Open Bethlehem

Watch the film here.

“Her Open Bethlehem project is the kind of first step on which peace processes are built. It deserves to succeed.” 

– The Guardian 

Iambic Dream Films is thrilled to present a film that Jon Snow calls: “One of the most remarkable and moving documentaries I have seen. The tragedy of the Palestinians encapsulated in the life of one town – Bethlehem.”

“Open Bethlehem” follows Palestinian director Leila Sansour’s extraordinary journey to the legendary city of Bethlehem, the place where she grew up. Armed with a camera and a family car that keeps breaking down, she sets out to make an intimate portrait of a historical town in peril. Ten years on, with 700 hours of footage, the result is nothing like she had expected.

The film tells the story of a homecoming to the world’s most famous little town. The film spans ten momentous years in the life of Bethlehem, revealing a city of astonishing beauty and political strife under occupation. The film draws from hundreds of hours of original footage and some rare archive material. In fact, the making of this film has led to the creation of the largest visual archive of Bethlehem in the world and plans are currently being discussed to turn the collection into a museum.

While telling a personal story, “Open Bethlehem” charts the creation of a campaign to compel international action to bring peace to the Middle East. As the credits roll, there is snow over Bethlehem. Leila has stayed long enough to realize that she is home for good and her battered little family car takes to the sky. Sometimes, if you want to fight for a better world, you may have to work miracles!

To learn more about the film and the campaign, please visit www.openbethlehem.org.