Promises

A film by Justine Shapiro, B.Z. Goldberg, and Carlos Bolado

Running time: 102 minutes

Closed Captioning included

A beautiful and deeply moving portrait of seven Palestinian and Israeli children. Emmy award-winning and Academy award-nominated, PROMISES follows the journey of a filmmaker who meets these children in and around Jerusalem, from a Palestinian refugee camp to an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Although they live only 20 minutes apart, these children exist in completely separate worlds, divided by physical, historical and emotional boundaries.

PROMISES explores the nature of these boundaries and tells the story of a few children who dared to cross the lines to meet their neighbors. The children of PROMISES offer refreshing, personal and sometimes humorous insight into the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. With remarkable balance and a compelling blend of pathos and humor, this Oscar-nominated, Emmy Award winning film moves the conflict out of politics and into the realm of the human.

Quotes

"EXTRAORDINARY!" - Julie Salamon, The New York Times

"Stunning and Powerful! Should not be missed." - Howard Rosenberg, Los Angeles Times

"Deeply touching...a movie that changes you." Mike Nichols

"A project of love and devotion...a large masterpiece." - The Jerusalem Post

"SUPERB!" - Entertainment Weekly

"Gripping!" - Marta Barber, Miami Herald

ABOUT THE NEW PROMISES STUDY GUIDE:

• 50+ pages

• Accommodates various time frames

• Lesson Plans correlated to "chapters" on DVD

• Classroom Activities

• Reproducible Student Worksheets

• Glossary

• Background and historical information 

• Reference Guide to web sites, books and periodicals

• Readings and Poems

• Lesson plans can be correlated to state standards for Social Studies, History and Language-Arts.

PROMISES EDUCATIONAL PACKAGE BENEFITS

For STUDENTS

• Entertains, educates and inspires students;

• Offers students a greater understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;

• Shows there is more than one side to an issue and more than one Israeli and Palestinian perspective;

• Views the complexities of the conflict through the eyes of their peers in the Middle East;

• Engages students in language arts activities around issues of identity and culture;

• Enhances critical analysis and media literacy skills.

For TEACHERS

• Aims to make a messy overwhelming subject enjoyable to teach;

• Increases your comfort level in teaching about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;

• Provides you with background information about the conflict including its historical underpinnings;

• Provides you with exercises that teach tolerance of political, cultural and religious differences;

• Provides annotated resources for further research;

• Was designed with you in mind: a committed, overworked teacher somewhat wary of purchasing, yet again (and probably out pocket no less!) study guide materials that are poorly laid out.

• This entertaining and informative package is designed to educate and inspire your students.

Order the PROMISES Educational Package for your Middle & High Schools and College Departments & Libraries! 

• Social Studies

• History

• Language-Arts

• Middle East Studies

• Conflict Resolution

• Psychology

• Child Development

• World Religions

• Hebrew and Arabic Language

• Film Studies

The PROMISES Educational Package is a unique and invaluable resource for Jewish Educators & Congregations.

• Congregation Screenings

• Community Screenings

• Discussion Groups

• Youth Programs

• Jewish Day Schools

• Jewish Summer Camps

• Israeli/Palestinian study groups

• Film Series Screenings
  

DVD Special Features

- Updates of the children filmed in August 2004

- Footage of the kids at the 2002 Academy Awards

- Deleted Sequences

- Original Theatrical Trailer

- Justine Shapiro Globetrekker Clips