NOT JUST A FILM!

If you believe we should do more to challenge international perceptions of our societies, if you want to celebrate diversity in the Middle East and help change the image of the Palestinians then this is your project.

"Open Bethlehem is a fierce and poignant plea against the incarceration of a city"

Film of the Week - The Guardian

In 2004, when Israel started building a wall around my hometown, Bethlehem, I decided to chronicle a year in the life of the world’s most iconic little town.

Like many Palestinians, I have often asked myself what it means to think strategically, when your allies and friends are not as powerful as your foes. As an Arab, especially in the past few years, I have thought about what it would take to save the model cities of the Middle East, those cities that give our culture vibrancy and depth that are slowly being eroded.  I had to start somewhere and it seemed sensible to start with Bethlehem, the city where I grew up.

Despite being a filmmaker and my years of experience in media, with MBC, Al Jazeera and ITN News in London, my scope of action seemed limited, but I had an idea.

“One of the most remarkable and moving documentaries I have seen. The tragedy of Palestinians encapsulated in the life of one town - Bethlehem. See the film then go to Bethlehem and see for yourself.”

Jon Snow - Main News Anchor Channel 4

Audience Reactions after the Premiere at The Royal Geographical Society, London

“Powerful”

Time Out London

“Absolutely Essential Viewing”

Edinburgh Reporter

“Undeniably Potent and Poignant”

Radio Times

My idea was to create a cinematic film about Bethlehem that invites people to look inside the city and meet its people as it faces an uncertain future. The release of the film, I thought, would be accompanied by an audience outreach campaign that would aim to educate people and compel action to keep Bethlehem alive and ensure that it can survive as a diverse and open city despite the incredible odds presented by the Israeli wall. Both the film and the campaign are now called Open Bethlehem.

“Open Bethlehem is a non violent attempt to save a city that belongs to millions in the world. It is unconscionable that Bethlehem should be allowed to die slowly from strangulation”

Reverend Desmond Tutu - An iconic figure in the struggle against apartheid South Africa and a Bethlehem Passport holder

To focus the world’s attention and make everyone feel like a stakeholder in the survival of Bethlehem, we worked closely with the Governorate of Bethlehem to develop a unique item, a symbolic Bethlehem Passport, which people can keep as a reminder of a time in history when a five thousand year old city, which has been a beacon to the world since biblical times, has had to fight for survival.

The Bethlehem Passport is crafted to look just like the real thing, and choosing to own one is a way of saying that you support our aspirations for the Middle East and for Palestine, as well as being a pledge that you will do what you can to help our efforts. So far, the Bethlehem Passport has been granted to more than 1,000 people around the world, including church leaders and heads of states, and notable individuals, such as Archbishop Rowan Williams, Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, President Jimmy Carter and Malala Yousafzai.

"Open Bethlehem is an admirable project"

President Jimmy Carter

The Open Bethlehem appeal and the passport were launched in 2005 by myself and former mayor of Bethlehem, Dr Victor Battarseh, as part of a series of high profile events which took place in London and Washington and which lead to many prominent people joining our call and a delegation of UK church leaders visiting Bethlehem.

The film 'Open Bethlehem' was released in the UK at Christmas 2014 to very high critical acclaim and it still continues screening.  It has now been seen by more than 30,000 cinema goers in the UK alone.

We now plan to take the film to North America this autumn 2016 and we need your support to allow us to act ambitiously and boldly. We want to reach out to opinion formers, the press, heads of churches and major institutions to sensitise them to the story of Bethlehem and the challenges it faces today.

We are looking to achieve the following outcomes:

“See the Film” – We will be inviting as many screenings as possible of the Film.  The Film has proven to be highly effective in sensitising a very broad audience to the plight of Bethlehem and Palestine, so we want to ensure that it is seen as widely as possible. If we achieve only this, we will have had the opportunity to significantly impact public opinion;

“Become a Citizen of Bethlehem” – We will be inviting all audiences to join our Bethlehem Ambassador programme through which individuals become honorary citizens with symbolic Bethlehem Passports, committed to representing the City, creating focused advocacy and activism;

“Visit Bethlehem” – We will be encouraging members of the public and decision makers to visit Bethlehem to gain a deeper understanding of the issues and may subsequently join our network of Ambassadors and advocates. OB works with key partners that have a track record in delivering high quality fact-finding tours, with follow-up and mobilization of visitors on their return.

The more you contribute, the more ambitious we can be. The faster you help us reach our target, the sooner we can start focusing on what we do best - taking the story of our town to those who can influence its future and the future of Palestine.

"The film artistically is moving and powerful. It makes you cry. It speaks for the freedom of people to have the right to live together no matter what their religion or nationality is. The film somehow had similarities to my life as well. My father inspired me to believe in the power of our voice and so did Leila's great father. I strongly recommend this film, it will not just inform you about the tragedies of Bethlehem but will inspire you, by the courage of Leila and her friends, to believe in yourself and your voice and become part of this movement. Thank you Leila. Your film is the voice of the people of Bethlehem and Palestine, whether Muslims or Christians or Jews. It is voice of the people."

