He makes critical political films that side with the dispossessed, the unrepresented and the other. Read an article about the film in the economist here. Today, about six thousand of the these books can be found on the shelves of the. Brunners film the great book robbery is the latest in a line of. For the weeks of august 27 and september 3, salaam shalom. The great book robbery tells the story of 70,000 palestinian books that were looted by the newly created state of israel in.
Find movie and film cast and crew information for the great book robbery 2012 benny brunner on allmovie. The great book robbery sheds new light on the palestinian tragedy of 1948, also known as the nakba or catastrophe, when some 725,000 palestinians were dispossessed to make way for a jewishmajority israeli state. Next month, benny brunner will bring his film, the great book robbery, to the u. New documentary reveals looting of 70,000 palestinian books during israels creation may 7th, 2012 the great book robbery, a new film from director benny brunner that tells the story of the looting of 70,000 palestinian books during the creation of the state. Benny brunner, the amsterdambased israeli director, said it took him five years to get the film made. Watch a film that tells the story of israels systematic looting of tens of thousands of books and other cultural treasures during the nakba, the 1948 expulsion of the palestinian people. Brunner s film the great book robbery is the latest in a line of documentaries in which he challenges the zionist narrative, a narrative he sees as dangerous and counterproductive. The great book robbery and the fate of palestines private. Report on palestineisrael will air the great book robbery, a fim by benny. While shooting state of suspension in 2008, brunner stated that he.
Preserving or looting palestinian books in jerusalem. The great book robbery s other primary objective is education. The great book robbery, israels 1948 looting of palestines. The story of 70,000 palestinian books that were looted by the newly created state of israel in 1948. Tufts sjp kicked off its semester with a film screening of the great book robbery, directed by the israelidutch filmmaker benny brunner. Find out what movies jim gaffigan, linda hamilton, and more are watching during the holidays. Was the appropriation of palestinian books and manuscripts in 1948 a case of cultural theft or. Filmmaker benny brunner will join us through video conferencing to respond to audience questions following this screening.
The great book robbery 2012 benny brunner cast and. A new documentary on one aspect palestinian dispossession will air soon on aljazeera english. It vividly chronicles the largescale cultural pillage and dispossession of palestinian literary archives. The film interweaves various story lines into a structure that is both dramatically compelling and emotionally unsettling. The great book robbery boston palestine film festival. The great book robbery, directed by israelidutch filmmaker benny brunner, tells about a little known but shocking element of the 1948 arabisraeli war, when israeli forces went through villages and towns which previously formed part of the british mandate of palestine and, as of 15 may 1948, were now officially part of the newly created. The great book robbery trailer from benny brunner on vimeo. Filmmaker benny brunner, discussed his new film the great book robbery, explained how the palestinian rare books were lost during the formation of israel, how his film undercuts the myths surrounding the founding of the state of israel, why we need to acknowledge that the palestinians had a thriving culture, why recognizing the real history will help everyone and what benny hopes his film will.
The matter of the great book robbery it sounds rather like a caper. But books, as the argentine writer jorge luis borges illustrated so well in his stories, almost literally contain the world. The great book robbery 2012 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The concepts were vaguely familiar but i lacked all context. Directed by benny brunner, a dutchisraeli immigrant and selfdescribed former zionist, the film left the 40 or so attendees in awe. The story of 70,000 palestinian books that were looted by the.
The great book robbery due to covid19, the little is temporarily closed. After some selfeducating and a lucky discover of the great book robbery on facebook, today i am proud to serve as the communication manager for this project with benny brunner. When benny brunner, a dutchisraeli filmmaker, discovered this hidden. A dutchisraeli filmmaker, brunner has been writing, directing, and producing documentary films internationally since the early 1990s. Was the appropriation of palestinian books and manuscripts in 1948 a case of cultural theft or preservation. Israelidutch filmmaker benny brunner, a member of the great book robbery s staff who is based in amsterdam, has made a documentary titled the great book robbery, which recounts the looting of palestinian books. In the intervening years, israel has constructed a moralistic and. The israelipalestinian conflict, jewish and modern israeli history, and inspiring individuals are the subject matters of his films. The great book robbery, israels 1948 looting of palestines cultural heritage.
