Twin Cities Arab Film Festival 2023

R 21 aka Restoring Solidarity & Tokyo Reels

Expired October 2, 2023 5:00 AM
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From the 1960s to the 1980s, many radical left-wing movements across the globe aligned with the growing struggle for Palestinian self-determination, and these movements inspired filmmakers in Europe, Japan, and the SWANA region. Recently, a cache of 20 films made in this era were discovered in Tokyo and dubbed the "Tokyo Reels." R 21 is the 21st reel, and in it, filmmaker Mohannad Yacoubi and his team edit together various scenes from this incredibly diverse archive, which detail and engage with different aspects of the Palestinian liberation struggle. In addition to R 21's overview and detailed account of the restoration process, this film segment includes three of our favorite films from the Tokyo Reels collection.

 In the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, many radical left-wing movements across the globe aligned with the growing struggle for Palestinian self-determination, including movements in countries such as Japan, with filmmakers taking up the cause. R 21 cuts together a cache of archival films about various aspects of the Palestinian liberation movements that were found in Tokyo and therefore dubbed the “Tokyo Reels.” Stylistically, the films vary widely. R21 includes edited-together footage from these archival films––interviews with PLO leaders, documentary impressions of life in refugee camps, experimental films, and instructional films for tourism purposes––with scenes of the film restoration process itself. Mohanad Yaqubi has drawn on this material to create a film that might be seen as a conclusion or epilogue. He shows how two very different people can feel connected through images. He raises vital questions: Where is the line between support and propaganda? And to what extent can a local struggle be translated internationally?

  • Year
    2022
  • Runtime
    71 minutes
  • Language
    Arabic, English, Japanese
  • Country
    Palestine, Belgium, Qatar
  • Subtitle Language
    English
  • Director
    Mohanad Yaqubi
  • Screenwriter
    Mohanad Yaqubi, Rami El Nihawi, Lisa Spillieart
  • Producer
    Sami Said, Vincent Stroep
  • Cinematographer
    Casey Asprooth-Jackson
  • Editor
    Rami El Nihawi