Carleton Cinema Politica (CCP) presented American Radical, a film on Norman Finkelstein’s trials in life, just two weeks after his lecture at Carleton.
The documentary, directed by David Ridgen and Nicolas Rossier, was viewed in the Kailash Mital Theatre on Oct. 28.
The film crew followed Finkelstein as he went to Japan, West Bank, Canada and Lebanon to debate Israeli-Palestinian policies, the Holocaust industry and his denied tenure from DePaul University. The film shows a personal side to the scholar when he opens up about his childhood and his greatest influence, his mother, a Holocaust survivor. American Radical also featured several noted scholars whose opinions on him varied from praise to contempt.
Dax D’Orazio, a co-organizer of CCP, said the group selected the film because it was appropriate with the recent visit by the scholar himself.
Finkelstein came to Carleton on Oct. 14 to discuss what was preventing peace to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Finkelstein is a controversial scholar and author who wrote six books related to the Holocaust, Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian policies. He has caused a stir with his radical ideas, including the Holocaust Industry a book where he argues certain Jewish people exploit the Holocaust for financial and political gains.
“I think Finkelstein is a very polarizing figure, but he has a lot of great things to say. The filmmakers said he is the perfect person to do a biographical film because he is hated and loved,” D’Orazio said.
Zena Taleb, 20, a student who viewed the documentary said, “It’s very interesting to see in the film, in each interview, how he’s consistent. He’s consistent with his opinions and his research, he’s never seemed shaky. He knows what he wants and that’s what I really liked.”
CCP chooses from an array of films to screen every second Wednesday. The funding comes from Carleton University Students’ Association and Ontario Public Interest Research Group. Viewers don’t have to pay per movie, but can give donations if they like.
D’Orazio said the club is in its second year and has more than 400 members on the e-mail list.
CCP originally started at Concordia University in Montreal, but it grew to include more than 40 chapters across Canada.
D’Orazio said the main purpose of Cinema Politica is to bring Canadian filmmakers, independent media and political arts to the forefront.
“The most fruitful part of this is after the film screening, where we all can discuss it, and challenge our minds,” D’Orazio said.
D’Orazio said he believes the increasing interest in Israeli-Palestinian conflict and policies by students stem from the poster controversy for Israeli Apartheid Week last year at Carleton and the Israeli-Gaza conflict in December 2008.
“The conflict [in Gaza 2008] shows the real lack of accountability in general and the massacre of Gazans really catalyzed a lot support from people who were so utterly disgusted with that situation,” D’Orazio said.