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Artist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr pulls out of Goethe Institut film festival in support of Palestinian activist Mohammed El Kurd

Artist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr pulls out of Goethe Institut film festival in support of Palestinian activist Mohammed El Kurd

The artist took to Instagram and said he was withdrawing his film Heaven 58 because the institute disinvited Kurd from a recent summit.
21 Jul, 2022

Following in the footsteps of writer Mohammad Hanif who withdrew from a Goethe Institut conference, artist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr has lent support to Palestinian activist Mohammed El Kurd by pulling his film Heaven 58 from a film festival hosted by the cultural institute of Germany.

Taking the announcement to Instagram on Tuesday, he wrote, “In solidarity with Mohammed El Kurd and the Palestinian people I have withdrawn my film Heaven 58 from a film festival hosted by the Goethe Institut.” He did not mention the festival name.

He said his decision was based on the institute’s recent move to disinvite Kurd from a summit. Bhutto said that the institute’s decision to remove the Palestinian activist shows their “anti-Palestinian and clearly pro-Zionist” stance.

His post received comments from journalist Maria Memon, writer Usman Khilji, his sister and author Fatima Bhutto, host Anoushey Ashraf, Indian celebrity stylist Akshay Tyagi and Korean-American writer Alexander Chee.

Previously Red Birds author Hanif had taken to Twitter and wrote that Kurd was invited and then disinvited from the “Beyond the Lone Offender – Dynamics of the Global Right” summit, scheduled to be held from June 23 to 26 in Hamburg, because he was not “respectful enough towards Israel.”

He shared Kurd’s story by supporting the activist for his stance on a “ruthless apartheid regime”.

Hanif was supposed to speak about the dynamics of right wing structures and reasoned that the conversation could not be had after silencing a key witness like Kurd.

Kurd has been raising his voice against the apartheid for years. Last year, his story about Sheikh Jarrar, his hometown, went viral online when protesters staged a demonstration against the planned expulsion of Palestinians.

The 24-year-old has about 746,000 followers on Instagram and almost 249,000 on Twitter.

Comments

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jul 21, 2022 02:59pm
United we stand, divided we fall.
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Shaun Jul 21, 2022 03:55pm
Who cares? The show must go on.
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Abha Singh Jul 21, 2022 03:57pm
Who cares? Whose loss?
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Daniel Jul 21, 2022 04:36pm
Seriously no one cares.
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ShadowLugia Jul 21, 2022 05:56pm
Who cares? No one will miss him.
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Waseem Jul 21, 2022 06:09pm
We need more courages people like you in this word .
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Khanum Jul 21, 2022 07:33pm
Great! Stand for Palestinians!
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Texas Tariq Jul 21, 2022 08:15pm
And this is why we don't recognize Israel. Shame on Arab leaders who recognize Israel.
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Javaria Jul 21, 2022 08:19pm
Excellent action. EVERYONE needs to boycott Apartheid, Rogue , illegitimate Israel and act according to their conscience . No respect for a cruel barbaric Zionist regime.
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Mehmood Bhanji Jul 21, 2022 09:30pm
Salam What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead." Justice is DESERVED, tragedy is NOT.
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Anonymouseee Jul 21, 2022 11:34pm
Excellent step and hats off to this brilliant kid. United we stand.
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Omamah Khan Jul 22, 2022 04:24am
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr, Pakistan and PPP needs you
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