TPFF Festive Greetings

TPFF Festive Greetings

TPFF Festive Greetings!

So, another year is about to come to an end – does anyone out there have a trick to share about how we can slow down time? It passes way too fast!!

It’s been a year of unbelievable upheaval and turmoil, but one of people protest too. We here are optimistic that the so-called 99% will see a more just set of solutions come out of the chaos we have witnessed this past year because there are so many fantastic networks and organisations out there who are taking the ‘1%‘ on. And support for them will grow next year, for sure!

On that note, we continue to be amazed at the Just Do It team – the film is now truly on its international journey. If you have any doubt about the power of protest and non-violent direct action, this film will put it to bed! TPFF remains a very proud supporter of Emily and her team.

We Are Many

And to continue the ‘protest’ theme, there’s been great news on Amir Amirani’s film, ‘We Are Many’. Our recent Kickstarter online funding campaign raised $92k –significantly exceeding our target of $70k! This means the film can begin production in early 2012. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED – a special thanks to project partner War on Want for their help with the campaign.

TPFF is supporting the film with funding, fundraising and campaign development. Tim Robbins, Jemima Khan, Mark Rylance and Terry Jones are a few of the latest individuals to come on board; Oliver Stone has given his endorsement and no less than Stephen Fry has tweeted the film!

And were you one of the millions who marched on February 15th, 2003, to stop the Iraq Invasion? If so, tell us your story here.

The Road to Bethlehem

Leila took time out this year due to illness, but we are delighted she is back on form and picking up her work on the film again. ‘The Road to Bethlehem’ will be ready for a UK/Ireland release, along with campaign outreach, in mid-2012 and a USA/Canada release Christmas 2012. This comes as we see Palestine move for recognition at the UN, so we expect the timing of the film and its campaign to resonate across the USA as well as UK/Europe. We recently received a $15,000 private donation for the film to go towards this next stage and are in the process of seeking partners for the release of the film in the UK. If you would like to know how to support the film email info@tippingpointfilmfund.com.

If you live in the Richmond, Surrey area join us for an evening hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Committee. Leila will show excerpts from the film, share what it meant to document five momentous years in the life of Bethlehem and explain why she believes that Bethlehem has a crucial role to play in bringing about change in the Middle East.

Sunday 8th January 2012 at 8pm (Admission free, doors open at 7.30pm)

St Mary Magdalene, Church Walk off Paradise Road, Richmond TW9 1SN

Hosted by St Mary Magdalene & Richmond & Kingston PSC www.richkingpsc.org.uk

Prohibition: A Modern Addiction

TPFF is working with Australian director Shane Ward to help progress the development of his film ‘Prohibition: A Modern Addiction’ addressing the failure of the global war on drugs – a war that has cost hundreds of billions of dollars; that is abjectly failing those poorer nations affected by drugs; criminalising generation after generation of poor, often black, young people; while at the same time enriching cartels, the US private prison system and many others along the way.

Yet there is a growing recognition of the reality which is – this ‘war’ is making matters worse, not better. So what are the ways forward? What does the evidence tell us and do we have the courage to rethink the approach, the discourse, on prohibition?

Shane has spent two years researching the issue and has the support of many of the world’s leading drug policy experts – from policy and campaign groups to law-makers and enforcers. We are now at the stage of raising funds to move to the next stage of development and pulling together the all-essential fundraising trailer. If you would like to know more about the film’s campaign partners please find out more at:

Transform

Release

If you would like to help us raise funds for the film, please email info@tippingpointfilmfund.com for more information.

TPFF Film Club

Thanks to all our Film Club supporters for another great year of film screenings and a very big thanks to ALL our great panellists and directors who always make our Q&A’s so good! Highlights were Inside Job, The End of Poverty?, The Take, Just Do It, Iraq: War Love God Madness; When China Met Africa and An African Election.
As ever, thanks to the Bernie Grant Arts Centre and the lovely Lexi Cinema team for being such great partners! Thanks to Dogwoof for being our festival partners; and a special shout out to the team at Humanfilm – Mohammed, Isabelle, Danny and Kathryn – keep up the amazing work and we urge everyone to check out Humanfilm – their films and campaigns. Thanks for Greenbelt 2011!

And a Big Thank You to…

And finally, we end this year as last year, with a BIG THANK YOU to The Co-operative, without whom there would be no TPFF and to our donors, one off and regular givers, whose support to the Fund we hugely appreciate.

We send you all our best wishes for the festive season and wish you a peaceful New Year.

Deb, Kev, Fran, Jen and all at TPFF

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Thank You To Supporters From Leila Sansour

Dear Friends

Behind me in this picture is Bethlehem, the little town that you and I believe can tell the story of the whole of Palestine. You are getting this e-mail because of the support you have shown me over the past six years as I worked to turn the story of Open Bethlehem into a film – The Road to Bethlehem. Today we are moving into the next phase of the challenge – an audience outreach campaign to work alongside the film’s distribution. The release is planned for Christmas 2011.

Many of you know that my film, The Road to Bethlehem, has already been shown once at the Dubai international Film Festival, and I am delighted to report back that the screening has generated great interest from potential partners worldwide, from European and US cinemas, to President Carter’s Centre and beyond.

In the coming months we will be planning regional meetings among various stakeholders to help shape our plans. Many of uou will  invited to take part alongside political groups, our funding partners as well as industry professionals. So, please stay tuned for our updates.

As ever, our plans are ambitious and they will be impossible to realise without your renewed commitment and support. We are looking to raise a minimum of £25,000 to kick start the campaign and make sure that our base includes influential individuals and institutions in the US. We also need urgent help with an additional sum of £15,000 to go towards the release. This sum will allow us to cover copyright fees for the stunning archive footage and original music featured in the film. It will also allow us to give the film the final cinematic look that will make it so much more attractive to mainstream cinemas. My very funny friend Jeremy Hardy has a few words to say to you on this subject. I am hoping his wisdom will prove persuasive.

Jeremy Hardy’s words of wisdom.

We are keen to speak to each one of you to discuss details so please get in touch if you think you can help. I am currently in London on +44 (0)7814937743. Otherwise you can visit the website of The Tipping Point Film Fund- my key partner in the UK and encourage your friends to donate. It is very easy.

For Bank Transfers (possibly the most convenient) please email deborah@tippingpointfilmfund.com so she can pass relevant bank details to you.

I would like to use this opportunity to thank you all again for all the kindness and support you showed me over the years and to urge you to join us on the next stage of this journey- The Road to Bethlehem.

My warmest regards to all of you

Leila