Several of Hollywood's biggest names are coming out in support of Julian Schnabel's controversial new film "Miral," with quotes from Johnny Depp and Javier Bardem featured in a new ad for the film in the Los Angeles Times.
Schnabel wades into the ever-simmering Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his new film, "Miral"; based on the semi-autobiographical book by Rula Jebreal, "Miral," a new Weinstein Company release, tells the story of an orphaned Palestinian girl (Freida Pinto of "Slumdog Millionaire") who finds herself thrust into the ethnic and political conflict once she leaves her safe orphanage. A number of Jewish groups have protested against the film, including asking the UN not to show it at a recent screening.
Their sentiment is not shared by a number of other Jewish groups, or by many in both the film and political studies worlds.
“Julian Schnabel’s film is a unique and courageous glimpse into one woman’s painful journey. It is an epic poem teetering on the edge of a dagger. See it and decide for yourself,” Depp says, focusing on the personal aspect of the story.
Oscar winner Javier Bardem is also quoted on the poster, saying, “THE BEAUTY of Julian Schnabel, he creates art that inspires discussion for World leaders and also touches the rest of us mere mortals on a very HUMAN and primitive level.”
In quotes exclusive to The Huffington Post, academics and other actors praised the film for its tackling of the greater political conflict.
“Schnabel’s 'Miral' is a resolute act of truth and reconciliation, a visual pilgrimage—to Palestine, to find peace in the forgiving landscape of an unforgiving history that must one day overcome itself," says Hamid Dabashi, Professor of Iranian Studies & Comparative Literature, at Columbia University. This is more than a film. This is the overcoming of a psychological barrier—for a filmmaker to bring two bereaved peoples finally together.”
Similarly, Sir Norman Rosenthal, former Head of Exhibitions at the Royal Academy, also spoke to its importance in an ever burning discussion. “'Miral' is a beautiful, compelling, imaginative exercise in film as well as a significant contribution to the discussion of one of the burning issues of our time.”
Filmmaker Schnabel wrote about the film for The Huffington Post, writing, "The heart of this story is all about the lasting impact of education and the journey of a relatable main character, who tries on several different approaches to solve the problems in her life, including violence, but in the end, falls back on the ideals she learned as a child. This is, in my humble opinion, an exemplary message for our time, especially for young people -- whether they live in Brooklyn, Jerusalem, or anywhere in between."
By Kate Midena
Bali's waste problem is clear in this image taken on April 7 2011, on popular Kuta beach. Picture: AFP / Sonny Tumbelaka
More rubbish heaps on Kuta beach. Picture: AFP / Sonny Tumbelaka
ONE of Australia's favourite holiday destinations has been slammed as a sewage-ridden waste-ground that is "slowly committing suicide".
Bali tourism chiefs are reeling after Time magazine attacked the island's hygiene standards and claimed that the beaches were a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria.
Tourists had even been warned that swimming at Kuta Beach for more than 30 minutes could cause skin infections.
Under the headline "Holidays in Hell: Bali's Ongoing Woes", Time said that during monsoon season rivers flush sewage into the sea and the water "turns muddy with dead plankton".
"Water shortages, rolling blackouts, uncollected trash, overflowing sewage-treatment plants and traffic so bad that parts of the island resemble Indonesia's gridlocked capital Jakarta," the report says.
One local journalist told the magazine that "it's like Bali is slowly committing suicide".
Bali tourism chief Ida Bagus Subhiksu admitted the island had a waste problem but claimed that much of the rubbish on the beaches was from other islands.
He told AFP that up to 300 garbage trucks a day collected rubbish in Kuta.
"In Kuta, there will be more garbage trucks designated for the area as extra funding for waste management there has been approved," he said.
Despite the growing concerns over Bali's cleanliness, visitor numbers are growing – AFP
reports that 2.3 million foreign tourists came last year and 2.5 million are expected this year.
Whoops! The actress holds on to her jacket after she loses a button. Picture: Snapper Media
Longoria's divorce from basketballer Tony Parker was finalised earlier this year. Picture: File
DESPERATE Housewives star Eva Longoria gave late-night talk show host David Letterman an eyeful when her jacket popped open.
The actress was on the show to spruik her new cookbook, Eva’s Kitchen: Cooking With Love For Family & Friends, but it was her barely-there ensemble that has made the headlines.
Hitting the stage to talk up her new project, Longoria’s choice of hot pants and a jacket with no shirt prompted the comedian to quip: "That’s only part of a tuxedo.”
But things took a racier turn when a button gave way on Longoria’s midnight blue jacket.
Crossing her arms to keep things covered, Letterman, joked: "Oh lord, we’re going to lose our liquor licence."
"Meghalaya has the highest fertility rate in the country," states the latest census report for the state which was released by deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh here on Thursday.
"The sex ratio in East Khasi and Jaintia Hills is above the state average. In the rest of the districts, it is below," director of Census Operations (Meghalaya) KL Tariang sai. The latest census has revealed that the population of the state now stands at 2,964,007 1,492,668 females and 1,471339 males with a decadal growth rate of 27.82.
