Tuesday, July 30 at 7:00 pm
LAUMC will screen Where Olive Trees Weep, a 2024 documentary, in the new library. The film was prepared before the current war but can help viewers understand how October 7 could have happened. It is in English with English subtitles and will be shown on the new large screen.
The film offers a searing window into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. Following Palestinian journalist and therapist Ashira Darwish, grassroots activist Ahed Tamimi and Israeli journalist Amira Hass, the film explores the themes of loss, trauma, and quest for justice. Dr. Gabor Maté shares his trauma-healing work with a group of women who have been imprisoned.
The brutal reality of land confiscation, expulsions, imprisonment, home demolitions, water deprivation and denial of basic human rights become real. Yet, through the veil of oppression, we catch a glimpse of resilience—deep roots that have carried the Palestinian people through decades of darkness and shattered lives. This emotional journey bares the humanity of the oppressed while grappling with the question: what makes the oppressor blind to the obvious cruelty?
The film runs for 1 hour 44 minutes and will be followed by a short time of discussion. We’ll hear from Wendy Greenfield, founder and leader of the South Bay Jewish Voice for Peace, share what American Jews have been dong to help, as well as from Lucy Janjigian, a resident of Los Altos who was born a Palestinian in Jerusalem, share from her experience on a recent visit to the West Bank.
Director and Producers of the film were Zaya Benazzo and Maurizio Benazzo, plus Finley MacNeil and Executive Producer Ashira Darwish.