German theatrical release for COEXISTENCE, MY ASS!

The screening of the documentary about peace activist and stand-up comedian Noam Schuster at the Berlin Filmtheater am Friedrichshain was sold out. Raised in the bilingual Israeli-Palestinian village of Neve Shalom, Noam Shuster Eliassi gradually loses faith in traditional peace activism. She turns to stand-up comedy and quickly attracts attention across the Middle East. With biting satire, Noam confronts her audiences with uncomfortable truths.

Director Amber Fares follows the activist and comedian during the creation of her comedy show, on stages in the West Bank and New York, during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The portrait of a strong woman caught between worlds becomes an emotional roller coaster in light of the events of October 7 and the war in Gaza. Colleagues, friends, and relatives are kidnapped and murdered; civilians in Gaza suffer; the situation becomes increasingly tense and hopeless, and society more deeply divided.

A film that shows what it means not to give up on the idea of coexistence—and why that matters. After the screening, a Zoom interview took place with director Amber Fares and producer Rachel Leah Jones, conducted by producer and JFBB selection committee member Naomi Levari.

Alongside the JFBB, the New Israel Fund and Friends of Standing Together Berlin served as cooperation partners of the distributor UCM.ONE Filmverleih, which is releasing COEXISTENCE, MY ASS! in cinemas across Germany starting February 5.