Screening of: Breaking the Silence February 3, 2011

Two years after the Israeli army laid siege to the Balata refugee camp and invaded the Jenin refugee camp in the spring of 2002, a group of young Israeli former soldiers and officers held a photo exhibition in Tel Aviv. Through the exhibition, entitled "Breaking the Silence," the former soldiers confessed to acts of aggression during their duty in the Occupied Territories, as members of what is called "the most moral army in the world." Their testimonies portray how the young soldiers positioned with absolute authority lose their sense of humanity, ethics and morality to become increasingly brutal to Palestinians in the course of service. Seeking to regain their own humanity and hoping to bring awareness of Israeli society to the reality of the Occupation, they had decided to break the silence and speak out. The film illustrates the psychology of the soldiers of the Occupying power while it depicts suffering inflicted upon the Palestinian people by Israeli soldiers' mindless acts of aggression.

Director Toshikuni Doi has been covering Israel/Palestine for over twenty years. This film is his most recent work of four film series "Unheard Voices" which was crafted from several hundred hours of footage in Israel/Palestine. Although the film "Breaking the Silence" won several awards and recognition in Japan this is the first film tour outside of Japan. After the film shows in New York he will visit Bay Area to attend this show.

Sponsored by the BFUU Social Justice Ctee as part of the Conscientious Projector Film Series
Suggested donation $10. No one turned away.
Wheelchair accessible.

Ph:510-841-4824

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