In a world torn by conflict -in a place where the idea of peace has been abandoned-an energy of determined optimism emerges. When someone is willing to disturb the status quo and stand for the dream of a free and secure world, who will stand with them? DISTURBING THE PEACE is a s... Read all
Country of Origin: Israel,Occupied Palestinian Territory,United States
Language: English
Summaries
Plot Summary
Disturbing the Peace is a journey of people triumphing over stories. Riding the front
lines of national narratives, Israeli and Palestinian soldiers come face to face with the
perceived opposition. Realities are shaken as they participate in the horrors of war
only to discover that the true enemy is the collective inability to see past an old story
in which victim and victimizer are stuck in a never-ending cycle of violence. This
revelation allows for an opportunity to transcend right and wrong, question the
creation of narrative and its acceptance as reality, and realize our shared humanity.The film follows a group of former Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters who have
laid down their weapons and are working together through non-violence to end one of
the oldest, seemingly intractable narratives of our time. In the fertile grounds of
compassion, Disturbing the Peace sheds light on something the mainstream media
refuses to cover - that at some level, even as conflict among nations persists, peace
already exists in the Middle East.Combatants For Peace is an organization of former fighters on both sides of the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict. They are the only active bi-national group of soldiers in the
world working through non-violence during an ongoing conflict. Having fought on
battlefields and knew the horrors of war they now describe themselves as an
organization of people taking responsibility for our own creation.From Israeli soldiers who grew up dreaming of heroism and served in the elite forces
of the Israeli military to Palestinian fighters whose involvement in the armed uprising
or Intifada led to serving years in prison - their only encounter with each other was in
combat. Today they work not through weapons of war, but with weapons of peace,
utilizing dialogue, theater and other cultural mediums in an effort to end the
Occupation and to achieve a two state solution with respect for everyone. They face
difficult challenges, from many in their own societies who call them traitors, to the
outbreak of another round of war in Gaza, yet they know what is at stake.Disturbing the Peace follows these warriors in their quest for a peaceful end to the
conflict and utilizes verite footage along with rich archival footage and other visuals
The story unfolds in a way that enables the audience to examine their own narratives
and imagine creative ways to end our own occupations and build the future that we
want for all.While the film is set in Israel and Palestine, it is ultimately a universal story of
personal and collective transformation. Disturbing the Peace is a film about seeing
beyond the stories we accept as reality, the human longing to be free, to obtain
recognition, to be loved. It is a film about long-lasting narratives that trap us in a
circumscribed worldview of victim and victimizer. It is a film about possibility,
persistence, and the beauty of the human spirit. By taking responsibility for our own
creations we can begin to create a new vision for ourselves and society.
Storyline
DISTURBING THE PEACE is a story of the human potential unleashed when we stop participating in a story that no longer serves us and, with the power of our convictions, take action to create new possibilities. DISTURBING THE PEACE follows former enemy combatants - Israeli soldiers from elite units and Palestinian fighters, many of whom served years in prison - who have joined together to challenge the status quo and say "enough.' The film reveals their transformational journeys from soldiers committed to armed battle to nonviolent peace activists, leading to the creation of Combatants for Peace. While based in the Middle East, DISTURBING THE PEACE evokes universal themes relevant to us all and inspires us to become active participants in the creation of our world.