Recognized (Israel/USA, 2007, 61 min, DVD)

By: Ori Kleiner

Screens: Sunday, October 19, 1pm

Synopsis:

Recognized focuses on the fragmented experiences of Nuri al-Ukbi, Salman Abu Jlidan, Eid Al-Athamin, Ibrahim Abu Afash, and Samaher Abu Jlidan whom history has cast in the roles of protagonists antagonized by a State (Israel) that has established itself upon their ancestral lands. Recognized is not a film about Bedouin, but about people forced into the role of Bedouin, the only identity the State of Israel allows them, the very identity it systematically denies them. This film is about substandard citizenship and daily existential obstacles that the State of Israel imposes on these Arab communities.

Director’s Bio:

Ori Kleiner is an artist and documentary filmmaker residing in New York. Born and raised in Haifa, Kleiner received his B.F.A. in Multimedia Arts from the School of Visual Arts and his M.F.A. in Film and Media from the Hunter College Integrated Media Arts program. He teaches design and media at Parsons – The New School for Design.