An arts theater and non-profit organization in Chicago that supports independent films has rescheduled a screening of a documentary about campus antisemitism by Israeli-American rapper and comedian Kosha Dillz after abruptly canceling the event due to security concerns and out of “an abundance of caution.”

The filmmaker and activist, whose real name is Rami Matan Even-Esh, told The Algemeiner on Wednesday night that after discussions with the venue Facets, the screening of his film “Bring the Family Home” has been rescheduled for June 22. Facets apologized on May 16 for initially canceling the screening that was scheduled for three days earlier.

“Facets Film Forum respects the First Amendment, its protection of free speech and the right to express views through film,” board co-chairs Rich Moskal and Tamara Bohorquez said in a released statement. “We regret any unintended offense our decision to cancel a privately organized, public film screening caused the filmmaker, those seeking to attend the event, and members of our community who have experienced or witnessed oppression or discrimination in any form.”

Established in 1975, Facets is a non-profit organization that focuses on independent film exhibition, distribution, and education, according to its website. It rents out its venue in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood for private screenings and other events.

“Bring the Family Home” is a work-in-progress documentary about the explosion of antisemitism on US college campuses after the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in southern Israel. The film features first-hand accounts of Jewish students who have experienced tensions, exclusion, and violence at their schools. Kosha Dillz interviewed anti-Israel protesters on college campuses and was sometimes harassed and attacked in the process. The film largely focuses on anti-Israel encampments and sentiments at DePaul University and Northwestern University. Facets is located down the street from DePaul.

Kosha Dillz self-funded “Bring the Family Home,” which shares the same name as a song he released in response to the Oct. 7 attack and kidnappings. It is his first documentary film.

The filmmaker and the Chicago Jewish Alliance (CJA) together organized a premiere of an unfinished cut of the film at Facets on May 13. In a statement shared on Friday, Facets said it approved on April 18 a rental request to screen an unfinished version of the documentary at the downtown Chicago theater. The screening on May 13 was an opportunity to share the project with the community and also a chance to film the documentary’s final cut.

A mere three hours before the screening last week, however, Facets canceled the event. Kosha Dillz told The Algemeiner that Facets said the decision was made due to safety and security concerns. The venue said their patrons and staff would not “feel safe” if the scheduled event took place, the filmmaker also noted in a social media post. However, Kosha Dillz believes the screening was canceled for other reasons.

“[Facets] says ‘safety’ and ‘concern’ but ultimately it’s about someone who is Israel[i]/Jewish that has a different point of view but can’t share the same space,” he told The Algemeiner. “They got pressure and were not aware of how BDS [boycott, divestment, and sanctions]/cancellation campaigns work … and the more popular something becomes, the more likely this will happen. I simply didn’t think it’d happen to me either.”

“To get inundated with the calls and threats, I don’t actually blame them [for canceling the screening],” he added.

Before formally telling Kosha Dillz about the screening being canceled, Facets also removed the marquee outside the venue that advertised “Bring the Family Home” because the venue was receiving complaints about the signage, according to the filmmaker.

“Exclusion is the new form of bigotry,” said Kosha Dillz. “Facets decision to cancel this film under pressure speaks volumes about the silent discrimination that exists in spaces that claim to champion diverse perspectives.”

The Chicago Jewish Alliance posted a series of messages on social media condemning the venue’s decision and also published an open letter blasting Facets following the cancellation, saying that the move left many members of Chicago’s Jewish community “hurt and stunned.” CJA additionally launched an email campaign, urging supporters to send emails to the theater’s leadership about the cancellation. It accused Facets of antisemitism and claimed the venue is “silencing Jews.”

“You canceled a Jewish event because it made people uncomfortable. That is antisemitism,” CJA wrote in an Instagram post. “The film was literally called ‘Bring the Family Home,’ about restoring peace. And you chose fear over integrity.”

“Facets claims to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion. But those values seem to vanish when it comes to a proud, outspoken Jewish artist,” read the message that CJA drafted as part of its email campaign. “You didn’t cancel the film because of safety. You canceled it because of discomfort with Jewish visibility. This wasn’t just an inconvenience for dozens of attendees. It was a disgrace. And it sent a message loud and clear: Jewish advocacy is unwelcome at your theater.”

