babble Hot Docs ticket giveaway
April 29, 2011 - 3:18pm
rabble.ca is giving away some tickets to Toronto's Hot Docs festival. N.B. They have not yet stated if they will respect the Cultural Boycott of Israel, but they have recently partnered with the Israeli organization CoPro Documentary Marketing Foundation.
Hot Docs is in Toronto April 28-May 8, and this year's festival of documentary film features more than 199 documentaries from 43 countries. See the full festival listing here: http://www.hotdocs.ca
We have tickets for babblers to win! Choose from either: The May 7 showing of Guantanamo Trap "Follow four lives forever changed by the infamous U.S. detention camp, and witness the scars that remain as democratic values fade. Torture in its many insidious forms is described by perpetrators, whistleblowers, victims and their defenders." http://www.hotdocs.ca/film/title/guantanamo_trap_the or The Wednesday, May 4 showing of Better this World " In this provocative study of post 9/11 paranoia, two earnest childhood friends seek to impress a revolutionary-activist-turned-FBI-informant. Homemade bombs lead to domestic terrorism charges, culminating in a controversial entrapment defense. " (4:15 PM, May 4 at the Cumberland) http://www.hotdocs.ca//film/title/better_this_world Here's how the giveaway works: be the first to write in to business@rabble.ca with the title of the film you want to see, and "babble" in the subject line, and a pair of tickets will be yours!
Apparently, at least to Rabble, and babblers who write in for the tickets, it doesn't make one bloody bit of difference if Hot Docs does or does not respect the wish of Palestinian civil society, business, including these ticket promotions, would appear to continue completely as normal. This is the prototypical Canadian position - acknowledge there is a boycott, then ignore it, as per Margaret Atwood, Atom Egoyan, etc.
I'm so conflicted about this, because I have absolutely no entertainment budget whatsoever so this is a golden opportunity to get out of the house and enjoy myself. But then, yeah. If the HotDocs film festival can't smarten up and respect the BDS campaign - you know, damper.
Perhaps, with respect to the BDS campaign, rabble could, somehow, offer to host a different documentary screening to compensate for this? It wouldn't get the pull of HotDocs, but it would give progressives who respect the BDS campaign an opportunity to get together and enjoy a good flick?
NDPP, you're right. We should have been stronger on this. I'll bring it up at the next editorial meeting. Thanks for keeping our toes to the fire.
PB: I think your suggestion sounds good too, but we need people to run these kind of events (for free). Is this something you'd like to organize?
To follow up on the point NDPP brought up, neither CAIA nor BDS called for a boycott of HotDocs. It called for a letter-writing campaign, which rabble helped circulate. Of course any further action is your prerogative, but it is separate from the BDS campiagn's requests.
PB: I think your suggestion sounds good too, but we need people to run these kind of events (for free). Is this something you'd like to organize?
I would love to help with organizational things - however, I have very little experience and a lack of funds necessary to go west towards Toronto. 16 bucks round trip + TTC? Ouch! And I usually walk from Union wherever I need to go.