation and we'll use 100% of the raised funds for the movie production. Help us to make this movie happen!
OTHER WAYS TO DONATE
Supporters from within Europe can alternatively use the new SEPA-system to donate directly without using Paypal. Check our homepage at: http://www.actorsofresistance.com/support/
OTHER
WAYS YOU CAN HELP
Not
everyone has money to support film productions. You can also help by sharing
this link with your friends, family and colleagues. Also posting it
on Facebook and Twitter is much appreciated! We thank you for every
contribution according to your capabilities!
Thank
you for your support!
The
ACTORS OF RESISTANCE film team
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Filming in the Aida Refugee Camp (pictury by Kelly Lynn).
If
you are interested in supporting the film on a larger scale, even after
the end of the Indiegogo campaign, get in touch with us at
film@actorsofresistance.com.
Or message us on Indiegogo, Facebook, Twitter or the official movie
homepage.
Find
ACTORS
OF RESISTANCE
online:
Facebook
– Facebook.com/actorsofresistancemovie
Twitter
– Twitter.com/AoR_Documentary
www.actorsofresistance.com