CJA claimed that Facets also blocked the Jewish group on social media. “This isn’t brave. It’s cowardice hiding behind a film reel,” the group wrote in a social media post. “You can’t claim to affirm our shared humanity while silencing our story.”

Facets explained in a released statement on May 16 that on the day of the screening, some community members contacted them and expressed “questions and concerns about the event.” Facets leadership added that while talking to Kosha Dillz when he arrived onsite for the screening earlier in the day, they were told that event organizers took a “precautionary step” and arranged private security for the film screening.

“However, as a very small nonprofit organization with limited staff, Facets determined that we were simply not prepared to provide the level of onsite staffing and coordination necessary to support that evening’s film screening,” the venue said. Facets explained that “in an abundance of caution,” it made the “difficult decision” to cancel the screening set to take place that night.

“In retrospect, we realize this was an overreaction and inconsistent with our mission,” Facets further noted. It concluded by saying that the leadership team at Facets is reviewing its “staffing protocols and training to ensure we are well-prepared to fulfill our commitment to support all future rental events.”

The venue posted a since-deleted statement on Instagram about the cancellation and said that it is “firmly not an antisemitic organization.”

“The cancellation of this event was not an act of antisemitism, but a decision rooted in our commitment to ensuring that hate has no place in our space. Based on the public posts made by Kosha Dillz and the overall tone surrounding the event, we determined that proceeding would not align with our values or our responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of our community,” Facets wrote in the post, without further elaborating about the specific issues it had with the event. “We reject antisemitism in all forms — just as we reject Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, and any form of hate or dehumanization,” the venue also said in the now-deleted message.

Facets additionally claimed that its decision to cancel the screening “was made to uphold a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all who attend events at Facets.”

Kosha Dillz ended up premiering his documentary on May 13 at the Wilmette Theatre in the North Shore suburb of Chicago to a “packed house.” The screening was followed by a panel discussion and Q&A with the filmmaker and DePaul University student Michael Kaminsky, who was violently attacked and faced threats on campus for voicing support for Israel. Kaminsky appears in “Bring the Family Home.”

Both Facets and the Wilmette Theatre have screened “No Other Land,” an Oscar-winning documentary that is critical of Israel’s military actions in the West Bank and depicts the Jewish state as violent land grabbers and oppressors.

Kosha Dillz told The Algemeiner he is appreciative that Facets was open to having a dialogue about rescheduling the screening. “I am happy they are making it right and we are working through it,” he said.

“I think we are all handling it the best we can,” he added on Wednesday. “For myself, I can say it is difficult to handle as emotions are high for what I experienced. I don’t think we can force anyone to do anything. We offered to have a happy ending, and they agreed to screen our work in progress just as the[y] screen ‘No Other Land’ or another rental. Not sure we are gonna be best friends by tomorrow, but the collective gesture is symbolic in a world where people are othered and ostracized permanently.”

“We might be small compared to bigger theatres and filmmakers, but I think this is happening everywhere and people can refer to what we are doing to hold discussions,” he noted.

Facets did not respond to The Algemeiner‘s request for comment about the cancellation and rescheduling of the “Bring the Family Home” screening.

The Wilmette screening of “Bring the Family Home” will be featured in the documentary’s final cut, and the cancellation at Facets will also be documented in the film. Kosha Dillz plans to return to Chicago in the coming weeks to complete filming and speak with more students, and community members.

“We’re all on the same team of ‘let’s get along,’ ‘let’s stop the war,’ ‘let’s return the hostages,’” Kosha Dillz said in a released statement. “I just didn’t expect that message to be so radical that it would get me canceled at a 50-year-old institution for my very first film screening.”

Watch the trailer for “Bring the Family Home” below.



The post Campus Antisemitism Film by Rapper Kosha Dillz Gets New Release Date After Chicago Venue Cancels Screening first appeared on Algemeiner.com.