THE OLIVE IT
Recipes and News from The Golden Harvest
TODAY’S RECIPE: MUHAMMARA
“If the Olive Trees knew the hands that planted them, Their Oil would become Tears—-Mahmoud Darwish”
For filmmakers and film festivals, the virus has meant the loss of gathering with other filmmakers and with film audiences to celebrate what we do—make, watch, and ultimately consider the meaning of it all through film. Many festivals have opted to go online, and the challenges are enormous, particularly getting an audience. We hope you’ll be able to support the festivals by tuning in online. Art needs audience support now more than ever. In coming weeks, we will let you get to know the film programmers carrying on in these challenging times. Many of them do this work in conjunction with other jobs in order to manage financially.
Today we begin with Michael Maria from the Boston Palestine Film Festival. We were going to write about him in our own words, but he describes himself so eloquently:
I was born and raised in Massachusetts, USA by Palestinian parents who hail from Bethlehem. I have lots of family in Palestine from both my mother and father's sides of the family, and have returned a number of times throughout the years, but not nearly as often as I would like. I've been a member of the executive committee of the Boston Palestine Film Festival for the past ten seasons, and this is my fourth season as the Programming Director. I love the festival. It's my passion to bring these amazing films that feature and amplify Palestinian voices to a public that so very much needs to hear from Palestinians directly; to bear witness to the Palestinian experience, its joys and its struggles. I also love how the festival allows us to maintain a sense of connection and community from within the diaspora. During the day, I work in pharmacovigilance business planning in the biotech industry. I'm father to a three-year old, and will take him and my wife to Palestine in the coming future
This is his recipe for muhammara. We were a bit skeptical because we had never seen one that included sautéed onion and garlic, as opposed to raw, but it turned out to be the tastiest one we have ever had.
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed (or two to three home-roasted peppers)
2/3 cups walnuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup bread crumbs, lightly toasted
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
PREPARATION:
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1.5 tbsp EVOO until shimmers. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 40 seconds. Use a spatula to scrape the mixture into a food processor.
To the food processor add the roasted red peppers, walnuts, bread crumbs, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, remaining olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt, and process to a coarse puree. Scrape down the sides of the food processor and then, with the motor running, slowly drizzle in the remaining oil until it is incorporated. Scrape the muhammara into a bowl, adjust with lemon juice and salt if needed. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parsley. Serve with pita. This will keep for about a week in the fridge, although mine has never lasted that long!
The Golden Harvest Crew in Bethlehem
THE GOLDEN HARVEST UPDATES:
The Golden Harvest will be screening in North America and the Middle East in the coming weeks. Two of the festivals will also leave the film on for an extended period, so that those that can’t make the screening time, can log in later. The film will also have its first public screening in the UAE, where the film started out as an idea at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. We hope you can tune in wherever you are!
Dubai at @artforalluae The Theatre
Mall of the Emirates
September 26 @ 8pm UAE Time Curated by the UAE’s film and cutture champion, Hend Mezaina
Chicago Palestine Film Festival
In partnership with the Gene Siskel Film Center
Sunday, October 11 @ 8 pm CST (and also 24 hours online)
Sunday, October 18th @ 8pm EST
With Q&A with director to follow
Boston Palestine Film Festival
In partnership with the Boston Fine Arts Museum
October 16 to October 25, 2020 (online)
IN THE NEWS:
We expect to have more screenings in Italy in the coming months. In the meantime, if you’re looking for another festival in Italy, with the opportunity to screen globally, we recommend Giornate del Cinema Muto, one of the great silent film festivals in the world. We are particularly looking forward to the nine short films iin “The Urge to Travel,” as most of us are feeling that, and The Apaches of Athens (GR 1930)
The olive harvest season is upon us. We will keep you updated on the harvest as it begins under COVID-19/
