AMDOCS / DocLands Documentary Film Festival - Objector
Like all Israeli youth, Atalya is required to become a soldier. Unlike most, she questions her military’s role in Palestine and becomes determined to oppose this national rite of passage. Despite her family’s wishes, she joins a new movement of conscientious objectors, and is imprisoned for her dissent.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Molly Stuart
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I met Atalya Ben-Abba when she was in high school, trying to come to terms with her eventual conscription as a soldier. She was a strong-willed young woman who was considering becoming a combat soldier. When her brother -- my partner -- told me that she had decided to refuse military service and would be sent to prison, I was in awe of her courage. After hearing her articulate her objection to the occupation of the Palestinian territories and seeing her charisma through the camera, I knew it was a story that should be amplified. I seek to elevate the actions of Atalya and the growing movement of youth objectors as a stimulus for all of us – regardless of nationality – to act boldly on our visions of justice.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
First of all, I believe Objector is enjoyable to watch because the characters are easy to connect with, and the themes of family, friendship, and rites of passage are relatable and compelling. On a deeper level, I believe that Atalya’s personal journey to understand the historic conflict into which she was born, and to forge an ethical path through it, offers a clear window into a reality that is often shrouded in complexity. I think many audiences have grown weary of news coverage on this seemingly intractable conlicft, but will be more open to engage when it is presented through a compelling personal story, as in Objector. And reinvigorating interest in the peace efforts of Jewish women is vital, given the ever-increasing polarization and violence.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Objector has a strong focus on family themes, specifically, how Atalya’s family tries to love and support each other across political difference. Atalya, the youngest in her family, navigates the varying disagreements and fears for her future while trying to chart a new course. Another universal theme is the rite of passage, and how it is reinterpreted by new generations. Atalya tries to make sense of her family legacies while seeing reality with fresh eyes and challenging society’s idea of what it means to become an adult and a citizen.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Well primarily, we started with a short film and now we are in post-production on a feature version of Objector! The short film ends right after Atalya’s imprisonment and focuses specifically on her experiences as an individual objector. With the feature, we are developing Atalya’s post-prison story arc and expanding our focus to the growing movement of objectors.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I think the most meaningful feedback came from a screening we did in a town outside of Jerusalem. The audience was a mix of Israelis and Palestinians. One Israeli woman said that she served in the military because she felt like there was no other option, but if she had seen Objector at that time, she would have changed her mind. She lamented not having seen the film in time to take the same action as Atalya. Then a Palestinian man said that before seeing the film, he had no idea that any Israelis would refuse to do the military, much less go to prison for it. He said it gave him reason to believe there is a partner on the other side.
We also received feedback that the film should give more background information about the implications of Atalya’s decisions. Another criticism was that Objector doesn’t address the larger context of Jewish resistance to Israeli militarism.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It led us to make a feature-length version to address the issues and expand on the strengths.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would love to attract an agent or an executive producer to come on board for the feature.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Anytime between now and September 2018 would be a perfect time for a producer or agent to come on board and help us develop a distribution strategy. We are also open to inquiries from distributors, film festival directors, and journalists.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope this film will give audiences an opportunity to question their understandings of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how it might end. I think by focussing on ordinary citizens’ defiance to a militaristic system, the film invites everyone to consider what form of protagonism they may have in this kind of resistance.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
There is no shortage of debates that this film will provoke… but one question that I think is very timely and global is, “What is the role of youth in addressing age-old conflicts? And how should society respond to young people breaking the law in order to speak out against injustice?”
And of course, I hope viewers will ask how they might play a role in ending the particular injustices addressed in this film.
Would you like to add anything else?
If you’d like to learn more about the network of Objectors of which Atalya is part, visit www.mesarvot.org
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Objector’s cinematographer Andés Gallegos and I (Molly Stuart) are working on another short film we made in Israel/Palestine about an Israeli veteran’s turn to peace activism. I am also finishing up a hybrid documentary, called Mi Casa No Es Mi Casa, about the experience of being evicted from San Francisco rendered through dance and personal narrative of my housemate and I. Several members of the creative team have just finished a feature-length film, The American War, that tells the story of the Vietnam War from the point of view of Vietcong veterans (directed by Daniel Bernardi).
interview: April 2018
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, scifi, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Objector
From an Israeli Rite of Passage to a Battle for Human Rights
Like all Israeli youth, Atalya is required to become a soldier. Unlike most, she questions her military’s role in Palestine and becomes determined to oppose this national rite of passage. Despite her family’s wishes, she joins a new movement of conscientious objectors, and is imprisoned for her dissent.
Length: 16 minutes, soon to be 70 minutes.
Director: Molly Stuart
Producer: Daniel Bernardi and Molly Stuart
Writer: Atalya Ben-Abba, Amitai Ben-Abba, Molly Stuart
About the writer, director and producer:
Molly Stuart is an award-winning filmmaker based in Berkeley, CA. With an education from Middlebury College and San Francisco State University, she has directed, produced, and edited several social-issue films.
Daniel Bernardi is a documentary filmmaker and faculty at San Francisco State University. A veteran of the Iraq War, his work addresses culture conflict and representation of race in cinema.
Key cast: Atalya Ben-Abba, Amitai Ben-Abba
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
All of the above.
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectorfilm/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjectorFilm
Funders: SFFILM, Compton Foundation, Veteran Documentary Corps, Berkeley Film Foundation
Made in association with: SFFILM, Compton Foundation, Veteran Documentary Corps,
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Objector will be playing at DocLands Documentary Film Festival Friday, May 4 @ 3.45 pm - Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael