The Gold Coast International Film Festival has served as arguably the most important event on the North Shore for the past five years, providing a week-long celebration of films from across the world and the people who made them. And a showcase for what the North Shore has to offer.
But the importance of the film festival — and its power — was never more evident than in the wake of horrific string of terrorists attacks across Paris that killed 129 people during the film festival.
The assaults by what French President Francois Hollande called the “barbarians” of the Islamic State stood in stark contrast to the humanity expressed in the 43 films previewed at the festival.
Ironically, the festival kicked off with a gala that honored actor Navid Negahban, who gained wide notoriety playing a terrorist leader in the Emmy award-winning Show Series “Homeland” but immediately demonstrated to gala-goers he was nothing like the character he played. There is a reason, we guess, they call it acting.
Negahban was joined at the gala by Patrician Riggen, one of the few female directors working in Hollywood — and a Latin-American female director at that — talking about her soon-to-be-released movie “33,” the story of 33 Chilean miners who spent 69 days trapped underground before being rescued by people from across the world. And Vince Giordano, a Grammy winning musician and famed jazz artist who has recorded for many movies and television.
The talent and creativity of the three honorees was followed by the film festival, which not only previewed upcoming films — comedies and dramas, feature films and documentaries, American made and foreign. But in many instances the artists who helped make the film were present to discuss it afterward with the audience.
All of which served as an affirmation of life and all that it offers in places that celebrate freedom, diversity and universal truths
In the midst of this, came the attacks in Paris.
We hope our leaders appreciate the values embodied by the festival while taking the necessary steps to respond to the evil presented in Paris.
Already, some have called for the United States to refuse Syrians fleeing the horrors of their native country from gaining refuge here. Some candidates have proposed singling out those who can enter this country based on religion. And at least one has proposed closing mosques and thereby denying Muslims their places of worship.
This talk is nothing but a recruitment tool for ISIS.
We hope calmer and, in some cases, less politically motivated people prevail
In the meantime, we thank the organizers and many supporters of the Gold Coast Film Festival — led by Gold Coast Arts Center founder and executive director Reginal Gil and festival director Caroline Sorokoff — for presenting a world-class event here on the North Shore.
It couldn’t have come at a worse time. Or a better time.