While East Khasi Hills has 413,699 females against 410,360 males, the corresponding figures for West Khasi Hills are 190,973 and 194628; West Garo Hills 318,023 and 324,900; East Garo Hills 156,246 and 161,372; South Garo Hills 69,252 and 73,322; Ri Bhoi 125,935 and 132,445 and Jaintia Hills 197,211 and 195,641.
"Sex ratio in Meghalaya was either higher or equal to male per thousand. From 1931, it had been slowing down until it started rising progressively from 1971. It reached 986 in 2011. By and large, Meghalaya has not been a gender critical state during the last 11 decades," the report notes.
The highest density of population is in East Khasi Hills with 292 persons per sq km and the least in West Khasi Hills with only 73 persons per sq km. Only East Khasi Hills and West Garo Hills have a density of population above the state average. In the rest of the districts, the density is below the state average. In South Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills, it is in two digits only.
Child population in the 0-6 age group has been found at 555,822 out a total population of 29,64,007, while the state's literacy rate has touched 75.48 per cent from 62.56 per cent in 2001. While male literacy has jumped to 77.17 per cent in 2011 from 65.43 per cent in 2001, the increase rate is from 59.61 per cent to 73.78 per cent among females. East Khasi Hills has the highest female literacy at 84.15 per cent and West Garo Hills has the lowest at 63.34 per cent. The literacy rate is also highest in East Khasi hill at 85.26 per cent, while it's lowest in Jaintia Hills.
ULFA head says all energies are focused on making peace happen in Assam this time
By Ratnadip Choudhury
Guwahati, Apr 8 : In the din of the assembly election, a significant event has got lost. The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), a banned outfit, held its 32nd Raising Day in the open in Assam. On the sidelines of the event, ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, who is in talks with New Delhi, spoke with Tehelka. Edited excerpts of the interview:
After ULFA was raised on 7 April 1979, this is the first time the outfit is organising its raising day event in the open in Assam, given that it is still banned. How come?
Well, we have held the Raising Day on several occasions inside Assam. We have also done it in Bhutan and Bangladesh and where ever we had public support. It is a great moment today that we were able to organise the event with so many people. This has been possible because we have started the peace process and, right now, plenty of old memories are flashing in my mind.
The next round of peace talks will begin after the Assam election. You are preparing your charter of demands. How do you see the prospects?
Had we not been hopeful and confident, we would have never taken a step further for peace talks. The government of India has assured us that it is very serious about arriving at an honourable and acceptable solution to the Assam conflict. We have fought for three decades. Now, the government of India has to keep its words. We have taken the initiative and we stand by our commitment. ULFA stands committed to the talks. It is a collective decision.
The ULFA is a divided between the anti- and pro-talks factions led by Paresh Baruah and you respectively How does it help the peace process?
There are no factions in ULFA. The ULFA’s decision to hold peace talks is a collective decision of the organisation taken by the Central Executive Council and the General Council and not by individual, whether Arabinda Rajkhowa or Paresh Baruah. The media is also to be blamed for wrongly portraying this. Baruah is still our Commander-in-Chief and he has never directly opposed the peace process.
Does the blast in the Congress office not indicate that Baruah’s men are opposing peace moves?
Again, I say that the peace process is a collective decision and ULFA is committed to it. The resolution has been passed according to the constitution of ULFA. Beyond it, if anyone is getting involved in anything, that should not be seen as an ULFA decision because it does not have the approval of an organisation. Our organisation does not intend to hurt peace talks when the political process of arriving to a solution has just started. I am also concerned because any act that does not have support from the organisation can have an obvious impact on the peace process.
After all these years, you say you have understood that armed movement is not a solution and that the ULFA is looking forward to a political solution of the Assam conflict. So, do you regret 30 years of bloodshed?
When I say that we are looking forward to a political solution, this is not my personal opinion, it is the opinion of the organisation. The ULFA has been contemplating this for a long time. In the past too, we thought of a peace initiative and negotiations. So, it is not a new thought. There was enough reason to take up arms so we don’t regret it. It was justified at that point of time. I do agree that we have committed mistakes in the armed movement and, at times, weapons have been misused.
Is an armed movement a future option if you think New Delhi has not delivered?
Ideally, we should not get back to armed movement. But, only time will tell. If the government of India does not deliver on its assurance, we will go back to the people of Assam and ask them to lead us. We fought for 30 years for the rights of the people of Assam and their wish is supreme.
Has anything changed from the time the movement started?
Political dynamics and social arrangements change with time and it has been three long decades. The conflict still remains and thus we are vocal. We see our resources still being exploited and our people neglected and alienated. This needs to stop.
How important are ULFA General Secretary Anup Chetia and Paresh Baruah for taking the peace initiative further?
They hold key positions in ULFA and are important. We have said earlier that a situation must be created for the extradition of Anup Chetia. This can further the talks. To the best of my knowledge, Baruah has not said he is against the peace talks. We welcome him but only he can explain how he can contribute. We have tried to explain our views clearly to him.
Source: Tehelka
