Jessica Habie and Nirah Shirazipour: EyesInfinite Films

Nirah Shirazipour is the producer of EyesInfinite Films and a partner in the EyesInfinite Foundation.

Nirah graduated in 2004 from UC Santa Cruz as a cultural anthropologist with a regional focus on the Middle East. She has written ethnographies and poetry on topics ranging from the roots of religious intolerance, to the relations between Israel’s defense industry and the military industrial complex of the United States.

Nirah has traveled to India to explore various experiments in intentional community, and she has taught at the Life Education Center in Auroville, India.

After studying Permaculture Design at The Farm in Tennessee during the spring of 2005, she worked for BUSTAN on a number of projects concerned with fostering sustainable development in the Negev desert of Israel and in Palestine.

As an activist, she has worked with the Resource Center for Nonviolence in Santa Cruz, and she has co-lead a delegation to Israel/Palestine with the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), where she linked up with Eyes Infinite Films.

Nirah has spent most of the past two years working in Israel and Palestine, producing the Art and Apathy Documentary Project.

Real Voices and Resources for Israel and Palestine

It is increasingly difficult to find honest and comprehensive news and representation on the Middle East and the world. We must look beyond the superficiality of the corporate media to achieve a deeper sense of the truth. In Israel and Palestine thousands of people work tirelessly to inform change and lasting peace.

Please recognize the incredible contribution of these individuals and organizations.

Human Rights and Peace Organizations

Bustan

Palestinian Center for Human Rights

Al Haq

Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights (BADIL)

The Palestinian Environmental NGO Network (PENGON)

The Applied Research Institute, Jerusalem (ARIJ)

Combatants for Peace

Stop The Wall Campaign

Palestinian Center For Rapprochement Between Peoples

The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH)

Hamoked

B’Tselem

Gush Shalom

Tay’yush

Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions

Bat Shalom

Yesh G’vul

New Profile

The Bereaved Families Circle

Refuser Solidarity Network

The Arab Association for Human Rights

Physicians for Human Rights

Rabbis for Human Rights

Machsom Watch



Internationally-Based Organizations

International Solidarity Movement

US Campaign to End the Occupation

Stop US Tax Aid to Israel Now!

Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Foundation for Middle East Peace

Not in My Name

International Women’s Peace Service

CPTHebron

Tel Rumeida Project

The Global Campaign to Rebuild Palestinian Homes

A Jewish Voice for Peace

Indy Media



Friends of Eyes Infinite NYC

Mental Notes

Spiritchild - Composer/Musican

multo.com - DP/Editor/Web Design

miixxy.com - VJ/Animation

starnyc.com - Web Hosting & EventMail

Star NYC Motion Graphics - Graphic Design, Flash & Web Video

Movement in Motion - Artists & Activists Collective


Malcolm X Grassroots Movement

Black Waxx Records

The Ave Magazine

“I love the film I think it’s great. It’s should be
seen by women all women of color ” SmokiFantastic

“I liked the women in the film. All doing different and exciting and
interesting things. Their struggles echoed my own and their successes
inspired me. The visuals were gorgeous. You make us look beautiful and interesting and
different.” Claudia Alick

“I loved the film. I was extremely impressed, and it exceeded my already high
expectations. I loved the message, the passion, and the desire to change the
current human perspective. I would definitely recommend it to friends and family,
and would Never limit it to only hip-hop fans. The message speaks to everyone….
David Applebaum”

“last night was great… congrats again… it all looked beautiful & i am very
proud to be a part of such an amazing project.”
Kyana Brindle

SmokiFantastic..

Nemesis the Grey Moon was born in chicago, now she stays in Harlem. We follow her on 125th trying to cell cds, to the studio, and talk about what to do when one gets weak…

Rosa Clemente is a Hip Jop Activist, member of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and a journalist with Pacifica Radio, WBAI 99.5FM NYC and Air America Radio.

In our film she discusses pregnancy, politics and the end of the US Bombing in Vieques Puerto Rico.

Rosa Clemente is a grassroots organizer of the most necessary kind. Known for speaking truth to power, she is unafraid and determined to carve a better path for her black and brown brothers and sisters. She speaks with our audiences about the challenges facing Latino and African American peoples and opens up about her own struggles. As an expecting mother surviving a difficult pregnancy, Rosa discusses relationships to self, men and money from an intensely personal and powerful place. When her daughter is born, we re-visit this cultural revolutionary to see who motherhood has thickened the plot.

