Movie "Little Town of Bethlehem" (2009)

About the Movie: Come face to face with the struggle for a nonviolent solution to the crisis that has torn apart Palestinians and Israelis. Little Town of Bethlehem, a bold documentary by award-winning director Jim Hanon and producer Mart Green, shares the gripping story of how three men from opposite sides of the conflict have chosen to risk everything to bring peace to their homelands. Their stories will dare you to believe that the dream for a just peace in that troubled region is not only possible, but is becoming a reality.

My Review: this movie is a documentary about a nonviolent movement in the Middle East that is growing in size and importance. It shares the story of three men and how they inter-related in their view for peace. It is filmed in the West Bank, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Sami Awad is a Palestinian Christian, Yonatan Shapira is an Israeli Jew and Ahmad Al'Azzah is a Palestinian Muslim.
Sami lost his grandfather, killed in Jerusalem in 1948. He directs a non-profit organization promoting Palestinian independence through peaceful means.
Yonatan's grandparents were settlers who witnessed the birth of Israeli nation. He is also an advocate for the nonviolent peace movement.
Ahmad lived his entire life in the Azzah refugee camp in Bethlehem. He heads the nonviolence program there where he trains others in methods of peaceful activism.
Besides being a very inspirational movie, this documentary is also a lesson on history. They mention the creation of the Israeli nation in 1948, the 1967 war (Six-Day War) featuring Syria, Jordan and Egypt against Israel, the 1973 Yom Kippur War (Egypt and Syria against Israel), the Intifadas (starting in 1987), the Oslo Accords (1993), the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin (1995), the Arab Peace Iniciative (2002) and many other facts related to the region.
This is a mandatory documentary for everyone who wants to understand more about the conflicts in the Middle East and are wondering if Peace in the Middle East is really possible.
This movie was directed by Jim Hanon, produced by Mart Green and EthnoGraphic. B&B Media group were kind enough to send me a copy for reviewing through their blogger book review program. If you are reading this review, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts.


If you want to watch a trailer of this movie, go to http://littletownofbethlehem.org/.