Malala Yousafzai

'Open Bethlehem' gives us an ideal entry-point into Palestine.

Film is one of the most powerful ways to spread a message.  Handled correctly, it can reach millions. Social issue films such as 'The Act of Killing' and 'Blackfish' prove just how powerful the medium can be. 

Since it was released 'Open Bethlehem' has received much critical acclaim, more importantly the film has proven to be highly effective in engaging a very broad range of audiences. 'Open Bethlehem' can have a major impact in sensitising the world to the plight of Bethlehem and influencing the public and decision makers, by helping them to understand the impact of the continuous occupation of Palestine on the social fabric and future of the region.

Additionally, the Bethlehem Passport is a unique tool through which we can mobilise those who otherwise might not act.

However, our plan cannot reach its full potential without solid support from our friends and like-minded people. This is why we urge all of you to get behind this initiative.

If we act together, we can make a difference!

In 2015 we successfully raised $85,885 towards this via our Aflamnah crowdfunding campaign. These funds helped us to do the essential preparatory work and planning needed to get ready for this major release of the film, including:

• Screenings and events in the Australia, the EU, Middle East, and the US to inform and engage stakeholders and support fundraising;
• Preparatory media work, including development of PR and educational material;
• Production of a French version of the Film for release in Canada;
• Communications and outreach identify partners, PR and Distribution channels and partners;
• Outreach to communities who are are potential channels for screenings in the US (such as via the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference, and Development and Peace).

Having completed this, we are now ready to undertake this exercise and we are now raising the funds needed to share ‘Open Bethlehem’ with the widest possible audience to maximise its impact. Our overall funding target is $350,000, of which we are looking to raise a further $100,000 via Aflamnah.

These funds are needed for:

• Detailed planning and preparation;
• Nationwide distribution in Canada and the USA in cinemas, on DVD and online;
• National marketing, communications, PR and advertising, across all media channels including TV, Radio and Social Media;
• Outreach to all stakeholder communities, including decision makers, faith communities, academic and student communities;
• Travel and logistics;
• Management, coordination, administrative, commercial, financial and legal support.

OPEN BETHLEHEM

Open Bethlehem is an international campaign that works to promote global engagement with Bethlehem as a real and contemporary city in the Middle East. It does so by supporting the distribution of communication tools about Bethlehem to boost international interest and awareness and by promoting visits to Bethlehem through established and specialized tour operators.

The campaign also works to develop a network of passionate ambassadors for the city through the Bethlehem Passport Program.

Open Bethlehem"s vision is to support a lasting peace settlement between Palestine and Israel using Bethlehem as a doorway for global engagement. As an iconic city, and a Palestinian city, Bethlehem has both power and responsibility to act and use its global outreach to promote positive change.

Since its launch in 2005, Open Bethlehem has succeeded in building a large base of supporters through a campaign focused on the Bethlehem Passport – a symbolic citizenship of an iconic town that stands for Joy and Goodwill to all. The Passport was created by Open Bethlehem in partnership with the Bethlehem Governorate to invite engagement with the city and the wider cause of the region.

www.OpenBethlehem.org

LEILA SANSOUR

Leila Sansour has an unconventional portfolio. She is an acclaimed documentary filmmaker, a regular freelancer with ITN News, and she is the founder and Executive Director of Open Bethlehem.

Leila was born in Moscow to a Palestinian father and a Russian mother but grew up in Bethlehem / Palestine. She is the daughter of Anton Sansour, Founder and first Vice President of Bethlehem University.

At the age of 17, Leila left her hometown of Bethlehem to escape the restrictions of a small town. In 2004, following a 20 year absence, she returned to Bethlehem to find a town struggling for survival behind a concrete wall which prompted her to make her most recent film "Open Bethlehem" and to start a campaign by the same name.

Leila has traveled extensively to give talks and brief decision makers in Europe and the States. She has written numerous press articles and has given presentations at places like the British parliament, The Royal Institute of Foreign Affairs (UK), The Royal College of Defence, The Carter Centre, Amnesty International, and many cinemas, universities and churches.

See a recent interview with her on Al Jazeera on the plight of Palestinian Christians: 

Leila's long career in the media has included 3 years with MBC as a producer and commissioning editor. She then went on to produce and direct 15 episodes of Al Jazeera's leading documentary series "Encounter in Exile".  

Leila became first known to international film audiences after the release of her first feature-length documentary, 'Jeremy Hardy versus the Israeli Army', a tragicomic film shot with celebrated British comedian Jeremy Hardy during the invasion of Palestinian towns in 2002 and the siege of the Nativity church in Bethlehem.

For the past 4 years, Leila has been a regular freelancer with ITN News.

Leila divides her time between London and Bethlehem. 

Useful Links

• http://vimeo.com/ondemand/jeremyhvstheisraeliarmy
• http://vimeo.com/ondemand/openbethlehem