Resources

Discussion Guides

Please click above to download discussion guides for each film as PDF files. These guides contain questions and ideas to help you have a thoughtful and productive post-screening discussion.

How to Organize a Screening

Click to download these tips as a PDF document!

Thank you for teaming up with us!

Thanks so much for your involvement in this exciting effort to push the envelope around the power of film to change people and communities. We are incredibly grateful to all of you who are hosting a screening party and want to offer you a number of resources that should help you plan and execute the evening.

We aim to catalyze 250 events from Purim to Passover (and beyond) in order to motivate further religious reconciliation and social change. And while the basic ingredients will be the same (host, guests, nosh, film and talk) no two events will be identical. The tips below are intended to offer a number of models and suggestions that may be helpful to you as you put together your event.

What are our goals?

We hope to spread the messages of these films to more people inside and outside the Jewish community and to spark discussion and activism on Jewish LGBT issues and Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding. Also, we hope to empower you to use the resources we have created and to spread the films' influence and reach.

That said, different hosts will have different aims in screening these films. For some hosts the aim will be to open a dialogue within their communities, and for others, to press for more institutional inclusion; for others it will be a call to reach out personally to individual gay people and their families; and for some it will motivate a deeper interest in Jewish learning on the issues.

Who do I invite?

Well, that depends. Of course, whoever you want to invite is the answer- it is after all your party. However, depending on your purpose you might choose to invite different folks. For example, if you want to open up discussion, invite people whose opinions you're interested in and value; if you're aiming to make change on an issue in a community you're a part of, invite stakeholders and leaders in that community. In any case, make sure to invite them enough in advance so they can plan around the event, and to do reminder emails or phone calls a few days before.

How do I get the film?

All three films can be ordered off the internet; links to buy each film are here. Encounter Point is distributed by Typecast Films, Hineini is distributed by Keshet, and Trembling Before G-d/Trembling on the Road are distributed by NeoFlix. You should allow two weeks to purchase the films in case of any shipping problems.

Please note that prices for home screening parties differ from those for organizational & community screenings. For details, please see the link above.

How do I plan the screening party?

Please test out the film beforehand, to make sure that it can be viewed and the sound can be adequately heard for all parts of the room. If you have invited people you don't know, or the word has gone out more broadly, it's a good idea to have a sign-up sheet so you know how many people attended and you are able to follow up with them in the future. If you have food, make sure it's in a place where everyone can reach it, if possible.

Decide how you want the timing of your event to run, in order to allow for enough time for watching the film, discussion, and shmoozing. For example, a sample schedule might look like this:
7 – 7:30: Informal conversation and snacking
7:30 – 9: View the film
9 – 10: Discussion about the film.

It's a good idea to let your guests know the plans for the evening, so they can plan accordingly. Of course, for some more informal house screenings, an agenda may not be necessary. As well, different formats will dictate different agendas; if you're holding a “lunch and learn” event at an organization, you'll need to have a shorter discussion and only show part of the film, while a potluck dinner event will entail far more time for eating, discussion, and socializing.

How do I run the post-screening conversation?

You can decide to let the conversation run itself. However, people who were invited may feel that they need permission to speak. Moreover, while they read your invitation and came, they still may not be clear as to what your aims are or what you expect from them. People may be nervous to begin responding to a film without direction. Even if they don’t say it, they will be thinking....“So, where did you want to take this?” Consequently, you should be prepared to set a stage for them with questions.

Our three discussion guides, above, contain questions in order to help you to conduct your conversation. Remember that it is the facilitator’s role to stress that the purpose of the discussion is to search for understanding rather than for agreement or solutions. Given this, people should obviously be both respectful and curious in regard to the different perspectives in the room.

What do I need to do after the party's over?

Report back to Films That Change The World! Please fill out our evaluation form and return it to aleza@filmsthatchangetheworld.com. This is very important, as it lets us gather information to measure our successes and know what we can improve in similar campaigns in the future.

MANY THANKS! WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU OPENING UP YOUR HOME AND COMMUNITY TO THESE FILMS.