Zero Degrees of Separation 2:45pm • sept 30 • Film center

This complex documentary deals with the struggles that two couples face in the current tension-filled climate of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Selim and Ezra, a gay couple, and Samira and Edit, a lesbian couple, face not only the challenges brought about by being gay, but also the added element of being in an inter-ethnic relationship. In addition to their stories, director Elle Flanders inserts some of her own home movies, which trace her Zionist grandparents involvement in the creation of the state of Israel. In contrast, the modern images shown of the country today, speak of a fractured landscape and a people divided. The problems faced by both the Palestinians and the Israelis are only exacerbated by the Occupation, which puts a strain on people who would hopefully someday live in peace. by telling the emotional stories of these two couples, Zero Degrees of Separation attempts to create some understanding where only dissent has previously existed. –Rachel Popowcer (Canada, 2005, 90 min, dir: Elle Flanders. In Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles)