A look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as told through the eyes of two young people: one Jew, the other Muslim. They work for peace, but not through political means. Rather they concentrate on dialogue and cross-cultural study in order to build understanding and most of all, trust.
Israel: War in My Land
Published March 4, 2010
Arturo Perez, for the Pulitzer Center
Jerusalem is a complicated place.
Trying to sum up the story of this city or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in one 10-minute film, or even in this blog post, would be disingenuous and wrong. So let me just say - right off the bat - that this film isn't trying to do that.
The aim of this piece is to give context to a side of the story that doesn't get the attention of the international media. With all the despair, distrust and anger around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, few journalists or news outlets see the benefit of highlighting peace organizations. Many people living in the area see the "peace effort" in Jerusalem as nothing more than that -- "effort" -- an effort that will never evolve into anything more.
I first arrived in Jerusalem in the summer of 2009 with only my HD camera, two mics, a still camera, a reservation at a hotel and a contact at IEA (The Interfaith Encounter Association). I had no crew (and never got one), and I had little idea of what kind of film this would turn out to be.
Ten days later, I left more hopeful than when I arrived. Everywhere I went, everyone I talked to; the taxi drivers, the people selling flat bread, the businessmen, the students, they all wanted peace. More than that, they were desperate for it.
This is the story of two of them.
Project
Arturo follows two young people and has them tell their story to the camera.
Project
Grantee
Arturo Perez is an award-winning director who recently directed his first full-length documentary, “WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE,” the unique story of three friends who set out on a gonzo-...
