Dialogue through entertainment

The Common Ground Film Festival

The annual Common Ground Film Festival (CGFF) was launched in 2001 to showcase films that:

• focus on individuals who are working to make a difference in their community
• show inspiring stories of reconciliation between former enemies
• promote understanding of the issues and people involved
• give audiences a broader context for these issues 

SFCG first brought this festival to Lebanon in 2006 in collaboration with the Lebanese Centre for Policy Studies. In 2009, SFCG together with its implementing partner the Lebanese Centre for Policy Studies has taken the film festival to 12 schools and 8 universities around Lebanon, starting October through to December.  Furthermore, a final event was held from December 10-12, 2009 at the Metropolis Empire Sofil in Ashrafieh which included speakers such as Her Excellency Aud Lise Norheim, Ambassador of Norway as well as prominent members of civil society in Lebanon. 

The festival attempted to start a dialogue amongst the Lebanese to think about their common history and learn from their past to see how they can live in a more peaceful society.

The films that were shown in the schools and universities were the following:

For childen aged 10-14: An episode of Kilna Bil Hayy entitled Nader’s Party and Dottie: the little girl with the big Voice
For youth aged 15-18: The Imam and the Pastor, I Met the Walrus and a Lebanese production called Inspite of War
For University students: I Met the Walrus, In My Country, Inspite of War and For You Wherever You Are (also a Lebanese production)

The films that were shown in the final event were: Pray the Devil Back to Hell, I Met the Walrus, As We Forgive, Song for the Deaf Ear and A Child’s Century of War.

Quotes from the festival:

“Thank you for listening to us and our ideas.”  7th grade student from Al Nahda School, Tripoli

“This is a great space for students to dialogue, speak up and be heard. It may be one of the few instances in which they have ever been given such a space”  teacher at National Orthodox School, Akkar

“The festival is relevant and timely to all Lebanese” a quote from one of attendees of the final event

Please click here if you would like to make a donation to support our projects.