Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
A look back at the Oscars and the Academy Awards night from 1978 when Palestine and Israel clashed on stage for the first time. Here’s one of several columns I published over the years reflecting on that moment, this one published in 2006. By Ray Hanania A very special Oscars Night BY RAY HANANIA (Originally…
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) firmly believes the senseless murder of the three Arab and Muslim American students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina is a result of hate rhetoric and the spread of anti-Arab sentiment and Islamophobia. ADC has observed a drastic increase of anti-Arab sentiment and Islamophobia within the last few years. This increase…
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By Ray Hanania Well, one Arab-Israeli war won’t be fought this year, but there will be much debate over the messages in the controversial film American Sniper, the story of an American soldier during the illegal war in Iraq. Unlike in several past broadcasts of the Academy Awards, no Oscars have been nominated this year…
By Ray Hanania Last year during the Academy Awards, Oscar hostess Ellen DeGeneres ordered Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria (BMPP) pizza delivered to the show and then walked through the audience with the delivery driver, sharing slices with stars such as Harrison Ford, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The humor drew big laughs at the Oscars…
Read More “Pizza franchise featured at 2014 Oscars makes Middle East debut” »
Columbia College cancels professor’s class for showing Oscar nominated film 5 Broken Cameras By Ray Hanania In another example of anti-Arab bias, a Columbia College student complaint that a teacher, Professor Iymen Chehade, was teaching “bias” has resulted in the college canceling a segment of the professor’s class on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Click here to listen to…
“From Palestine” echoes from Oscars to the World By Ray Hanania In 1978, I remembered the passion and the excitement when actress Vanessa Redgrave stood up powerfully to confront the “Zionist bullies” she denounced from the Oscar stage who protested against her solely because she had the courage to support the production of a Documentary…
Arab World represented by three films at Oscars tonight By Ray Hanania Three films from the Arab World will be in competition at tonight’s Oscars, including the first ever nomination at the Academy Awards representing the State of Palestine. They are feature film Omar, Film short Karama Has No Walls, and documentary feature The Square. A fourth film,…
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Three Arab films receive Oscar Nominations: The Square, Karama Has No Walls and Omar No sooner did Netflix announce that it would be offering The Square among its popular movie selections but the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced the film was a nominee for one of this year’s coveted Oscars. The Square is among…
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