On Monday, January 18, various sites across the globe hosted screenings of the ground-breaking documentary “To Shoot an Elephant,” which can be downloaded and shared at www.toshootanelephant.com.

Aladdin Sweets & Cafe in Hamtramck was the site of one showing, as local residents and activists gathered to watch the film, which is an inside look at the chaos and destruction that unfolded during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead attacks in Gaza late December 2008-January 2009.

Both the Jewish Voice for Peace and Hamtramck Supporters of Palestine organizations were present, and all proceeds from donations were to be given to the filmmakers.

Directors Mohammad Rujailah and Alberto Arce won the Best Director award at the 50th Festival dei Popoli in Florence, Italy for the movie, which is a harrowing, deeply emotional and rare first-person glimpse into the lives of displaced Gazans and Red Crescent relief workers in Gaza during the Israeli bombings and invasion.

Notable scenes include one rescue worker being shot after attempting to recover a body at a Gazan intersection and footage inside of tapped-out local medical facilities.