Tipping Point Film Fund is helping to raise the campaign outreach budget for ‘The Road to Bethlehem’ (working title), a film by Leila Sansour to be released Christmas 2011. Click to donate to the campaign outreach and mark your donation ‘The Road to Bethlehem’.
- I am delighted that Tipping Point has become the home of my film in the UK. I couldn’t have a better partner in my journey to bring the story of Bethlehem to the world.
- - Leila Sansour – The Road to Bethlehem
What would you do to save Bethlehem?
In 2004 director Leila Sansour set out to find the answer for herself. Four years later, she found it.
This documentary is a personal story filmed over four critical years in the life of Bethlehem. This most famous little town also happens to be Leila Sansour’s hometown. She left it as a teenager, pledging never to return. But in 2004 she went home for Christmas. The journey changed her life.
The film is shot over four Christmases in the life of Bethlehem as, piece-by-piece, hundreds of slabs of concrete are lowered into place to build a wall that will seal the city from the outside world. The story is told through the eyes of the film’s director. It is her own very personal story.
To hear the latest news from Leila read her blog, or for a small taster of the film watch the clip below.
Raising the completion budget
Tipping Point Film Fund has been working to help raise finishing funds of £85,000 to support the editing and completion of the film, as well as the international outreach plan for the film.
The film has already mobilised a fund-raising base that has raised more than £70,000 towards this final sum – from individual donations, collective group contributions, dedicated fund-raising events and appeals. Supporting donor organisations include Trocaire (Ireland), Development and Peace (Canada) CBA Dfid (UK), and most recently McCabe Educational Trust.
Leila has a proven track record as a feature documentary director – her first film was the internationally acclaimed Jeremy Hardy versus the Israeli Army. Find out what the Radio 4 comedian had to say about ‘The Road to Bethlehem’:
Fundraise for the campaign outreach
We’ve launched The Road to Bethlehem fundraiser; a chance for you and your friends to get together, watch Leila’s first film ‘Jeremy Hardy versus the Israeli Army’, share thoughts and a meal and help raise vital funds to support ‘The Road to Bethlehem’ campaign outreach.
The Road to Bethlehem 2-3 year international campaign outreach ( 2011) accompanying the film on its release will engage the public and decision-makers on the critical issues affecting Bethlehem and Palestine more widely, and inspire audiences around the world to get involved and really help make a difference. The following clip is a message from Leila Sansour about why you should support her film:
To find out more about how you can help ‘The Road to Bethlehem’ make a big political impact on its release, go to The Road to Bethlehem fundraiser page.
Open Bethlehem
At the heart of the film and the campaign, founded by the director herself in 2005, is Open Bethlehem, an international campaign set up to address the state of emergency in Bethlehem. It has secured widespread attention and endorsement from world figures such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter and is a campaign that will enhance the film’s international impact with the intention of creating a positive impact for her home town.
Timescale
We hope to complete editing by autumn 2010; the film will be submitted to major international festivals, seeking distribution deals in 2011 for a Christmas 2011 release. Integral to this will be a international outreach campaign at the heart of which will be Open Bethlehem.
More information:
- Open Bethlehem
- Leila’s work referenced in the Church Times
- The Open Bethlehem campaign signs up to a faith leaders letter
Tags: Bethlehem, Film Premiere, power of film, Project
