Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, with English subtitles
With Nur Al Levi, Frieda Geffner, Abu Harbed
Us, Them, and Me provides a vivid firsthand account of Nicholas Avruj’s 2000 journey. Originally intended as a family vacation to Tel Aviv, Avruj’s insatiable curiosity led him to venture further, crossing into Gaza and the West Bank. With only his camera as company, he became a guest in the homes of both Palestinians and Israelis, immersing himself in their daily lives for months on end.
Today, the film serves as a poignant testament to the power of storytelling and the potential for empathy to bridge even the most profound divides. Us, Them, and Me is essential viewing to understand better the current conflict.
Press
“A valuable proposal both for the honesty and nobility of its director/protagonist and for the heartbreaking power of its images.” – Diego Batlle, La Nación
“Avruj looks and does not judge, he observes carefully and decides not to point an accusing finger. He observes and never underlines the horror.” – Hugo F. Sánchez, Tiempo Argentino
Notes on Film
“I hate it when people ask me if I’m pro-Israel or pro-Palestine. When I went to Israel in 2000, I had no idea where the trip would take me. I come from a Jewish family with a deep sense of tradition and progressive ideals. I filmed it all. I found myself on a trip that I could never have imagined. I returned to Argentina, but I couldn’t deal with the documentary.
Us, Them, and Me is not a film about the conflict. It is a film that deals –with a sense of paranoia- with a conflict on how the conflict is seen, and how it is perceived. But mainly it is a film of a young person (a young me) who faces the dilemma of every grown-up: how much do the traditions weigh? How do the invisible threads of family and love balance the social and moral crossroads that I faced? Where shall I draw the line? Where do I stand? Is it worth believing in the other? What’s a community?
Anyway… I don’t want to limit the questions that arise when making the documentary by writing them down.”
– Nicolás Avruj, Director
