Jerusalem Common Ground Film Festival
June 22 - 25, 2004

Opening night of the first Common Ground Film Festival in Jerusalem, co-sponsored with the Jerusalem International YMCA, was a resounding success drawing a sold-out crowd of 630 people. The festival began June 22nd with the feature film "Monsieur Ibrahim" telling the story of a relationship that develops between a Muslim shopkeeper and a Jewish boy, which was then followed by a reception of Middle Eastern cuisine and live music. The atmosphere was lively and jovial, with laughter erupting throughout the film and crowds socializing late into the night, all demonstrating the community' s thirst for a medium that fosters hope and peace. The rest of the four day festival met with equal success, showing documentaries on truth and reconciliation in South Africa, Rwandan society ten years after the genocide, stories from Northern Ireland political prisoners, and a Vietnam War veteran connecting with his former Vietnamese enemy.

Read reviews from the Israeli and international press:

Film Festival Haaretz (English)

Film festival kol ha'ir (English)

Film festival Jerusalem Post (English)

Film festival kol ha'ir (Hebrew)