J Street Portland will be showing the film "Two Sided Story" – testimonies of bereaved Israelis and Palestinians and the common ground such bitter enemies can sometimes find.
In the film, Emmy award winning director Tor Ben Mayor follows a group of 27 Palestinians and Israelis who meet under the frame of a unique project led by Parents Circle Families Forum. The project's goal is to acknowledge the narrative of the other. Among them include Orthodox Jews and religious Muslims, settlers, ex-IDF soldiers, ex-security prisoners, citizens of the Gaza strip, kibbutz members, second generation holocaust survivors, non-violent activists, and more. Each and every one holds his own historical truth, and carries with him his own emotional baggage.
The participants are not trying to convince each other that their narrative is right, nor are they seeking a political solution. They have simply been asked to listen, to clarify the differences between how they grasp reality and how they see the other side. The participants offer us an insight into their inner world; they share their personal experiences along with historical and political interpretation to key events in the conflict: The Nakba, the Holocaust, Occupation, bereavement, suicide bombing, Israeli army, the separation wall etc.
More information about the film and a trailer are available on the film's website:
This film event is free and open to the public. Following the screening we plan to have a short, moderated conversation about the themes presented.