After searing pain, four courageous people develop strengths they never had before and transform their grief into a bridge for understanding
ABOUT
THE NARROW BRIDGE is a searching journey into the souls of four people who, after searing pain, develop strengths they never had before. We watch with wonder as Bushra, Rami, Meytal and Bassam, women and men who lost a child or parent in violent conflict, transform their grief into a bridge for reconciliation.
The film follows their paths from devastating trauma to courageous activism. But their stories are not just personal. They all belong to a controversial grassroots movement of broken-hearted people ‘Israeli Palestinian Bereaved Families’ who stand side-by-side to end the violence and build a future based on dignity and equality. Despite fierce political and family opposition, they refuse to give up.
Bushra, Rami, Meytal and Bassam all wish they could turn back time to before tragedy struck, but they would never change who they have become. Charting a journey of hope amidst pain, THE NARROW BRIDGE lights a way to personal and social change.
A most incredible documentary - full of heart, angst and existential struggle but so very full of hope, warmth, connection and shared humanity.
Dr. Cathy Kezelman AM
President
Blue Knot Foundation - National Centre of Excellence for Trauma
Leonard Cohen
Tel Aviv
FOUR COURAGEOUS PEOPLE
The film follows the journeys of four courageous people. Meytal, Bassam, Rami and Bushra are compelling individuals; articulate, passionate and frank. They have all experienced enormous conflict in their lives and want to speak out despite fierce opposition. Each of them has travelled a hero’s journey with a transformation that is startling and complex, making for a powerful film
Through the experiences of these four people the film explores universal themes: What happens when you meet the human face of your enemy? How do our multiple identities (personal, national, religious) impact our relationships? Why do some people actually grow after trauma?
Meytal - whose father was axed to death in his garden
Bassam - whose daughter was shot dead while sharing sweets with her sister
Rami - whose daughter was blown up getting books for the new school year
Bushra - whose teenage son was killed just outside his home
‘From conflict to understanding
from trauma to hope
I walked the Narrow Bridge and I wept’
Richard Moore
Director of Melbourne International Film Festival and
Brisbane International Film Festival
(2006-2016)
HOW THE FILM WAS BORN
Director Esther Takac has been consulting as a child and adult trauma psychologist with Palestinians and Israelis in a Jerusalem hospital regularly over the last nine years, and working on the film since 2017. She met and filmed with Meytal, Bassam, Rami and Bushra many times, developing a collaborative and trusting relationship with them, and with the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families organisation.
As we follow these four people through aching loss, internal struggles and courageous shifts in thinking, the film explores who they used to be, who they are now and how the experience of pain changed them. Through the unique lens of the director, we witness them rise above their trauma with strength and compassion.
In a conflict where narratives clash and the suffering of the other is often dismissed, THE NARROW BRIDGE is committed to being balanced, fair and informed. Palestinian and Israeli cinematographers filmed up close and personal with the four participants, a woman and a man from each side of the conflict, with beautiful footage from Bet Jalla and Bet Uma in the Palestinian territories and Jerusalem and the Ayalon Valley in Israel.
Perhaps these broken-hearted individuals may lead their peoples forward, and serve as a model for others struggling with trauma and conflict around the globe? For if they can build a bridge for peace after paying the highest price – maybe we all can.
The topic of trauma can trigger disturbing memories for those who have suffered it directly or indirectly. If you or someone you know needs support, please contact a mental health service in your area.