Palestinian helmer cancels premiere

Jacir's 'Salt of This Sea' will play at Cannes

By ALI JAAFAR

LONDON -- Palestinian helmer Annemarie Jacir, whose debut feature, "Salt of This Sea," will play in Un Certain Regard at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, has had to cancel the world preem of her pic after she was denied entry into the Palestinian territories by Israeli authorities.

Jacir, who was traveling from neighboring Jordan, had been planning to preem her pic in the Palestinian city of Ramallah in advance of its Cannes bow.

"The premiere was to take place in Amari Refugee Camp in Ramallah, with the cast and crew, the people who helped make this film happen," said Jacir, who was turned back at the border by Israeli officials following a lengthy interrogation. "I was told, 'The Israeli Ministry of the Interior has denied you entry.' I asked if a reason was given. The officer said, 'You spend too much time here.' I was then deported -- escorted by two of the agents out of the terminal and onto a bus back to Jordan."

Jacir, who originally hails from the West Bank, claims she has been barred by Israeli authorities from entering the Palestinian territories for nine months.

She will, however, be attending the Cannes screening of her pic on May 16.

Jacir is planning to get a live satellite feed during the preem beamed into her Ramallah home so that crew members unable to travel can hold a simultaneous screening there.