Reel bad arabs

It was a long time ago I first posted Planet of the arabs to the blog - a short trailer-like presentation of how arabs are presented in hollywood films. When I met the guy who made it in Beirut I didn't know that it was based on a book called "Reel bad arabs"by Dr. Jack Shaheen. The title of the book is also the title of a documentary.

Ebbe the movie

Yesterday, on my way to Doc Lounge, I was on the phone with Chelsea in San Francisco. I told her I was on my way to see a documentary about Ebbe Carlsson. In the 80s his name spread like a rash all over the media. Ebbe caused the biggest scandal in modern swedish history. But it is totally weird to try to explain to someone who is not from here... and the fact that I hadn't had my tenth birthday when the whole thing happened doesn't make it easier... I told Chelsea he was chief of police or commisioner or something (as I remembered he was involved with the search for the person who murdered Olof Palme)... but the scandal was in fact that he wasn't. He was a book publisher with very good connections. This is like the best documentary I have seen in a really long time...sadly this trailer is only avaliable in swedish.

Betnér on Volvo

So this guy, Betnér is brilliant, here he delivers a good albeit painfull analysis of Volvo and government subsidis to the auto industry.

I.O.U.S.A.

So, what is up with US ecconomy? The documentary I.O.U.S.A. is a good atempt at explaining.

"To the U.S. economy what 'An Inconvenient Truth' was to the environment." – Reuters

Crowd sourcing... and more

Just read an article by Lance Weiler in Filmmaker magazine. The article is about crowd sourcing in the filmindustry and is called "WHEN THE AUDIENCE TAKES CONTROL" The article focuses on building an audience and lists 6 good tools for doing just that.

Interesting, yes but I believe there is something much bigger than free web-based communication tools to think about here.

...fan-based productions in the sci-fi genre is generally frowned upon and the people involved are treated badly...

- by the filmindustry (Lucasfilm seem more worried about the copyright infringement than about supporting their fans.)
- by the filmfestivals (as they can't charge an entry fee they won't show fan-productions)
- by the filmschools (who don't even mention them)
- by the critics and media (who rarely mention them)

...well, some of the fan-productions are really crap but, proffessional soccerplayers don't treat amateurs like crap and neither should the pro's in film. Based on the same idea I think the government should start investigating how to support amateur filmmakers. What I am talking about here is of course pro-ams.

Download and read the full report on Pro-ams from Demos: The pro-am revolution - How enthusiasts are changing our economy and society by Charles Leadbeater and Paul Miller.

Ush Ghrab

It is a long time since I last saw George. Today I got a video where he is interviewed about Ush Ghrab - a place outside Beit Sahour which was deserted by the Israeli military.

1968 Olympics

An interview with Tommie Smith and John Carlos was shown yesterday on Swedish national television.




Sports in general and the olympics has always been used as a political tool or platform.

...today the editorial of swedish tabloid Aftonbladet asks "Who has the courage 2008?". Yes, who and how? Maybe like Mohammed Abou Trieka after he scored Egypt’s second goal against Sudan in the African Nations Cup.

Abou Trieka pulled up his jersey over his head to reveal a message written on a T-shirt that read in English and Arabic: ‘Sympathize with Gaza’. Referee Codjia Coffi showed Aboutreika a yellow card.

Obamarama

Keynote by MAD

Old but funny.

Aching Heart - Det svider i hjärtat

Friday is the opening night for "Det svider i hjärtat" a documentary by Swedish film maker Oscar Hedin. LaikaFilm presents the film with the following text... (swedish

In 2005, Bosnian police raided a flat in Sarajevo, which was occupied by two suspected suicide bombers. Two young men were apprehended: Mirsad and Cesur, one from the small town of Kungälv outside Gothenburg, the other from the suburb Bröndby in Copenhagen. They had recorded a video with a farewell message. They were in possession of explosives and suicide belts. Both were sentenced to long-term imprisonment.

The media has approached this problem using simple generalisations and intellectual explanations. In filming the radical milieu for over three years, the documentary filmmaker Oscar Hedin entered a world behind the news headlines and found several young men who were seeking martyrdom - and he found new explanations.

Prussian Blue

Daniel just told me he had been watching a documentary about the nazi-equivalent of The Olsen twins. Just found a clip from it on You Tube. Don't miss it.

Yeikes!

The candidates issue by issue...

Security in Baghdad

Hometown Baghdad keeps rockin' n' Rollin. I really like the latest entry because it gives a citizens view on a couple of the most discussed issues when it commes to Iraq - security and how to (re)create it for the people of Iraq.



I like the entry because it made me put myself in Ausamas position... imagine having your house invaded by American Soldiers and then... a while later an American soldier walks up to you in your street asking: Is this a safe neighborhood? What would I say? And how would I feel about the security forces? I want to point out that these are not rethorical questions.

Obviously there are worse threats to Ausamas security and feeling of safety. He does say "They should be protecting us!" ...being who he is he sees them as people who should be protecting him. But he doubts it from experience.

I my mind there are very few clear answers on what is a good solution to the problems in Iraq. When Swedish peace-activists say they want the US forces to leave Iraq I get the feeling we have just inherited the American agenda... which primarily is concerned about protecting American soldiers. I would like to save lives too but if we want to do something good for the people of Iraq I am not sure that is the thing... at least not now. But these are just thoughts. As I said, I have no answers.