In partnership with The American Embassy, Tel Aviv
Media Education & Film Diplomacy Program
Film Diplomacy Program
The film diplomacy events this year focused on programs for youth and education professionals that highlight diversity as an asset
Film Director Ben Nabors
Basenow.net
About Ben Nabors
Ben Nabors, the director of William and the Windmill, has been continuously praised for capturing the inspiring and vibrant story of William Kamkwamba in the renowned documentary, William and the WIndmill. PBS's Acclaimed Point of View Documentary Films placed William and the Windmill on its list of the 20 best documentaries of 2013 and SXSW awarded William and the Windmill the Grand Jury Award, one of the film festivals top accolades.
PROGRAM ORGANIZED BY THE U.S. EMBASSY AS PART OF THE AMERICAN FILM SHOWCASE PROGRAM
Jerusalem
- Ben Nabors will join the AcTV youth at the Jerusalem UYMCA after a screening of his film “William and the Windmill” and engage in an open discussion with them about the content and making of his movie at the Embassy’s American Center Jerusalem
- Screening of “Brooklyn Farmer” at the American Center for SPNI Jerusalem (Society for the Protection of Nature in Jerusalem) and Community Farming groups followed by a discussion with Ben Nabors
Baqa Elgarbiya
- Audience of students from Film and English Departments at AlQasemi College, Baqa ElGarbiyeh to screening of “William and the Windmill” and discussion.
- BEER SHEVA: Screening of“Brooklyn Farmer, ” a documentary on roof gardens and a tour though urban farms, to Jewish and Bedouin farmers and community gardeners, followed by a discussion led by “שבועת האדמה” Beer Sheva (NGO that promotes urban agriculture and sustainability).
Haifa
- At Madatech Haifa. Screening of “William and the Windmill” and discussion with Jewish and Arab junior-high school students
- Launching of the Urban Innovation and Sustainability Lab at the Porter School of Business, Tel Aviv University. Students, staff, experts in the field will be present for a screening of“Brooklyn Farmer” and discussion.
Nazareth
- March 5: Screening of the “William and the Windmill” and discussion. at the Cinema Cultural Center, Nazareth to an audience of high school students.
- MAJD ALKRUM: Young scientists, Jewish, Arab and Druze high school students will gather at Moona Science Research Center, Majd AlKrum.
Media Education
2015's educational programs included a Film Workshop, Master Class, and Media Technology Educational Program in educational institutions focusing on Media, Communication and Tech.
The Film Workshop was organized in partnership with The Communication and Digital Media Center
co-led by US Film Directors Garrett Bradley and Anna Wexler.
“The reason why I moved there and why I’m still there is because I’m interested in justice. I’m interested in American history. My father’s black, my mom is white. I’ve been torn between two very separate cultures my whole life. And being in New Orleans was really interesting for me because I found myself in the South. There’s a visceral feeling where I feel like I’m in the beginning of my history down there, and there’s a lot of material to work with.”
Film Director Garrett Bradley
Robin Marchant/Getty Images
Garrett Bradley was noted in the US media for her talents and her film "Below Dreams" was screened in the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. She is based in New Orleans, a new media hub of the South.
“At age 16, my entire identity—from my name to the way I dressed, from the food I ate to the way I spoke—suddenly felt like it was based on a massive lie. There was only one group of people who really understood what I was going through: other “at-risk” teenagers from the Orthodox community.”
Film DIrector Anna WExler
Anna Wexler is a documentary film maker, writer and PhD student in Science and Technology. Her film, Unorthodox, was an Official Selection for many film festivals including DOC NYC 2013, UK Jewish Film Selection 2014, Arlington International Film Festival 2014.
Master Classes and Interactive Programs
The Master Class' audience included students from COMAS College and young media professionals.
Interactive Media Program at The School of Media Studies, College of Management Academic Studies (COMAS):
Toby Chaudhuri presented about “Public media and social impact and doing good in the information age”.
Master classes, were taught by Ana Wexler, Garrett Bradley, and Ben Nabors. It was an advanced course for for older teenagers and film students regarding principles of filmmaking, script writing, film review, and camera work.
Master Class at YMCA in Jerusalem
The US Embassy, The American Center and the YMCAin Jerusalem conducted a maters class at the YMCA with Garrett Bradley who gave a 2 hour hands-on workshop to a group of Palestinian and Jewish youth and their mentors involved in Jerusalem YMCA's co- existence AcTV program.
How to create broadcast networks?
In addition, a specific master class focusing on broadcast networks was led by Jay Garfinkel, who has worked in all aspects of media and film over a 40-year career, including serving as Vice-President of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and Senior Vice-President of Marvel Entertainment. Jay will share his substantial media experience and will teach participants how to create a broadcast network.