Where Olive Trees Weep

January 25, 2025
7 PM
SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts | 149 West Hastings Street, Vancouver

No one is free until we are all free.

Where Olive Trees Weep offers a searing window into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. It explores themes of loss, trauma, and the quest for justice.

We follow, among others, Palestinian journalist and therapist Ashira Darwish, grassroots activist Ahed Tamimi, and Israeli journalist Amira Hass. We witness Dr. Gabor Maté offering trauma-healing work for a group of women who have been tortured in Israeli prisons.

Ancient landscapes bear deep scars, having witnessed the brutal reality of ancestral land confiscation, expulsions, imprisonment, home demolitions, water deprivation, and denial of basic human rights. Yet, through the veil of oppression, we catch a glimpse of resilience – deep roots that have carried the Palestinian people through decades of darkness and shattered lives.

This emotional journey bares the humanity of the oppressed while grappling with the question: what makes the oppressor so ruthlessly blind to its own cruelty?

POST-FILM PANEL DISCUSSION
– Ashira Darwish
– Nazanin Shahrokni, Associate Professor, School for International Studies, SFU
– Moderator: Veronika Gorlova

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Treedom for Palestine is an environmental and social justice nonprofit dedicated to planting seeds of hope and resilience in the West Bank. Through our signature initiative, Freedom Farms, we transform vulnerable land into thriving agricultural hubs. Each farm includes 250 olive trees, fortified with steel fencing and irrigation systems to protect both farmers and their crops.

Our mission goes beyond planting trees. Treedom tackles pressing issues like prosperity, food insecurity, gender equality, and climate resilience. By dedicating 50% of Freedom Farms to female farmers, we empower women to take leadership roles in agriculture, fostering peace and prosperity in their communities. Olive trees—universal symbols of peace—also serve as tools for climate action, helping to sequester carbon while withstanding drought and fire.

Since our founding, Treedom has planted thousands of olive trees across the West Bank in partnership with the Palestinian Farmers Union. Despite the challenges of war, settler violence, and heightened food insecurity, we’ve continued to grow—planting 14 new farms in just the past few months.

By supporting Treedom for Palestine, you’re not just planting trees. You’re helping Palestinians reclaim their land, build sustainable livelihoods, and nurture a future of peaceful coexistence.

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Reel Causes partners with filmmakers and Canadian causes dedicated to addressing global social justice issues. We host film screenings followed by panel discussions to educate and inspire our community, and provide a forum for authentic conversation around the issues that affect us locally.

City of Vancouver
BC Arts Council
Canada Council for the Arts
SFU's Vancity Office of Community  Engagement
Consumer Protection BC