Movies. They inspire, they entertain, they distract us from our daily routine. Movies have helped shape and inform the narratives that we believe about ourselves as Westerners. There are, for example hundreds of movies about World War II. These movies point to a time of moral clarity in American foreign involvement. They point to the European liberation of Jewish holocaust victims. They point to one of the toughest and yet brightest chapters in the history of the allied countries. And yet they do so without demonizing German people but rather they make sure the uniforms and the insignias of the Nazi regime carry the burden of culpability. But when it comes to movies that directly engage the realities of Israeli-Palestinian history or any portrayal of Arabs, all we get is violent caricatures of turbans, terrorists, and AK-47s. There's a book called "Reel Bad Arabs" on that topic and even a Washington Post slide show with examples. And while I'm not holding my breath for a Hollywood blockbuster with a hopeful message and a fair portrayal of Arabs, the world of independent films has been busy in the past few years, trying to fill in that gap. Below are my top five recommendations for films on this issue, plus one recently-discovered short documentary made by a couple of college students which gives me hope in the millenial generation--I think they will make peace happen, but tha's just my opinion. I like them because they point to issues and none dehumanize Arabs or Israelis.
1. Occupation 101. If you don't know anything about the occupation or the history of the tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, this is a great documentary to watch first. It is a series of interviews with Israeli, European and American Jews (including Noam Chomsky), as well as a couple voices from the Arab world. Made in 2007, this is a very good place to get informed.
2. Little Town of Bethlehem. A film made by Ethnographic Media, this documentary focuses on the stories of three peace activists--a Palestinian Christian, an Israeli Jew and a Palestinian, Muslim refugee. This is a great little film that Hope Equals has been actively promoting because it points to the hope that ordinary people can bring and the influence that they can have on their societies. This is a must see!
3. Amreeka. For those of you, like me, who prefer narrative film over documentary, this movie was invited to Cannes and Sundance film festivals, winning awards all over the world. Directed by Cherien Dabis, it is the heart-warming story of a Palestinian mother who flees from Bethlehem with her teenage son to the suburbs of Chicago, only to find prejudice waiting for them under a different guise. It's on Netflix for those who like to stream their movies.
4. Budrus. For the non-violent activist in many of us, this documentary illustrates the power of non-violent persistence, I mean resistance. For years the people of the village of Budrus gathered hundreds of Israelis and internationals and together marched peacefully in protest of the Israeli wall which was cutting through their town. Progress comes when women take the lead. Today their methods are spreading throughout Palestine.
5. Miral. This is another narrative film. It is the thinly-veiled autobiography of artist Rula Jebreal and is directed by Julian Schnabel. It tells the story of the Palestinian people absorbed into Israeli society and their journey even into the turmoil of the intifadas as told through the eyes of a Palestinian girl named Miral. It is available on Netflix and Amazon.
6. Within Broken Borders. This is our bonus short-film (about 20 minutes long). It is a documentary put together by two college students--Anna Medearis and Joe Miller. Anna is the daughter of award-winning author Carl Medearis, who co-wrote Tea With Hezbollah. This short film is similar to Little Town of Bethlehem in that it actively seeks out people who hold out a hope for peace. The exciting thing about this is that it is put together by college students and not by a production company. See, anyone with passion and commitment can offer their talents to promote peace and non-violence.
-Mariano Avila