EthnoGraphic Media (EGM) appears to have released its new documentary right on cue. Now that the resurrected Israeli/Palestinian peace talks have once again become front-page news, the film Little Town of Bethlehem provides fresh insight presented in a compelling narrative. The film delivers a whisper of hope amidst coverage that often captures only the frustration, anger, threats, and tensions surrounding this hot-button issue.

A series of tragic events have only raised the stakes and the profile of these peace talks, including May’s Israeli commando raid on a Turkish flotilla that left eight protesters of the three-year Gaza blockade dead.

In July the unofficial “dean” of the White House press corps, Helen Thomas, stepped down under pressure following caustic remarks about Jews getting “the hell out of Palestine.”

As Hamas threatens a new wave of violence in hopes of dashing peace talks, four Israeli settlers (including a pregnant woman) are gunned down in their car on the eve of their start.

Yet a small candle-flame – the nonviolence movement – continues to burn in Israel and Palestine. It may be little known and seldom reported, but it is growing steadily. And it is at the very heart of Little Town of Bethlehem. Unlike so many films about this crisis, it refuses to take sides.

Award-winning director Jim Hanon describes what prompted the project. “There are countless films about the conflict and injustices from the perspective of either side. But where is the hope? We asked ourselves, ‘If there is something in the conflict that points to greater humanity, what is it?’ This film is not about who is right or wrong, but rather about seeking the humanity in both sides.”

Little Town of Bethlehem follows the story of three men of diverse faiths and backgrounds. Sami Awad is a Palestinian Christian, Ahmad Al’Azzeh is a Palestinian Muslim, and Yonatan Shapira is an Israeli Jew who flew helicopter missions for the Israeli Defense Forces(IDF.) Their paths intersect in Bethlehem and as Hanon explains, “This gives rise to the obvious question: In the city where it is said God became man, can Israelis and Palestinians see each other as human?” The film explores each man’s courageous decision to follow the examples of Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. and risk everything by joining the nonviolence movement.

Sami Awad, one of the protagonists, is the founder and director of the Holy Land Trust, a Palestinian organization committed to developing nonviolent approaches that will end the Israeli occupation. He follows in the steps of his uncle, Mubarak, who in 1985 established the Palestinian Center for the Study of Nonviolence. Mubarak is known as the “Arab Gandhi” because of his commitment to following the tactics and principles used successfully against the British occupation of India.   

A grassroots movement is underway focused on screening Little Town of Bethlehem on college campuses “from Boston to Berkeley and beyond.” EGM’s goal is to go to the community where dialogue is already happening, opening doors for constructive conversation and creating openness to other points of view. More than 150 campuses worldwide are screening the film this fall. Nine campuses have been selected to host the film followed by a panel discussion with the three protagonists, the film director, and the film producer. They will engage with faculty experts regarding the conflict and nonviolence. 

University of California at Berkeley Professor Michael Nagler states, “We welcome this well-made and important film on one of the most hopeful developments in our grim world: the inspiring courage of Palestinians in their nonviolent resistance. [This film] should raise our consciousness – and our hopes.”

Boston College is hosting the first of nine U.S. screenings that include a panel discussion with the protagonists and film director. Associate Professor Eve Spangler states, “This new educational documentary is an excellent catalyst for more discussion regarding peace and the nonviolent peace movement. Our students benefit from dialogue with people not so much older than themselves who have made the difficult choice to pursue justice nonviolently amid violence.”

Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies is also hosting a screening of Little Town of Bethlehem. Dr. Barbara Stowasser, director of the university center, adds, “This event dovetails with our objective of providing fair and balanced information about the Arab world by drawing attention to an important movement developing in one of the region’s most enduring conflicts. We look forward to an engaging and lively discussion with the film’s producers and cast members.”

The launch window for the campus screenings is set for September 21, World Peace Day, and ends on October 2, Gandhi’s birthday and the International Day of Non-Violence. For more information, visit www.LittleTownofBethlehem.org. Contact Diane Morrow at: dmorrow@tbbmedia.com.