| United Nations Association of Greater Oklahoma City |
| United Nations Association of the United States of America Greater Oklahoma City Chapter P.O. Box 60856 Oklahoma City, OK 73146-0856 Contact Us |
| Visit our Human Rights Day webpage |
Check out our
DVD video
series, “What’s
Going On?” The
videos are
available FREE
through our
partnership with
the Metropolitan
Library System.
For teachers,
students, and
parents ... ...
www.una-okc.
org/videos
DVD video
series, “What’s
Going On?” The
videos are
available FREE
through our
partnership with
the Metropolitan
Library System.
For teachers,
students, and
parents ... ...
www.una-okc.
org/videos
| Updated Nov. 30, 2008 Webmaster |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| "The Syrian Bride" |
| International Human Rights Day is celebrated around the world each year on December 10th. You're invited to enjoy this free film showing in honor of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. |
Sunday, December 7th -- 3pm
in the Kerr-McGee Auditorium of the
Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma
City University, NW 27th & Blackwelder
in the Kerr-McGee Auditorium of the
Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma
City University, NW 27th & Blackwelder
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, you are
invited to a special showing of the award-winning
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, you are
invited to a special showing of the award-winning
movie, "The Syrian Bride."
Directed by Eran Riklis, the film tells the
story of Mona -- a young woman living on
the Golan Heights, now under Israeli
occupation. She is about to marry a
successful actor in Syria. To do so, she must
cross the demilitarized zone between Syria
and the Israeli-controlled Golan. Crossing of
the border is extremely rare as it is only
Directed by Eran Riklis, the film tells the
story of Mona -- a young woman living on
the Golan Heights, now under Israeli
occupation. She is about to marry a
successful actor in Syria. To do so, she must
cross the demilitarized zone between Syria
and the Israeli-controlled Golan. Crossing of
the border is extremely rare as it is only
| See a trailer of the film at the IMDB website ... Click Here. (The page will open in a new window). |
granted by both sides under special circumstances.
Classified both as a comedy and a drama, the movie deals with a traditional Druze
wedding and the troubles created for the young couple by a politically unresolved
situation. The movie's plot looks at the Arab-Israeli conflict through the story of a family
divided by political borders. It explores how their lives are
fractured by the region's harsh political realities.
The film's director, Eran Riklis, is an Israeli Jew born
in 1954. Mr. Riklis grew up in Israel, the US, and Brazil.
He studied cinema at Tel Aviv University and graduated
from the National Film School in Beaconsfield, England.
Married with two children, Riklis lives in Tel Aviv, but
regards himself not only as an Israeli but also as a world director.
Several years before making The Syrian Bride, Riklis, while shooting a documentary
titled "Borders" about Israel and its borders, says he was struck by an image -— a bride
caught in literal and figurative limbo between locations and cultures:
"It was one of those instances where the story takes control of you, and not the
other way around. The first lines I wrote in my synopsis were: 'Mona's wedding is
the saddest day of her life. She knows that once she crosses the border, she will
never be able to come back.' I read those two lines and thought, 'Ok, that's a
film.'"
wedding and the troubles created for the young couple by a politically unresolved
situation. The movie's plot looks at the Arab-Israeli conflict through the story of a family
divided by political borders. It explores how their lives are
fractured by the region's harsh political realities.
The film's director, Eran Riklis, is an Israeli Jew born
in 1954. Mr. Riklis grew up in Israel, the US, and Brazil.
He studied cinema at Tel Aviv University and graduated
from the National Film School in Beaconsfield, England.
Married with two children, Riklis lives in Tel Aviv, but
regards himself not only as an Israeli but also as a world director.
Several years before making The Syrian Bride, Riklis, while shooting a documentary
titled "Borders" about Israel and its borders, says he was struck by an image -— a bride
caught in literal and figurative limbo between locations and cultures:
"It was one of those instances where the story takes control of you, and not the
other way around. The first lines I wrote in my synopsis were: 'Mona's wedding is
the saddest day of her life. She knows that once she crosses the border, she will
never be able to come back.' I read those two lines and thought, 'Ok, that's a
film.'"
| Know Your Rights |
When asked why he chose to tell a story about the
little-known Druze community when there is such great
interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Riklis replied:
“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is obviously the heart
of the matter, but it is also very difficult to treat. Because
you are always competing with the news, there will
always be something on the news stronger than what
you’re doing. On the other hand, the story of the Druze in
the Golan Heights provided a good way to reflect on the
conflict.
