Little Town of Bethlehem Screening at Gandhi-King Conference
Online, October 14, 2011 (Newswire.com) - MEMPHIS - Little Town of Bethlehem, the award-winning documentary by EthnoGraphic Media (EGM), will be screened on the opening night of the Gandhi-King Conference on Peacemaking in Memphis, Tenn., October 21-23. This year, the Gandhi-King Conference will be partnering with the Peace and Justice Studies Association (PJSA) to promote a dynamic exchange among individuals and organizations working for a more just and peaceful world.
The screening of the documentary and follow-up panel discussion is scheduled for Friday evening, October 21. Activists, artists, scholars and others are expected to join over 1000 students and university faculty members in the University Theater on the Christian Brothers University Campus in Memphis. Closing the conference at noon on Sunday, October 23, EGM president Bill Oechsler will lay a wreath at the National Civil Rights Museum during a reflective ceremony to honor the late Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Since last year's launch, Little Town of Bethlehem has proven itself to be a catalyst for positive dialogue and action, Oechsler said. "I have personally witnessed and been encouraged by the amazing power of this film to transcend faith traditions as well as cultural, societal, and geo-demographic boundaries. We are honored that the Gandhi-King Conference organizers not only chose to include a film screening during the symposium, but included us in the wreath-laying ceremony." In describing the film's unique perspective, director Jim Hanon said, "Little Town of Bethlehem doesn't focus on who is right or who is wrong. Rather, it shows what it truly means to 'love one's enemies.'"
Jacob Flowers, director of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center in Memphis, expressed his appreciation. "The Gandhi-King Conference is deeply grateful to the creators of Little Town of Bethlehem and is thrilled to be screening the film at this convergence of grassroots leaders working for nonviolent social change," he said. "The documentary's focus on the nonviolence movement in Israel and Palestine is a narrative that has been largely ignored by the mainstream media, but is such a vital part of the story to be told. Despite what is seen on television, I can tell you from my personal nonviolent resistance work in Palestine that it is the dominant narrative."
www.littletownofbethlehem.org
www.egmfilms.org
EthnoGraphic Media is an educational non-profit organization that explores the critical issues of our time. As a community of artists and filmmakers, EGM uses media to tell true stories of hope and compassion in the midst of suffering and strife. EGM believes that gaining a deeper understanding of the human condition inspires positive action. Other film projects include Miss HIV, End of the Spear, The Grandfathers, and Beyond the Gates of Splendor.