I like to participate in life rather than be a spectator. Music, dancing, theatre, travelling, food, cycling and walking are some of my passions. Writing is an enjoyable pastime that allows me to share my experiences.
A delicious documentary written, produced and directed by Beth Elise Hawk, Breaking Breadtakes the viewer on a culinary journey toward peace. The M rated 85 minute film is about the A-Sham Arab food festival in the culturally "mixed city" of Haifa Israel. In 2014, Dr Nof Atamna-Ismaeel became the first Muslim Arab to win the Israeli version of Masterchef and in 2015, she co-founded the collaborative Arab Jewish festival which seeks to promote regional peace and unity via the creation and sharing of food.
A-Sham (also known as The Levant) is the Arab word for the region that encompasses Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Syria. The collaboration of chefs from different religious and cultural backgrounds produces and showcases unique and almost extinct Levantine dishes. As they say, hummus has no borders and people are just people when religion and politics are kept out of it.
This is a beautiful film that is filled with stunning food shots of mouth-watering dishes and interesting heartfelt commentary. There is enough historical and geographic information in it for "outsiders" to gain some knowledge of the situation and identify with the people who are caught up in the constant conflict.
Two chefs producing Octopus perfection (supplied image)
