La Palestine - Douze Points?
On the movement to bring Palestine to the world's kitschest party
Director: Natasha Dudinski
Producer: DigressMedia
Year: 2007
Journeyman Pictures May 2007
Blurb
The Eurovision song contest is the most famous singing competition in the world. Now, Palestine want to join. But the road to Eurovision glory is paved with bureaucratic hurdles Palestinians hope that inclusion in the contest will; “show the world the real face of Palestine”. But as Palestine is not recognised as a country in its own right, it depends on the full backing of other European countries. As Dr Daibis states; “If we are accepted in the Eurovision, it will be the birth of a new era”.
Transcript
Israel/Palestine - Palestine’s Eurovision Entry - 8 min [8 May 2007]
Scene 1
00:00:02:00- 00:02:02:00 Colour Bars
00:02:02 Picture starts (Press conference in Ramallah)
00:02.16:00- 00:02: 54: VO: It started as a television experiment by a few European broadcasters after the second WW but now the ESC is one of the most hotly contested and widely watched shows in the world. But participation has long been open to countries beyond Europe, with singers from North Africa, the Caucasus and Israel flying the flag on stage. Now, the Palestinians want to join too – and it has been announced that in 2008 Palestine will be seeking full participation for the first time in the world’s most famous singing competition.
Visuals: News conference announcing the Palestinian bid for Eurovision (Ramallah); Musicians playing the Eurovision tune on kanoun and hand drum; busy streets in Jerusalem’s Old City; music shops in East and West Jerusalem; posters of Palestinian and Israeli singers; Sabreen concert
Musical Soundtrack: Eurovision tune played on traditional Arabic instruments- canoun and hand drum; Wissam Murad (Palestinian singer) music (traditional/jazz fusion music)
Scene 2
00:03.03:00- 00:03: 24:00 :Rasmus Nielsen, ‘Superflex’- ‘Palestinian Eurovision’ Partner: (Press conference Ramallah) ‘It’s an incredible moment for the Palestinian music scene as well to present itself on an international scale. So I think from the pint of view of the Eurovision community, we should see this as an important moment for opening up and letting Palestinians participate in an international song competition.’
00:03:25:00- :00:03:41:00 Said Murad, Composer, Sabreen Association for Artistic Development: “It will help showing the real face of Palestinians. Palestinians are a nation, and they have everything like any other nation, and this is what we’re trying to show through music.”
00:03:42:00 – 00:04:12:00 Dr. Fadia Daibas ,Spokeswoman, Sabreen Association for Artistic Development: “Music has always been a central part of Palestinian culture, in the camp, in the village in the city - it has been a way of expressing Palestinians’ opinions, Plestinians’ feelings. Also love music, in weddings, in the debke (national folkdance), where all the dancers hold each other’s hands and they dance to folklore music. This is very common in Palestine. It is also as a way of expressing joy and happiness.”
Visuals: Speakers (Nielsen at press conference Ramallah, Murad in recording studio East Jerusalem, Daibas in Ramallah hotel); images of Palestinian women dancing at a traditional wedding over part of Dr Daibas interview
Musical soundtrack: Drumming at Palestinian wedding, clapping etc
Scene 3
00:04:17:00-00:04:45:00 VO: But the road to Eurovision glory is paved with bureaucratic hurdles. First of all the state TV network – in this case the Palestine Broadcasting Corporation or PBC – must be accepted as an active member of the European Broadcasting Union or EBU – that’s the club of European TV networks that organise the competition. A partner from the Eurovision veterans Denmark, has been enlisted to help with the red tape.
Visuals over VO: Musicians on concert stage; singer and engineer in recording studio session, technical equipment
00:04:46:00 – 00:05:12:00 Rasmus Nielsen: ‘Superflex’- ‘Palestinian Eurovision’ Partner: PBC is already an approved participant of the EBU and it is recognised as an national TV channel, and we have applied for an active membership. Whether or not this will be approved we do not know yet – it is an application procedure that we are in the middle of. “
Scene 4
00:05:14:00- 00:05:18:00 VO: Out on the street, the reaction to the news is surprised, but confident. (visuals of busy street in Jerusalem)
00:05:20:00- 00:05:51:00 Two young girls: “ We think that for Palestine to be in the Eurovision contest is a fantastic opportunity. For one I think it gives the interernational communities opportunity to acknowledge Palestine, and the music of Palestine, and also its a good opportunity for Palestinians themselves to be motivated to make their music, which is wonderful, to get it out there and make it international.
00:05:52:00- 00:06:05:00 Internet café man: I think the idea to present Palestine is a very nice idea. At least people could know the Palestinian culture, and see what kinds of songs we have. It reflects about people living in Palestine. I think it’s a great idea.
00:06:06:00- 00:06:24:00 Old man in souvenir shop: That’s a pride for me, to hear and to know that Palestine will join this contest, and we hope that they will get a real good place in the result, if not the best, at least one of the best.
00:06:25:00- 00:06: 45:00 Man 1 in Old City shop: Long time ago Palestine was in a very good situation, we were making good kind of music, good kind of dancing, debke, you know whats debke? All these kinds of things which were traditional. But now we don’t have it that much. You know, its politics , we don’t have such a good mood for it. But maybe one day we’ll have a good life, we’ll have a peaceful life, so we’ll go back as we used to be.
00:06:46:00- 00:06:50:00 Man 2 in Old City shop: It would be so nice if Palestine won the Eurovision.
Scene 5:
00:06:52:00- 00:07: 15: 00 VO: There are numerous potential obstacles in the way. Firstly – that Palestine is not yet recognised as a country in its own right. But one thing is sure - if they do manage to get accepted for competition in Eurovision 2008, the organisers believe it could help to persuade the world that Palestinians have much more to say than the terrible pictures that we see in the news. ( Visuals- Musicians and singers in live concert)
00:07:18:00- 00:07:35:00 Dr Fadia Daibas, Spokeswoman, Sabreen Association for Artistic Development: “ If we are accepted in the Eurovision, and Palestine is also winning the Eurovision competition that would be a very important, a very significant day for all Palestinians all over the world. It will mean a birth of a new era for all Palestinians in the world.
00:07:36:00 2 young girls: La Palestine, deuze point!