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Twenty
Palestine solidarity activists briefly interrupted the
screening of “The Invisible Men” at the Roxie
Theater on Saturday night to protest the San Francisco
LGBT International Film Festival’s relationship with
the Israeli government.
KC Price, Executive Director of Frameline, which
presents the annual festival, was introducing the film
when the group “mic-checked” him and presented
Frameline with an award for being the “Grand
Pinkwasher of 2012.”
The award
consisted of a giant pink sponge and a scroll, which
read:
“In recognition of Frameline’s
unwavering support of the Israeli government
“Its leadership in silencing queers
who want their film festival to stand up for the human
rights of Palestinians
“Its willingness to ignore the
international outcry against Israel’s attacks on
Lebanon, Gaza and the international freedom flotilla
“Its craven pursuit of funding from
corporate raiders and terrorist governments
“And its steadfast defiance of the
demand by Palestinian queers to stop partnering with the
Israeli Consulate
“Friends of Israel Apartheid hereby
honors FRAMELINE as
“GRAND PINKWASHER 2012
“And proudly presents you with the
FIRST ANNUAL PINK SPONGE AWARD”
Reaction from
the audience was mixed.
Some people erupted in applause when the
protesters revealed their “Stop Pinkwashing Israeli
Apartheid” t-shirts, and there was a hearty round of
applause when they finished reading the scroll.
An equally loud chorus of boos followed. (Audio)
Price and the
other Frameline officials present were quiet during the
reading of the scroll, but then ushers stepped in to
hustle the protesters out of the theater.
Filmmaker Yariv Mozer, whose appearance at the
festival was funded by the Israeli consulate, followed
the protesters out to argue about the value of the
cultural boycott. One
activist asked how he felt about the call of Palestinian
queer organizations for Frameline to end its
relationship with the consulate.
“I
disagree with it,” he responded.
“I am sponsored by the Israeli government.
I could not make films without the Israeli
government….I am helping Palestinians, risking jail to
help them….Israel is not some perfect pink society; we
have homophobia too….But what’s happening with
Israelis is that they still live in a society which is
somehow more liberal and democratic than what is
happening in the West Bank and Gaza.
These regimes that are controlling the West Bank
and Gaza are very primitive.”
Listen
to the discussion.
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