"The film is specifically about the Druze and the
situation in the Golan Heights but, in effect, is about the
whole Israeli-Arab conflict and about situation in the
Middle East. It’s like going far away in order to get
closer. It was very convenient to go there and tell a story
in which there was no pressure. This is why audiences
have been more open-minded about the film. Since the
story is about the Druze, it neutralizes emotions stirred by
the bloody history of the relationship between Israelis and
Palestinians, and one is able to see the story in itself,
people as themselves.”
little-known Druze community when there is such great
interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Riklis replied:
“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is obviously the heart
of the matter, but it is also very difficult to treat. Because
you are always competing with the news, there will
always be something on the news stronger than what
you’re doing. On the other hand, the story of the Druze in
the Golan Heights provided a good way to reflect on the
conflict.
"The film is specifically about the Druze and the
situation in the Golan Heights but, in effect, is about the
whole Israeli-Arab conflict and about situation in the
Middle East. It’s like going far away in order to get
closer. It was very convenient to go there and tell a story
in which there was no pressure. This is why audiences
have been more open-minded about the film. Since the
story is about the Druze, it neutralizes emotions stirred by
the bloody history of the relationship between Israelis and
Palestinians, and one is able to see the story in itself,
people as themselves.”
From the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights
(Simplified version by Amnesty International)
Article 13. We all have the right to go where
we want in our own country and to travel
abroad as we wish.
Article 16. Every grown up has the right to
marry and have a family if they want to. Men
and women have the same rights when they
are married, and when they are separated.
Article 1. We are all born free and equal.
We all have our own thoughts and ideas. We
should all be treated in the same way.
Article 2. These rights belong to everyone,
whatever our differences.
Declaration of Human Rights
(Simplified version by Amnesty International)
Article 13. We all have the right to go where
we want in our own country and to travel
abroad as we wish.
Article 16. Every grown up has the right to
marry and have a family if they want to. Men
and women have the same rights when they
are married, and when they are separated.
Article 1. We are all born free and equal.
We all have our own thoughts and ideas. We
should all be treated in the same way.
Article 2. These rights belong to everyone,
whatever our differences.
A User Review
A Very Authentic Film
Author: rial from Israel
"I saw this one today and it completely
blew me away. It's one of many truly
wonderful Israeli films that were made
this year. Details that are featured in the
film are very accurate, for the most part,
as are the situations and the characters....
The movie simply draws you in,
because of its authenticity.
"The movie is quadrolingual, and sorta
has Hebrew take a back seat. It's mostly
in Arabic, and also has some English,
Russian and a few words of French.
Most viewers will probably be doing
quite a lot of reading (subtitles) in this
movie, but it's worth it.
"The year of 2004 was an
amazingly productive one for
Israeli cinema, and The Syrian
Bride is no exception. You do not
want to miss this one."
Author: rial from Israel
"I saw this one today and it completely
blew me away. It's one of many truly
wonderful Israeli films that were made
this year. Details that are featured in the
film are very accurate, for the most part,
as are the situations and the characters....
The movie simply draws you in,
because of its authenticity.
"The movie is quadrolingual, and sorta
has Hebrew take a back seat. It's mostly
in Arabic, and also has some English,
Russian and a few words of French.
Most viewers will probably be doing
quite a lot of reading (subtitles) in this
movie, but it's worth it.
"The year of 2004 was an
amazingly productive one for
Israeli cinema, and The Syrian
Bride is no exception. You do not
want to miss this one."
This special
movie
presentation is
co-sponsored by
the OKC chapter
of Amnesty
International and
the Greater
Oklahoma City
chapter of the
United Nations
Association in
cooperation with
the Oklahoma
City University
Film Institute.
movie
presentation is
co-sponsored by
the OKC chapter
of Amnesty
International and
the Greater
Oklahoma City
chapter of the
United Nations
Association in
cooperation with
the Oklahoma
City University
Film Institute.
| "Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home.... Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. " -- Eleanor Roosevelt |
As a prelude to the movie, we will present a special award to the student
leaders of C.A.S.T., Cultural Awareness for Students and Teachers, for their
exemplary work in support of human rights.
The mission of C.A.S.T. is to stand for the rights and dignity of every
individual. Over the course of the last couple of years, they have organized
activities to address problems like world hunger, child soldiers, and
religious intolerance. Started by students and teachers at Putnam City
North High School, C.A.S.T. has been at the forefront of efforts to promote a
culture of peace in Central Oklahoma and beyond.
Find out more about the good work of C.A.S.T. at their website ... here.
leaders of C.A.S.T., Cultural Awareness for Students and Teachers, for their
exemplary work in support of human rights.
The mission of C.A.S.T. is to stand for the rights and dignity of every
individual. Over the course of the last couple of years, they have organized
activities to address problems like world hunger, child soldiers, and
religious intolerance. Started by students and teachers at Putnam City
North High School, C.A.S.T. has been at the forefront of efforts to promote a
culture of peace in Central Oklahoma and beyond.
Find out more about the good work of C.A.S.T. at their website ... here.