Farewell mansion of wisdom, temple of philosophers, institute of science, council house of literature. When the arabisraeli war raged in 1948, librarians from israels national library followed soldiers as they entered. The great book robbery watch here, a documentary that recently screened on a number of us college campuses, is the. The great book robbery was produced and directed by benny brunner, 2911 foundation, and xela films in association with aljazeera english. For more gift ideas, check out imdb s holiday gift guide, curated with the entertainment lover in mind watch now. The great book robbery by benny brunner expands on jacirs explorations. Report on palestineisrael will air the great book robbery, a fim by benny brunner it comes to us courtesy of the al jazeeras news magazine witness.
Sjp hosts director benny brunner and his film the great. The great book robbery watch here, a documentary that recently screened on a number of us college campuses, is the latest attempt by antiisrael groups to rewrite and recast the historical events of 1948 in the film, israelidutch director benny brunner purports to reconstruct how 70,000 palestinian books were systematically taken by the newborn state of israel during the 1948 war as. But, we do have some great prerecorded interviews for you. At the resource center for nonviolence, 612 ocean st. There were people who knew about it, but life goes on and the whole issue sank into oblivion, says benny brunner, director of the film the great book robbery, which will premiere locally at. The historical revisionism of the great book robbery. It has shown thus far to israeli and palestinian audiences, as well as on aljazeera, to impassioned responses. Join us sunday, october 21st, 6 pm at the resource center for nonviolence community room for a potluck and screening of the great book robbery, a film by benny brunner. Brunner sides with the dispossessed, unrepresented, and the other. The great book robbery is a cultural heritage documentary film that was broadcast and screened internationally.
The great book robbery, a 2012 documentary about the looting of some 70,000 books from private palestinian libraries during the 1948 war. The great book robbery a film by benny brunner news o. Filmmaker benny brunner, discussed his new film the great book robbery, explained how the palestinian rare books were lost during the formation of israel, how his film undercuts the myths surrounding the founding of the state of israel, why we need to acknowledge that the palestinians had a thriving culture, why recognizing the real history. The great book robbery witness palestine film festival. When the arabisraeli war raged in 1948, librarians from israels national library followed soldiers as they entered palestinian homes in towns and villages. The film, which is finished and currently undergoing editing, will. Report on palestineisrael will air the great book robbery, a fim by benny brunner it comes t. Join members of librarians and archivists to palestine for a screening and discussion of the great book robbery, a documentary about the looting of 70,000 books from private palestinian libraries during the 1948 war, directed by benny brunner this screening is part of israeli apartheid weekiaw, an international series of events that seeks to raise awareness about israels apartheid. Since the late 1980s, brunner has written, directed and produced films about the history of the israelipalestinian conflict including the concrete curtain, it is no dream, alnakba and the great book robbery. The three shared a common appreciation of the projects. Wellknown in his field, brunner has directed films covering a range of topics, including the influence of the holocaust in contemporary israel, as well as alnakba.
Palestines great book robbery guernica guernica magazine. The books have been there for 64 years, a living testimony to a painful historic affair. Farewell mansion of wisdom, temple of philosophers, institute of. He has been writing, directing, and producing documentary films internationally since the early 1990s. The great book robbery a film by benny brunner on vimeo. The great palestinian book robbery w benny brunner duration. Today i studied maps of israelpalestine and read some history of the conflict for the first time. The great book robbery, israels 1948 looting of palestines cultural heritage ali abunimah may 2012 on may 15, palestinians mark the anniversary of the nakba, the systematic expulsion of the palestinian people by zionist militias that. The great book robbery explores the looting of 70,000 palestinian books during the 1948 war by the newly.
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