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CapeCod 17/09/2010 - 04:07PM

Cinema Politica and Community Association Part Ways Over Censorship

Woods Hole Firehouse Venue

As of Thursday, the documentary film group Cinema Politica has learned that it will not be welcomed back to the Old Woods Hole Firehouse, a publicly-owned building administered by the Woods Hole Community Association.

After three months of mediation, negotiations for the film screenings to return to the Firehouse broke down when the WHCA refused to consider a non-discrimination policy for users of the building.

Cinema Politica had also offered to include a disclaimer on its advertising, absolving the WHCA of any responsibility for the content of the films screened at the Firehouse.

Although Cinema Politica entered into the mediation on good faith, the process failed to establish the group's right to show films without fear of censorship-or pressure to self-censor.

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network 15/07/2010 - 02:11PM

Lies, Lies, Lies: Cinema Politica defamed in Woods Hole

Gaza Strip Poster detail

Dennis, Massachusetts (40 minutes from Woods Hole) resident David MacGuire organizes screenings of Al-Qaeda training videos that help to rally the community against non-Muslims in a vicious orgy of pro-terrorism, hatred and violence.

MacGuire, whom I’m told by local organizers has never been seen in attendance at a Woods Hole Cinema Politica screening, writes:

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CapeCod 25/06/2010 - 01:30PM

communication 101

Sharkwater

Dear CP Supporters,

We here at Cinema Politica would like to thank everyone who sent emails and nearly 100 people who signed our petition (** please DO NOT donate any money if you sign!!) over the course of the week.

While the situation is far from simple, we feel we owe you the right to hear the nature of the discussions we've been engaged with over the past year with the WHCA.

Yesterday, we invited Steve Junker, a co-president of the Association, to explain the WHCA's side of the story at tonight's screening of "Sharkwater," but he declined the offer. Instead, he offered to discuss the matter in private with the aid of a hired facilitator.

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CapeCod 22/06/2010 - 01:19PM

Cinema Politica kicked out of screening venue

We're sorry to inform you that the Woods Hole Community Association sent a letter last week informing us that we are not invited to rent the Firehouse during July and August-- and only after a hearing in September will they consider renting to us again.

At issue is our decision to screen five films over the past year and a half regarding the human rights situation in Palestine-- most recently, our June 4 screening of "Occupation 101."

Since last year, we have been hearing that some members of the the WHCA Board of Directors take issue with these documentaries. But in our discussions with the Community Association co-presidents, we have not been able to find out what their concerns are or how our groups could work together to resolve our differences.

We have invited WHCA members to come to the films and take part in discussion-- which we feel would be a first step in relieving tensions, by getting the debate out into the open. As far as we know, nobody who has a problem with these films has attended any screenings; instead, the Board has seen fit to ban us from the Firehouse.

If this update concerns you, there are two things you can do: sign our petition and send emails to the WHCA co-presidents:
Catherine Bumpus at catherinebumpus@aol.com
Steve Junker at junker@thoughtballoon.org.

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CapeCod 07/06/2010 - 11:54AM

Woods Hole defends freedom of speech!

For over a year, Cinema Politica-Woods Hole has been in discussions with the Woods Hole Community Association-- the group that rents us the Firehouse-- regarding the "concerns" the WHCA has with films regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Given the events surrounding the Free Gaza flotilla (and the local connection, due to the presence of a local woman on board one of the ships), we held a screening of "Occupation 101" on June 4. The following is a letter in response to the WHCA co-presidents' email, questioning why they were not warned of the screening in advance.

June 5, 2010

To the Woods Hole Community Association Board of Directors:

As you are aware, we held a screening of "Occupation 101" at the Firehouse on Friday, June 4. It was one of our most well-attended screenings, with people of all ages filling over 50 seats.

We made the decision to screen this film on Tuesday, given the spotlight on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict following the IDF raid on the Free Gaza flotilla on Monday. As is the case with any documentary screening, Cinema Politica tries to tie in its programming with events in the news. We felt that showing this film would provide critical context for why the boats were attempting to break the Gaza blockade in the first place.

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stockholm 05/03/2010 - 05:37AM

Stockholm University attempts to censor feminist film

FROM 07-03-2010 PRESS RELEASE

On the eve of the 100 anniversary of International Women's Day, the Stockholm University administration aims at censoring one of the day's celebration events.

STOCKHOLM, 07-03-2010 - On March 6 Stockholm University's administration destroyed our marketing materials and cancelled our room booking for the screening of Live Nude Girls Unite! Apparently, the action was taken in response to complaints from students, faculty and support staff. Cinema Politica Stockholm and the Stockholm University Student Union were not consulted prior to this action.

This screening, in celebration of the 2010 International Women's Day, is intended to foster debate around the issues of women's empowerment and sexworker’s rights. Our screening of the film—an important and entertaining documentary about the first exotic dancer's union in the United States—and following discussion, as clearly stated in Cinema Politica’s charter is to present alternative perspectives regarding pressing social, political and cultural issues. We feel strongly that Live Nude Girls Unite will help us continue this tradition.

We are disturbed and appalled by this action, as it represents an inexcusable abuse of power, censorship and flagrant disregard of free speech by Stockholm University’s administration. Cinema Politica refuses to take this action lightly. We are forced to take action to continue our efforts to foster free and open debate.

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