A SCOTTISH film which celebrates the work of a Palestinian artist is set to premiere on Friday.
If I Must Die, a short film highlighting the work of Palestinian artist Malak Mattar, will show for the first time on Friday in Gourock, Inverclyde.
The film will be released in the run up to International Womens’ Day (March 8) and aims to explore the plight of women in Gaza, and which features images of Mattar’s work, such as Sleeping (pictured above).
Mattar creates powerful expressionist art of Palestinian women, which the event’s organisers say are an “evocative way to communicate through art about her country, its people and the tragedy unfolding now in Gaza”.
In an interview with Middle East Eye, Mattar said: “The women in my artwork have more freedom than me”.
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She started creating art at 13 years old, as a way of dealing with “the trauma of war”.
The screening of the short film is being hosted by Group for Gaza Inverclyde, which has organised regular vigils and events in support of Palestine.
The group has so far raised around £3000 for charity Medical Aid for Palestinians.
The short film features an original soundtrack composed by local Inverclyde musician Yvonne Lyon and arranged by Malcolm Lyndsay.
The title If I Must Die is inspired by the poem of the same name by Palestinian writer and professor Refaat Alareer, who was killed in an airstrike by the Israeli military on December 6.
The screening of the short film will take place at 7pm on Friday at the Common Good Space, Kempock Street, Gourock.
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