Radio TNP unveils Archival Resistance as bi-monthly screening series exploring music, film and collective memory

Amsterdam-based independent cultural radio platform Radio TNP will launch its new screening initiative Archival Resistance on December 4 at Cinetol with R21 Restoring Solidarity, a 71-minute documentary by Palestinian filmmaker Mohanad Yaqubi that draws on a rare archive of Palestinian films preserved by a Japanese solidarity movement and examines the enduring relationship between political resistance, visual memory and transnational activism.

The film uncovers a remarkable collection of twenty 16mm works created by Palestinian filmmakers between the 1960s and 1980s and safeguarded by a Japanese solidarity movement, offering insight into the visual language that shaped political consciousness during a formative period of resistance. Through this archive, Yaqubi constructs an essay-like narrative that reflects on how images, activism and shared ideology connected distant geographies in moments of historical urgency.

Structured around fragments of an undelivered love letter from a Japanese activist to a Palestinian artist, the documentary weaves interviews, experimental footage and historical recordings into a contemplative exploration of how solidarity manifests beyond national boundaries. The film examines how local struggles echo internationally, revealing the emotional and political weight embedded within these rediscovered materials.

The first screening will include a live Q&A with Mohanad Yaqubi via video, offering audiences deeper insight into his archival research and restoration process. Following the screening, DJ sets by Saja Amro and Karmel Sabri will continue the evening, translating the film’s themes into a musical response shaped by its spirit and atmosphere.

“We are thrilled to announce our upcoming film programme Archival Resistance, a bi-monthly series exploring the power of music, film and resistance across cultures. Over the next six months, we will present three immersive film screenings at Cinetol Amsterdam, each accompanied by a Q&A with the directors and DJ sets whose sounds resonate with the themes of the evening. In this context, we are especially excited to collaborate with Lebanese artist, curator and DJ Sarah Saleh, whose considered approach to sound, archives, programming and storytelling brings a distinctive depth and perspective to the evolving narrative of Archival Resistance,” Radio TNP stated in an Instagram post.

The project has been realised with the support of Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst (AFK), alongside individual contributions from Radio TNP and Cinetol Amsterdam.

To stay updated on the series, follow Radio TNP for the latest announcements here and secure your tickets for the first edition here.