CINEMA AL QUDS

FLASHBACK
as soon as i entered this
big hall, like in a movie,
it felt strangeSince its re-opening, 
i avoided visiting the place. Until today when Lara called Jack to say its 5 oclock.

My plan this evening was actually to drive Khalil to Ramallah. We happened to be close to Salah Eddine Street, where people wrote graffity on a 'plastic fake wall layer': al Quds, Hurryah,
' ana ismi Bissan wa laysa Beit Shean....' part of  
the 'Jerusalem Show' of al Ma'mal exhibiting art works inside and outside the Old City. A Must is the art installation of Khalil Rabah at GALLERYANADIEL and that of Mona Hatoum, Sharif Waked and Rania Khalil in the 14th century
HAMMAM AL AYN . 

As we walked towards al Zahra Street my eyes looked straight at the Sign, a 100 Years Old Vertical Design which once upon a time carried the name
"Cinema al Quds"


Today, as you enter the cinema in renovation, you see a plan for a restaurant, kitchen, a cafeteria, lounge, a pop corn stand .... a digital portrait of ''Mahmoud Darwish' on the Wall next to where we Q'd to get our movie tickets.  On the concert hall floor, a higher level you see the name 'Faisal Husseini' printed on red wall. Instinctively,  one begins to look for 'Edward SAid'!


Next to 'what's projected to be the popcorn corner ... you see 'karateen'  many boxes with 'new chairs'
procured to hold coca cola and popcorn. The door opening we took led to a Huge Dark Space,with high ceiling, the walls left with greying concrete and at the bottom of the slope, a twin video screening to reflect  
a place, where many of us discovered the 'world of cinema' in our childhood and teenage evenings!


Breathtaking space!
The Walls and floors are completely undressed!
Emptied of the black brown leather benches.


 "yareit... i wish this space would stay as is with this dramatic concrete stone" i whispered to Khalil.


We stood exactly at the green line between the LOGE benches and the BOX where family and couples used to sit and watch SANGAM and Bruce Lee.


Before the start of any film,  the Jordanian national hymn would play  'aasha'l Maleek' Long Live the King', for people to stand still sing, or pretend!

The lower floor,  a concrete slope takes us to the most thrilling seating at the time. where  the agitating 'shabaab' would whistle and sifftle with every KISS in the movie, and as soon as the lights where put on, one could see the floors full of 'isher bizer'  (the fried watermelon seed-shell).


My father,  was one of the founders of 'Cinemal' Uds'
 i can remember that he went more often to the board of  meetings of the cinema than to watch films.
Like many Palestinians of his generation and lifestyle, he was probably still mourning.
his mother, Ayshah,
his lost house of Baqaa' in 48
his Educational Tours Office closed in 67;
Today, I think to myself, he was actually mourning Palestine... 
The few occasions of 'fun with Father'
allows me to remember these seldom special occasions,
like this one holiday trip to Beirut in Christmas 74,
which i shall never forget!


FLASHBACK to one summer evening when my father reserved
a few BOXES for family and friends to watch
'Khalli balak min ZuZu'
ZuZuu


a film by Hassan Imam.
the most stunning 'Suad Husni'
with her song  'ya wad ya ti'eeel'
This was back in the 70s

I cross al Zahra street from 'Yabous' new offices
towards 'al Hoash', also once upon a time
the founding place of 'Zaytounah', one of
the first trademarks of Palestnian tourism
foundations of Jerusalem.


We had three cinemas in Jerusalem,
al Quds, al Hamra and al Nuzha.
Cinema al  Hamra, where Omar Sharif played Dr Ziwago.
Today al Hambra Palace Hall with its kitchy ceilings celebrates weddings!  Occasionally, members of the 'civil society' of Jerusalem are invited to attend fundraising/charity dinners and a yearly UNDP Art Auction. Thanks to Raed, who will soon screen, "Jerusalem Calling" 'Huna'l Quds'.


Sometimes, I wonder ...

When 'CHRISTIES'  thrive to collect find capture vintage objects to auction, and when the TATE of London or MOMA create around such historic objects a Special 'HAPPENING'

What do WE do

with our stories, vintage signs and benches  ??? ?