30r364 boek.qxd:awards book 11 - Prince Claus Fund

situation in Palestine where any rendering of justice is for ever deferred – and we need to recognisewhat is happening in the world in order to make some sense of our lives – we can no longer relyupon political leaders, economic pundits, news bulletins, for all of them oversimplify, hedge,forget, arbitrarily revise history or simply lie. If we only listen to them the realities being lived arebound to escape us.There are historical periods (often called dark) during which the truth and its pain and itshopes are subterranean, far below the seats of power. The beginning of the 21st century is such aperiod. Alternative testimonies have become essential for making any sense of what is happening.This is why we need the clown with his sense of the tragic and the poet with his skill inrescuing shattered pieces. And this is why Elia Suleiman and the fiercely independent films hehas made deserve the award that has been given him.962008 Prince Claus Awards