The upcoming screening of two new Israeli films has some activists up in arms, claiming the movies are Israeli propaganda.
Center on Halsted, in partnership with the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, will screen Doran Eran's Melting Away and Eytan Fox's Yossi Thursday, Oct. 25, despite protests from some.
Activists say the films, both LGBTQ, engage in "pinkwashing"or the painting of Israel as LGBTQ-friendlyto distract from alleged crimes against Palestinians.
They argue that the screening could alienate LGBTQ Palestinians from the Center and say that if the Center goes through with plans to screen the films, they will likely protest.
"For us, culture and politics are not separate," said Alex Cachinero-Gorman, one of about a dozen organizing against the screening.
Cachinero-Gorman argued that the films exist among a canon of Israeli government-backed movies that aim to paint Israel in a progressive light, overshadowing human-rights abuses.
Cindy Stern, a spokesperson for the Chicago Festival for Israeli Cinema, said that neither the festival nor the screening is intended to be political.
"I'm sad about it because, to me, this is about art and mutual respect," said Stern. "For some people, Israel is a lightning rod for all that is bad in the world," she added later.
The group met with Center CEO Modesto "Tico" Valle and asked him to cancel the screenings. Valle said his organization will go through with the event.
"Cancelling the films would mean we were protesting LGBTQ people in Israel who want to tell their story, not the Israeli government or their policies," said Valle in a statement. "We've asked the concerned community members to lead a teach-in at the Center before the screenings, but those offers were declined. We do hope the screening will help to lead to more conversations about how we can work together to both celebrate LGBTQ culture and fight oppression of all kinds."
Similar protests have plagued other LGBTQ Israeli-backed films across the country, including in New York, San Francisco and Chicago, where activists convinced another local festival to pull the documentary The Invisible Men, according to Cachinero-Gorman.