Jean-Luc Godard “To Come or not to Come” to Israel

A story can always begin with a citation “From the Press”
Here is the first citation from the Jerusalem Post:
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Jean-Luc Godard coming to Israel May 25, 2008
..”Fabled director and film theorist Jean-Luc Godard is coming to Israel for the 12th International Student Film Festival. He is attending as “a private citizen and eternal film student,” according to a statement by Godard. He will hold a talk with students at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque on June 4. “….see here.
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Here is a second citation from the YNETnews:
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Godard pulls out of Israeli film festival 06.01.08,
…”Event official says celebrated French-Swiss movie maker ‘seems to have succumbed to pressure from pro-Palestinian groups who launched a campaign for people to boycott Jewish state’ “
…” ‘The cult film director had been due to arrive on Sunday but said he would not be attending for “reasons beyond his control,’ Morane Tal said.”
…”Although Godard did not define the cancellation as “political”, he chose to say he was calling off his ‘tour of Palestine, “. see more.
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Well J.L. Godard, as a good movie director himself, should be asked a commissary Maigret question:  “What did change your mind, between May 25, 2008 16:33 and June 1, 2008 07:38, that caused you to pull out of the Israeli film festival”.
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One possible commissary Maigret  answer could be, what Godard said to Morane Tal “He would not be attending for ‘reasons beyond his control’ “.
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So a second question commissary Maigret could be  ask is ” Why did you lose control?”  A possible commissary Maigret  answer is “perhaps are you afraid of something, causing you to change your “Visit to Israel” into a cancellation of your “Tour In Palestine”. Commissary Maigret certainly will pay attention to the Freudian slip of “Visit to Israel” to “Tour In Palestine”.
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Now, commissary Maigret may find it perplexing that the great film theorist J.L. Godard, before canceling his visit or tour to Israel or Palestine, whatsoever, did not read the ‘Jerusalem Post’ article:
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“Palestinian industry of lies”…”Media manipulation has become strategic Arab weapon against Israel” and find out, I quote, …”A French court has acquitted Philippe Karsenty of libel charges over his claim that TV network France 2’s news report from the Netzarim junction in September 2000 was staged.”…” The revelations of the deceit in the al-Dura affair are a result of intense work by physicist Nahum Shahaf. He was followed by many good people from academia and the world of journalism who exposed the methods used by the Palestinian industry of lies to produce images that are etched in the collective memory via global media. This was succinctly defined by American Professor Richard Landes as “Pallywood.” see more.
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I presume that J.L. Godard has faith in the french justice that acquitted Phillipe Karsenty , and I presume that, as a fabled director, he knows how to identify staged news.
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So, quoting the open letter the Palestinians addressed to him on 25 May :
” —Palestinian artists were devastated to learn that you shall visit Israel….to participate in a film festival in Tel Aviv [1], despite Israel’s decades-old colonial and racist policies against the indigenous people of Palestine. Your visit, particularly at this time of intensified Israeli war crimes in Gaza, can only help Israel’s incessant public relations efforts in covering up its persistent violation of international humanitarian law and universal human rights. Taking part in this festival is not art separated from politics, as if it can be; rather, it is a crude politicization of art, allowing it to become complicit.”..etc..etc,
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Perhaps this open Palestinian letter to J.L. Godard contains many staged words as an integral part of the Palestine Industry of Lies? See more.
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What would be the conclusion of commissary Maigret about J.L. Godard’s motivation ?
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4 Replies to “Jean-Luc Godard “To Come or not to Come” to Israel”

  2. A cowardlly act on behalf of the great film director and let us reflect for a minute who truelly benefits from forighn influnces coming to visit israel and conect it;s people to the outside world.
    ahm…I say we shall invite the great artist to a confrence of all the fanatics jews as well as arabs because they shoukd honir him for his own private contribution to their policies of narrow minded hatefull cowardlly like solutions.
    and I say that even when (the majority in israel) and the palestiniens will celebrate the establishment of a palestinien state he should be left out of the celebrations.
    and no, I’m not a fan of either sides in particular,eventhough I’m an israeli or of Godard’s film, but I’m a fan of “educating” the masses through good deeds and not by actions that only give more “reason” to those who wish the state of israel to seek it’s influeces only from their interpertion of the bible and nothing but that interpertation.

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  3. being a fan of Godard and of cinema, and knowing a little piece about Godard’s personality (as throuh interviews and his cinema) I can understand why he chose to bow out of the Tel Aviv film festival.
    but I see no reason in debating why he did it or why he should not have acted as he did.
    I think politics and religion although both have good intentions are bullshit pretentions.
    The cruel irony here is that people need something to believe in. Politics as a form of rationale, and religion one of faith and dedication.
    but when both are mixed, it is like a fireworks show of hate.

    People should try and discover themselves, not through religion and politics but through art and life.
    it may sound fantastical and light-minded but its the only thing that has not yet been attempted.

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  4. Hi Dean,
    There is no argument about his stature as a great film director.The point is that after he confirmed his particiption at the Tel Avil film festival he decided, for his own reasons, to break his confirmation..

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