Film: Open Bethlehem now on general release

Leila Sansour on right

Leila Sansour's film Open Bethlehem has been shown to full houses and received very positive reviews since it went on general release in England just before Christmas. Oxford Emeritus professor Avi Shlaim, said: "As an Israeli Jew and a historian of the Arab-Israeli conflict, I am not a newcomer to the dilemmas of co-existence. But I was moved to tears by this beautiful film and I learnt a great deal from it about the temper and tenor of Palestinian families who are striving to protect something very precious not just for Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land but for humanity as a whole. I warmly recommend this film to anyone interested in the Palestine question but especially to those who are familiar only with the Israeli side of this tragic conflict".

Paul Laverty, Lawyer and awarde-winning screenwriter said: "Many will call this a powerful poignant film which it is. But I most enjoyed the mischief and wit. It is also takes grit to get a film like this made over such a long period, and sometimes it feels as if that great hulking obscene wall built around Leila's home town of Bethlehem by the Israeli Government rests on her shoulders. Her gut forced her to make this film, and but her considerable talent shaped it into a delicate story which combines the personal and political seamlessly. Never easy".

Read ICN's review here: www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=25637

You can see OPEN BETHLEHEM in the following cinemas:

FEBRUARY

02 Feb BRIGHTON Komedia Screening and Q&A 21.00
03 Feb STIRLING Macrobert Screening 19.00
05 Feb PORTSMOUTH No 6 Screening and Q&A 19.00
08 Feb HEXHAM Forum Screening
09 Feb Gate Notting Hill Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 21.00
11 Feb Dartington, The Barn Screening and Q&A 20.30
12 Feb HEBDEN BRIDGE Picturehouse Screening 19.45
17 Feb BIRMINGHAM MAC Screening 18.00
18 Feb BIRMINGHAM MAC Screening 20.30
18 Feb The Plough Arts Centre, Torrington Screening
28 Feb Ritzy Brixton Screening (via Ourscreen.com)
28 Feb Duke of Yorks, Brighton Screening (via Ourscreen.com)

MARCH

01 Mar DERBY Quad Screening and Q&A
02 Mar Norwich Cinema City Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 21.00
03 Mar The Courtyard, Hereford
(Borderlines Film Festival) Screening and Q&A 20.00
04 Mar BATH Chapel Arts Screening and Q&A 18.30 -
05 Mar LONDON ICA
05 Mar Stratford East Picturehouse Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 21.00
08 Mar Stratford Upon Avon Picturehouse Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 18.00

09 Mar Hackney Picturehouse Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 18.00
13 Mar Salisbury Studio Theatre Screening TBA -
16 Mar Edinburgh Cameo Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 21.00
23 Mar Brixton Ritzy Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 18.00
25 Mar Aberystwyth Arts Centre
(The Wales One World Festival) Screening 20.15
26 Mar Rhosygilwen, Pembrokeshire Screening 20.00
27 Mar Hexham Forum Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 20.30
28 Mar Stratford East Picturehouse Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 13.00
30 Mar Hackney Picturehouse Screening (via Ourscreen.com) 18.00

TBA May Swansea Taliesin Arts Centre Screening TBA -

Visit the Open Bethlehem film official website here: www.openbethlehem.org/