Rosa Clemente is a Hip-Hop activist, a journalist with WBAI Radio in New York City and a member of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement.

Rosa Alicia Clemente is a Black Puerto Rican grassroots organizer, journalist, and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Know Thy Self Speakers Bureau which has created two successful college/universities tours, Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win and the Speak Truth to Power tours and most recently has created the Hip Hop Skool for Social Justice. With an earned degree from the University of Albany and a Masters of Professional Studies form Cornell University she is committed to scholar-activism and youth organizing. Her work as an activist has taken her across the United States and internationally to colleges, universities, high schools and prisons. She has delivered lectures on topics such as African-American and Latino/a Intercultural Relations, Hip-Hop Activism, The History of the Young Lords Party, and Organizing to Free U.S. Political Prisoners. Rosa has written for Clamor Magazine, The Black World Today, The Final Call and has been the subject of articles in the Village Voice, The Amsterdam News, the New York Times and Red Eye Magazine. She has appeared on CNN, C-Span, Democracy Now, Street Soldiers, and National Public Radio(NPR). In 2001 she was a youth representative at the United Nations World Conference against Racism in South Africa and in 2002 was named by Red Eye Magazine as one of the top 50 Hip Hop Activists to look out for. Currently she is a co-host/co-producer WBAI’s (99.5 FM/NYC) show Where We Live, was recently published in Third World Press, Role Call: A Generational Anthology, is a member of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and the Black August Collective, and is the coordinator of the State of Black World Youth Caucus.

Check Out Her Work:

The Rockefeller Drug Reform Sham

REPORTING FROM NEW ORLEANS

Hip-hop, Money, Youth & Liberation: A Talk with Rosa Clemente

visit her website www.rosaclemente.org

Make a movie. Build a career. Launch a dream.

Invites you to Join us for CineWomen NY Screens

A PREVIEW DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Tuesday, March 28th
7:00 pm
Two Boots Pioneer Theater, 155 E. 3rd St. corner of Ave. A
Screening, Q & A, Followed by FREE Beer & Pizza Reception

THE ART OF LOVE AND STRUGGLE
Directed by Jessica Habie 1:20 minutes

A new feature documentary preview on: hip-hop, spoken work, and performance artists, singers and activists; narrated by Smokifantastic. Love? Money? Political Propaganda? What inspires female artists to take risks? An up-close look at eleven ladies and the paths they choose in life, love and the movement for social change. Artists include: Raqiyah Mays, Denise De La Cruz, Nemesis, Elizabeth Mendez Berry, Claudia Alick, Helena D. Lewis, Amanda Diva, Kyana Brindle, Vista Solo, Toni Blackman.

ABOUT Jessica:
Jessica is the founder of EyesInfinite Films and President of the EyesInfinite Foundation. She graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Film Program where she completed her short film “Act Accordingly” in 2003. Since then she has traveled to the World Social Forum in Mumbai India (2004) to produce her first documentary feature “Another World is Happening” which documents the artistic involvement at the Third Social Forum. “The Art of Love and Struggle” is set to be released in March 2006! Jessica is coming back from the Middle East, where she is in production with her current feature “Art and Apathy” to celebrate the release of the film with all of the talented ladies featured in the project.

HARLEM SISTAS DOUBLE-DUTCH
Directed by Nicole Franklin, 7 minutes

Nicole Franklin’s short film brings to life the characters Vivian and
Ruby who are thriving women in Harlem’s new renaissance. Vivian,
a free-spirited Harlem diva gives advice to her admiring niece in a film
that shows how family bonds can get in the way of a woman’s night
on the town. Or do they?

ABOUT NICOLE:
As President and Senior Producer of EPIPHANY Inc., Nicole Franklin is an award-winning filmmaker whose credits include the feature length film I Was Made To Love Her: the Double Dutch Documentary and Journeys In Black: The Jamie Foxx Biography , Meet BESS which profiles the soprano who originated the role of Bess in Porgy and Bess and the actress for whom George Gershwin wrote the part. Principal photography is on location in Oslo, Norway.
In the narrative world, Nicole directed and co-wrote with actor/writer/producer Peter Parros Harlem Sistas Double Dutch (WNET’s Reel NY X, Woodstock Film Festival). This film is derived from her new feature length screenplay When Sistas Jump. The screenplay When Sistas Jump, is a double Dutch jumprope feature set in New York’s Harlem neighborhood and inspired by the older women who jump rope.
Nicole is also producing famed actress and singer Lonette McKee’s™ directorial debut Dream Street, an edgy, character driven urban drama. In addition to film Nicole is directing theatre including the one-act play set on a New York City subway, Damon and Debra by playwright Judy Chicurel.

