Back in de 'Dam

IDFA is the biggest documentary festival in Europe and I was happy to be able to make it along there this year being only a chicken’s hop away in Ireland.
Filmmaking is a pretty lonely occupation (well my end of it anyway). Despite the glamourous connotations I find I spend most of my time writing neverending boring funding proposals.
What a joy it is then to be stuck in a foreign city with nothing to do but watch films and talk until the wee hours with fellow filmmakers from all over the planet. I ended up at a party on a houseboat hosted by a Chinese and a Canadian and had drunken conversations with Israelis, Iraqis, Chileans, Yanks, Poms, Kenyans and Dutchmen.
If festivals are meant to inspire you then this was a great festival cos I got well inspired.
The hit of the festival for me was Nitzan Gilady’s “Jerusalem is proud to present”which documented the opposition to the Gay Pride march which was scheduled to take place in Jerusalem in 2006. For the first time ever Jews, Muslims and Christians were united in Jerusalem. Okay so they were united in their opposition to the Queers but for an eternal optimist like myself I chose to see the positive in this comi-tragic situation and celebrate the fact that even these trenchant enemies could find common ground.
A poignant moment in the film came when the Drag Queen from Ramallah was forced to leave the Middle East because the Hamas hardliners had discovered his secret. His final performance at the underground club was so touching. It made me think back to a dance club we put on in my home town of Drogheda in the early 80’s. Boys danced with girls and boys danced with boys and no-one gave damn. I don’t think we ever realized how transgressive we were.
Getting back to the film “ Jerusalem is proud to Present”, I still find it hilarious how organised religion can oppose those who love, while embracing those who fight. It was great to renew friendship with Nitzan (we last met in Sydney 5 or 6 years ago) and go for a drink with the Israelis.
Ps I don’t want to ruin the film for you but the Pride march went ahead in the end despite hate mail, threats and a multiple stabbing. There’s hope for us all yet!