Lady Filmmakers Festival 2019 – Brewed in Palestine
An intimate portrait of the Taybeh Brewery in Palestine, the first craft brewery on the West Bank, reveals the daily realities of one resourceful Palestinian family living and working under Israeli occupation. Their perspective offers a new way to talk about the economics of conflict for modern Palestinians and centers around Madees Khoury, the first female brewer in the Middle East and operations manager of the Taybeh Brewing Company.
Interview with Director/Producer/Editor Emma Schwartz
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to find a new way to talk about the West Bank, a way into the conversation for audiences that might not be instinctually drawn to a story about modern Palestine.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This film centers around Madees Khoury, the first female brewer in the Middle East and operations manager of the Taybeh Brewing Company in Palestine. Her strength and tenacity drive this family own business, which she and her brother have taken over from their father.
Having lived and worked in this beautiful, complicated place, I want to hear more stories of the Palestinian woman who fight for economic independence. This film offers a new way to see Arab woman, talk about the economics of conflict, and what that looks like for a modern Palestinian family.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
As Madees and Canaan, the central figures in this film, fight to keep the family business afloat against the background of escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians on the West Bank, they struggle with some deeply universal human conflicts. As viewers, we bear witness to the very real conflicts they come up against each day, between personal safety and getting the job done.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Surprise! I've been delighted to see the way the Khoury family's story breaks preconceived notions of Palestine.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I've been overwhelmed with gratitude that this wonderful family would trust me with their story, and it doesn't surprise me at all how much their story engages viewers to think critically about their own preconceived notions of life on the West Bank.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
The more people get to know this family and hear their story, the better!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We're looking to show this film all over the world and ultimately looking to find it a home on a streaming service! Knowledge is so powerful, and I think the more insight we have into the intimate stories of others, the more empathetic and connected we all will be.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
It is my deepest hope that the story of the Khoury family will drive others to become more informed about the ongoing situation on the West Bank.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What surprised you about this film?
Interview: September 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, 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
Brewed in Palestine
An intimate portrait of the Taybeh Brewery in Palestine, the first craft brewery on the West Bank, reveals the daily realities of one resourceful Palestinian family living and working under Israeli occupation. Their perspective offers a new way to talk about the economics of conflict for modern Palestinians and centers around Madees Khoury, the first female brewer in the Middle East and operations manager of the Taybeh Brewing Company.
Director: Emma Schwartz
Producer: Emma Schwartz
About the writer, director and producer:
EMMA SCHWARTZ is a video journalist and producer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a masters in Documentary Filmmaking from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. A native New Yorker, Emma has also lived and worked in Argentina, Dominican Republic, Israel, and Palestine. In recent years, she’s worked with PBS, The Washington Post, GQ Magazine, Bon Appétit Magazine and NBC Bay Area, among others.
Facebook: Brewed in Palestine
Website: www.brewedinpalestine.com
Made in association with: Produced at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California Berkeley
Funders: Minette Nelson and David Eckles; The Filmmaker Fund; UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism; Blackmagic Design; Canon USAl
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Lady Filmmakers Festival in Beverly Hills, LA; Saturday 9/28/19, 2:15pm at Wilshire Screening Room; Arab Film Festival in San Francisco, CA; Tue, Oct 15th, 7:45 PM at Little Roxie; Mill Valley Film Festival in Mill Valley, CA; Sunday October 13th at 2pm at the San Rafael Film Center; Wednesday October 9th at 6:15 PM at Larkspur Century.