'Gandhi' in Arabic Screened in West Bank

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'Gandhi' in Arabic Screened in West Bank

 

Wed Apr 6, 3:59 PM ET Movies - AP

 

 

By RAVI NESSMAN, Associated Press Writer

 

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Actor Ben Kingsley and U.S. philanthropists

unveiled an Arabic version of the film "Gandhi" on Wednesday, hoping

to bring the legendary Indian revolutionary's message of nonviolent

resistance to Palestinian towns, villages and refugee camps.

 

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20050406/capt.jrl11804061426

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AP Photo

 

 

 

The release of the 1982 Academy Award winning film, dubbed into

Arabic by 129 Palestinian actors, comes at a key moment in the

Mideast conflict. Many Palestinians are exhausted after more than

four years of violence but say they have no intention of abandoning

their fight for an independent state.

 

 

"The message (of the movie) is fresh. People should and will be

affected by it," said Kamran Elahian, an Iranian-American businessman

who helped organize the effort.

 

 

But Palestinians who saw the film were skeptical about applying its

nonviolent message to their conflict with Israel.

 

 

The new version of the film is the centerpiece of the Gandhi Project,

which hopes to spread the philosophy of peace and tolerance

throughout the region.

 

 

The project, sponsored by the Skoll Foundation and the Global

Catalyst Foundation, two U.S.-based philanthropic organizations,

plans to offer free screenings throughout the West Bank and Gaza

Strip and to distribute DVD copies to local civic groups to show to

youth. The film also will be shown to Palestinians in Lebanon, Syria

and Jordan.

 

 

"Gandhi was an ordinary man who took it upon himself to change the

world, and telling his story is one way to get people to see the

Gandhi in themselves," said Jeff Skoll, chair of the Skoll

Foundation.

 

 

Kingsley, who played Gandhi in the movie, said its most important

message was the idea of Satyagraha, a Sanskrit word meaning "truth

force," the use of nonviolent resistance to open the eyes of the

oppressor.

 

 

"The force of truth is at the center of the controversy," he said.

 

 

Gandhi and his followers boycotted British products in India and

defied laws they considered unjust. Even when they were beaten for

their protests, they did not fight back.

 

 

Gandhi's campaign of disobedience was credited with helping win

India's independence in 1947. He was assassinated by a Hindu

nationalist in 1948.

 

 

Kingsley is only the latest Hollywood actor to get involved in

restarting Mideast peace efforts.

 

 

"Seinfeld" star Jason Alexander came here in support of the grass

roots "One Voice" peace initiative, and actor Richard Gere has been

touring the region in recent days appealing for peace and dialogue.

 

 

Though the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been saturated with

violence, "Gandhi" could find a newly receptive audience.

 

 

Relations between Palestinians and Israelis have warmed considerably

since the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in November. The

two sides declared a cease-fire, and violence has plunged in recent

weeks. A poll last month showed Palestinian support for suicide

bombings had plummeted to 29 percent from 77 percent in a poll last

year.

 

 

But it remains unclear how the film will be received.

 

 

Even many of the 300 people who attended the movie's Arabic premiere

Wednesday in the West Bank city of Ramallah were unconvinced. While

they respected Gandhi as a man who liberated his people, they were

not sure they were ready to adopt his tactics.

 

 

 

 

 

"There are too many differences," said Dea Opahi, a 21-year-old

man. "If we stopped resisting Israel, it would probably confiscate

all the land left to us."

 

"It's too late. Maybe if we had started earlier," said Khadga

Sharkouyi, a 75-year-old woman.

 

A few did believe it was time to try another way, especially in light

of the results of more than four years of fighting that killed 3,469

people on the Palestinian side and 1,032 on the Israeli side.

 

"For sure nonviolence is the best and Gandhi's experience is a good

example" Hassan Hussein, 17.

 

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On the Net: http://www.gandhiproject.org/