Members of Gaser along with MCC hosted a discussion about the BAFTA Award winning film The Present.
The Present, an Oscar-nominated short film streaming on Netflix, portrays the daily obstacles facing Palestinians in the West Bank through the experiences of a Palestinian father and his daughter as they go to buy an anniversary gift for his wife. The Present was recently awarded Best Short Film of 2021 by the British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA).
Creating a space to discuss the film offered opportunities for those unfamiliar with the circumstances depicted in the fictional film to hear from others who had lived these experiences in reality.
On Wednesday, June 2, 2021 two members of Gaser, Frances Ravinsky and Izzeddin Hawamda, hosted an open dialogue aimed at creating a space for participants to share thoughts and feelings surrounding the film. The goal was to take a deeper look at the intricacies and nuances of Palestinian and Israeli experiences as depicted in the film, and to examine the film’s potential in the context of peacebuilding.
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We were so pleased with the number of people that chose to spend their evening with us. Despite being limited by time, we were able to open up dialogue not only about the issues facing Israel and Palestine, but also examine how art (in this case film) can be used to portray the nuances of humanity in a way that other forms cannot. Participants shared their own experiences traveling in Israel and Palestine. They shared their thoughts of compassion and realization over the portrayal of the father, daughter, and soldiers. They opened themselves to the possibility of starting difficult conversations with a group of strangers. The hosts are deeply appreciative of everyone who joined the event and look forward to future events.
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