PortofMemory

  • 120分钟
  • Partessayisticmeditation,partfamilyportrait,TheRoo… Partessayisticmeditation,partfamilyportrait,TheRoofisaneloquentandunderstatedexplorationofphysicalandpsychicplaceinthecontextoffilmmakerKamalAljafari’sfamilyhistory.Returningtohisparents’andgrandmother’shomesinRamlehandJaffa,nowpartofIsrael,Aljafariuseselegantcinematography,unhurriedrhythms,andfragmentednarrativetoconveyhowspace,timeandhistoryhavebeenmoldedbypoliticsandIsraeliinstitutionalizedneglect.Theroofofthetitleisanabsentone,ontheunfinishedhousewherehisfamilyhaslivedsincetheirresettlementin1948,anditfunctionsasaplaceofwaitingmarkedbyconstantdeferral.CuratorJean-PierreRehmhascalledthefilm“asmuchastylisticasapoliticalmanifesto”that“revealsnotsomuchthemeaningofanabsentroof,butthearchitectureofidentity,place,andpresentpasts.” AljafariagaindrawsfromthelivedexperienceofhiskininPortofMemory,followingthereactionofhisfamilywhentheyreceiveanordertoevacuatetheirhomeinAjami,Jaffa'sonce-wealthysea-frontneighbourhood.Theirlivesandthoseoftheotherresidentsarethrownintodisarraybecausetheydon'thaveaccesstothemeanstoeffectivelyfightback.Radicallypoetic,PortofMemoryisareflectionontheabsurdityofbeingatonceabsentandpresent,blendingthemundanegesturesofeverydaylifeandcollectivememory. KamalAljafari(b.1972)isoriginallyfromRamleh,Palestine.HegraduatedfromtheAcademyofMediaArts,Cologne.HisfilmVisitIraq(2003)hereceivedtheVisualArtPrizeoftheCityofCologne(2004)andanawardfromtheSundanceDocumentaryFund(2007).In2005,hewasawardedafellowshipbytheGermanKunstfonds.TheRoofwontheBestInternationalOnScreen(Video)AwardattheImagesFestivalinToronto(2008)andalsotheawardforbestsoundtrackattheFIDMarseilledocumentaryfestivalinFrance.Hewasafeaturedartistatthe2009RobertFlahertyFilmSeminaratColgateUniversityinNewYork.Through2010,heisafellowattheRadcliffeInstituteatHarvardUniversity.HisworkhasshownatmanyinternationalfilmfestivalsandwillbeexhibitedattheCentrePompidouinParis,March2010.