MIDDLE EAST NEWS ON CULTURE AND POLITICS – A PROJECT BY CATHERINE DAVID JOURNAL-MIDDLE EAST NEWS (pdf) 20 and 21 January 2006 / from 7pm / HAU 1,2 and 3 Ticket for one day, valid for all performances, 15€, reduced 10€ This new issue of the “Thematic Weekends” in HAU brings together a wide range of authors from the Middle East. In the three venues, a temporary forum will be staged that invites the word (in lectures and discussions) and the image (in videos, films, and slide shows), but also places a strong accent on the work of a few performing artists (in theater and concerts). Conceptually, the point of the event cannot be to provide a comprehensive overview of current cultural production in the various countries of an extremely contrast-rich and multifarious region. Rather, the aim is to trace several levels of reflection, taking the artists’ works as a starting point, with an eye to the discourses of the recent and more distant past. The dramatic current situation (with the Iraq War and the unsolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict) must not mislead us into grasping for the simplifying explanations (Islamism, Terrorism) to which the media like to take recourse. On the contrary, we must demand more precision and accuracy in information and analysis. Speaking at our forum will be experts on the societies, cultures, and political problems of this region who will engage in dialog with filmmakers and photographers who document the developments and ruptures in the region forthrightly and exactly, moreover, with other cultural producers who deliver a realistic, present-oriented, and powerful driving force for critical, high-level reflections. Other discussants and actors are the “culture smugglers” and activists who work to make contemporary productions from the region better known and distributed. Catherine David is Fellow of the Bundeskulturstiftung at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin. MIDDLE EAST NEWS – a project in cooperation with the KW Institute for Contemporary Art, supported by bpb – Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung and Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin ©Yto Barrada HAU 1 Fri, 20/01 Catherine David, Paris Esthetics and Politics - Introduction to the Middle East Project 7pm Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige, Beirut Ashes (26 Min, 2003). Film 8pm Fred Halliday, London Lecture 8.30pm Loretta Napoleoni, London Insurgent Iraq - Al Zarqawi and the new generation. Lecture 9.30pm Fred Halliday, Omar Amiralay, Loretta Napoleoni. Discussion 10.30pm Ayreen Anastas, Bethlehem/New York Pasolini Pa* Palestine (51 Min, 2005). Film 11.30pm All programmes with German translation Sat, 21/01 Navid Kermani, Cologne Lecture 7.30pm Navid Kermani, Bahman Kiarostami, Bahman Jalali. Discussion 8.30pm Ali Cherri, Beirut Un cercle Autour du Soleil (15 Min, 2005). Film 9.30pm Pierre Abi Saab, Beirut Presentation of Zawaya magazine. Lecture 10pm Maher Abi Samra, Beirut/Paris Rond-Point Chatil (52 Min, 2004). Film 11pm All programmes with German translation HAU 2 Fri, 20/01 Omar Amiralay, Damaskus A Flood in Baath Country (46 Min, 2004). Film 8pm On a day of Ordinary Violence (48 Min, 1996). Film 9pm There are so many things still to say (46 Min, 1997). Film 10pm All films with German translation Kamilya Jubran & Werner Hasler, Akka & Bern „Wameedd“. Concert 11.30pm Sat, 21/01 Bahman Kiarostami, Teheran Shabih Khani (52 Min, 2005). Film 7pm Pilgrimage (52 Min, 2004). Film 8pm Nassim Amaouche, Paris Quelques miettes pour les oiseaux (20 Min, 2005). Film 9pm Samir, Baghdad/Zürich Forget Baghdad (111 Min, 2002). Film 9.30pm All films with German translation Soap Kills, Beirut/Paris Concert 11.30pm HAU 3 Fr, 20/01 Rabih Mroué, Beirut Looking for a missing employee Performance (100 min) 8pm with German surtitles Sa, 21/01 Rabih Mroué, Beirut Looking for a missing employee Performance (100 min) 7.30pm and 10pm with German surtitles