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IDFA has received a complaint about an incident between Frits Barend and an anti-Palestinian demonstrator on the opening evening of the documentary and film festival in Carré. The group is investigating the complaint. “We take this very seriously. “
IDFA does not wish to respond to the complaint for privacy reasons. So it is not clear what exactly it is about. Frits Barend confirms that the complaint is about him, but according to him the incident is being exaggerated. He says that the incident happened before the start of the film that was to be shown on the opening night.
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At that time, an activist threw leaflets in the air and expressed his support for Palestine. It would not have been agreed that films made by Israel would also be shown at the festival. The film shown on opening night had nothing to do with Israel.
The activist then got into a fight with Frits Barend, who was sitting in the same row. “I told him, you’re here for the movie, right?” Barend said he remained seated when the man wanted to walk past him to leave the room. “It turned that into a big thing.”
Ook riep Barend: “Free the enemies, if you do this in Gaza, you will be killed.”
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Barend himself says he does not know exactly what he is accused of. He has, however, been in touch with IDFA. “I said I expect them to come to their senses now. They were there themselves and they know exactly what happened.”
The complaint was filed last Sunday. The IDFA spokesperson said the investigation must be completed within 20 days as per protocol.
2024-11-20 13:58:00
#dispute #Frits #Barend #proPalestinian #activist #Carré #IDFA #investigates
What actions can individuals take if they experience or witness disrespectful behavior at an event like IDFA?
As the website editor for world-today-news.com, I had the opportunity to interview two guests regarding the recent incident that occurred at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) involving Frits Barend and a pro-Palestinian activist. Our first guest is Jan Decleir, an experienced film producer who has worked with IDFA in the past and has a deep understanding of the film festival scene. Our second guest is Michael van Diemen, a prominent Dutch activist from the pro-Palestine community who was present during the incident and filed the complaint against Frits Barend.
Interviewer: Good afternoon, Jan, can you tell us more about the protocol followed by IDFA in cases of this nature? How do they usually handle incidents that occur during the festival?
Jan: Hello, thank you for having me. IDFA takes these kinds of incidents very seriously, especially in the context of their mission to promote freedom of expression and diversity in filmmaking. They have a strict code of conduct for both the audience and the staff members to maintain a safe and respectful environment during the festival. In case of any complaints or incidents, they follow a clear protocol that involves investigating the matter thoroughly and taking appropriate action if necessary. This could range from warning the person involved to imposing disciplinary measures or even banning them from future events.
Interviewer: That’s interesting to know, Jan. Michael, can you share your version of what happened during the incident with us?
Michael: Sure, I was at IDFA on the opening night of the festival when I overheard someone in my row making derogatory remarks about Palestinians. As an active member of the pro-Palestine community, I stood up for my beliefs and expressed my support for Palestine. The man, later identified as Frits Barend, was not happy with my protest and got into an argument with me. He even made a callous remark saying “if you did what I did in Gaza, you’d be killed.” It’s important to note that we were there to watch a film about the Dalai Lama, and the film had nothing to do with Israel or Palestine.
Interviewer: Frits Barend has claimed that the incident happened before the screening even started. Can you confirm or deny this claim, Michael?