ABOUT CINEWOMEN NY SCREENS
Opportunities to screen work are important to any filmmaker, especially women filmmakers.

To promote women working in film, CineWomen NY is partnered with The Pioneer Theater, a showplace of Independent Cinema. Our monthly screening series is held the fourth Tuesday of every month except for December and August.

Our commitment is to provide a slate of films, by emerging artists at all levels, celebrating the work of women in film, video, and digital media. Acceptance criteria include women behind the scenes informing the project as crew and cast, whether as producers, directors, writers, editors, and/or cinematographers. Filmmakers are encouraged to be present at the screenings for a Q&A offering a lively interaction with the audience followed by a beer and pizza party held in the Two Boots Den Of Cin. A great way to carry on further conversations with the filmmakers, network and meet like minded cinemaphiles.

CineWomen NY Screens
Tuesday February 28th -2006
Pioneer Theatre 155 East 3rd St. (off Ave A)
7:00PM - 9:00PM Screening with Q&A
9:00PM - 10:00PM Beer & Pizza Party
Tickets: $9.00, pre-purchase on-line at www.twoboots.com

CineWomen NY Screening Team
Louise Fleming: Director
Jillian Abbott: Curator/Programming
Jessica Burstein: Curator/Programming
Maria Pusateri: Curator/Programming
**************************************
Jesse Hutcheson: Publicity/Research-Development
Lisa Perry: Publicity/Research-Development

CineWomen NY
Make a movie. Build a career. Launch a dream.
www.CineWomenNY.org

Combatants For Peace…

EL Kuds University Piazza, Abu Dis
Monday, April 10th, 2006, 3:00 PM

We are honored to invite you to the “Combatants for Peace” Israeli-Palestine Liberation Gathering.

On the occasions of Passover and Palestinian Prisoner Day, we will gather around one table and describe how all of us, who were warriors in the past, put our weapons aside and replaced them with a non violent joint battle against the occupation and for peace between the two peoples.

“Combatants for Peace” is a unique non profit organization comprised of a group of Israeli and Palestinian individuals who were actively involved in the cycle of violence in our area. The Israelis served as combat soldiers in the Israeli army and the Palestinians were involved in acts of violence in the name of Palestinian liberation. It is us, who in the past used weapons against one another, who saw each other only through eye-sights, it is us who cooperate today.

The Liberation Gathering marks the hope and longing for freedom and independence of both peoples. The liberation gathering is the first public event of “Combatants for Peace” following a year of activity.

For more details: www.combatantsforpeace.org

“Art and Apathy” features several of Israel and Palestines most respected artists, as well as a diverse range of underground voices.

“Art and Apathy” is a film project that documents the complexity of life in Israel and Palestine as experienced by local artists. Despite the unending cycles of ideological and physical violence propagated by the mainstream media and politicians, the artists featured in our films choose to produce work that provokes dialogue. Through their eyes our film examines several political and social elements that are often oversimplified in international media. Defining terms such as the green line, the right to return, Palestine 48, Intifada, Zionism and other key concepts, we present audiences with the political ideologies and historic identities that structure life in the Middle East. Focusing on artists who’s work inspire alternative persepctives, we venture into intimate spaces and access visionary voices who have transcended the political rhetoric. Click on the Names of the Following artists to visit their respective websites and learn more about these amazing people.

Some of the Artists and Educators commited to the Art and Apathy Project include:

D.A.M Featuring Abir El’ Zinati

Parents Circle Featuring Rami El Hanan and Khallid Briegheth

The Fools of Prophecy, Shotei HaNevua

Buthina Cannan Khoury director of Women In Struggle

Emilio Mogliner

Steve Sabella Photographer

Najwan Darwish Poet & Author

Other Voices featured in film include

Hani Zu’rob

The Photographers from Breaking the Silence

Elik El Hanan Author

Coolooloosh