Israeli-American filmmaker, writer, artist, and intellectual Udi Aloni is the featured guest of the Greek Film Archive and Studio New Star Art Cinema this week. A six-film retrospective celebrating his work titled “In the junction of conflict” will take place at Studio New Star Art Cinema from November 28 to 30. The event coincides with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, observed annually by the United Nations on November 29.
Aloni began his career as a painter, establishing the radical Bugrashov Gallery in Tel Aviv. His work bridges art, politics, and theology, focusing on Israeli-Palestinian history and German-Jewish philosophy. His films and art have been showcased in leading institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, and have earned recognition at major international film festivals such as Berlin, Toronto, Tokyo, Locarno, Tribeca, and Buenos Aires.
Udi Aloni
A strong advocate for justice, peace, and solidarity between Israel and Palestine, Aloni’s work extends beyond filmmaking to university lectures, conferences, and collaborations with renowned thinkers such as Slavoj Žižek, Alain Badiou, Avital Ronell, Judith Butler, Naomi Klein, and Tony Kushner.
The retrospective will include Q&A sessions with Aloni himself, offering audiences a chance to engage directly with his ideas and experiences. Joining him will be Palestinian actress Samar Qupty, the lead in Junction 48. Qupty will share insights on the role of Palestinian women in art during times of conflict and reflect on the broader sociopolitical landscape in Palestine and beyond.
Palestinian actress Samar Qupty, the lead in the film ‘Junction 48’.
Screenings will feature English audio or Greek and English subtitles, ensuring accessibility to a wide audience. Tickets are available at €6 per film, with day passes for two screenings priced at €10. A full three-day pass, covering all screenings, is also available for €20.
Retrospective Program
Thursday, November 28
19:30
Local Angel (2002, Documentary)
Language: English/Arabic/Hebrew with Greek subtitles
Duration: 70 minutes
A theological, political, emotional, and intellectual journey, Local Angel explores the landscape between the river and the sea in the aftermath of September 11. Aloni engages with figures such as Chairman Arafat under curfew, his mother (a civil rights movement founder), and Palestinian hip-hop artist Tamer Nafar, as he examines the shared history of Jews and Palestinians through the lens of Walter Benjamin’s philosophy.
21:00
Forgiveness (2006)
Language: English with Greek subtitles
Duration: 100 minutes
Set in the aftermath of the Deir Yassin massacre of 1948, Forgiveness tells the haunting story of Holocaust survivors placed in a mental hospital built over the ruins of the Palestinian village. The film delves into the intersections of trauma, memory, and historical reckoning. Slavoj Žižek has called it “the most beautiful, powerful, and important film ever made about the tragedies of the region.”
Friday, November 29
19:30
Art/Violence (2013)
Language: Arabic/Hebrew with Greek and English subtitles
Duration: 80 minutes
Dedicated to Shahid Juliano Mer-Khamis, founder of the Freedom Theater in Jenin, this documentary follows young Palestinian actresses as they challenge military occupation and gender oppression through art. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, Waiting for Godot, and Antigone, they create a vivid, artistic rebellion amid violence and grief. Awarded at the Berlin International Film Festival.
21:00
Why Is We Americans? (2020)
Language: English with Greek subtitles
Duration: 100 minutes
This dynamic documentary explores the legacy of Newark’s Baraka family, including the influential poet and activist Amiri Baraka. Spanning from the 1967 Newark Rebellion to the present day, the film highlights the family’s intergenerational struggle for justice and revolution.
Saturday, November 30
19:30
Kashmir: Journey to Freedom (2009)
Language: Greek and English subtitles
Duration: 80 minutes
This film examines the peaceful resistance of a new generation of Kashmiri Muslims striving for independence. Transitioning from armed conflict to nonviolent struggle, they seek to revive the region’s tradition of coexistence, inspired by Sufi culture and Kashmir’s rich history. Filmed amidst growing tensions, Aloni was later denied re-entry to the region, completing the story from afar.
21:00
Junction 48 (2016)
Language: Arabic/Hebrew with Greek and English subtitles
Duration: 100 minutes
Featuring Q&A with Udi Aloni and Samar Qupty
Starring Palestinian hip-hop artist Tamer Nafar, Junction 48 portrays the challenges of a young Palestinian artist and his girlfriend navigating life under Israeli control and societal pressures. The film, which has won major awards at Berlin and Tribeca, features a powerful soundtrack by Nafar and has been praised by The New York Times as a Critics’ Choice.
