World-renowned conductor Daniel Barenboim and Palestinian writer Edward Said have generated controversy and admiration with the founding of their West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in 1999. This documentary follows a unique musical collaboration, dedicated to furthering the cause of peaceful coexistence in the Middle East, bringing together young musicians from both sides of the divide.

Winner Emmy Award 2006

World-renowned conductor Daniel Barenboim and Palestinian writer Edward Said have generated controversy and admiration with the founding of their West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in 1999. This documentary follows a unique musical collaboration, dedicated to furthering the cause of peaceful coexistence in the Middle East, bringing together young musicians from both sides of the divide: Syrians, Jordanians, Egyptians, Palestinians and Israelis. The film chronicles workshops in Weimar and Seville, Barenboim’s 2004 visit to Ramallah and Jerusalem and highlights of the 2005 European tour.

Integral to the documentary is footage of the orchestra’s co-founder Edward Said, a noted literary critic, scholar and advocate for Palestinian independence. For him the orchestra was “one of the most important things I have done in my life”. For Barenboim, the orchestra is a metaphor for what could be achieved in the Middle East.

http://www.ukjewishfilmfestival.org.uk/