BRIDGING DIVIDES: Sharing Heartbeats

This honest and uplifting documentary focuses on six groups whose diverse members come together through shared interests, emotions and a desire to get to know each other. • We discover how they find common ground in their humanity, a greater understanding and respect for each other, and are enriched by their diversity of experiences. • What they look like, where they live, what their beliefs are, cease to be a source of conflict, but rather something to celebrate. • “Hatred doesn’t work, friendship does!” declares Trevor Ringland, the former chair of PeacePlayers - Northern Ireland. • This film is especially important during these dangerous times as it uncovers ways that we all can bridge our divides.

Groups featured in the film: Fandango Fronterizois a grassroots organization that brings Mexican and Americans together through music. They sing, play instruments and dance on both sides of the border wall that separates the two countries. The wall is there but the celebration goes right through it. • The Jerusalem Youth Chorus is made up of Palestinian and Israeli singers. Its purpose is to bring young people together from all sides of the cultural and religious conflicts with music and in dialogue. • PeacePlayers - Northern Ireland uses basketball to connect 2,500 young people from Protestant and Catholic backgrounds. By competing together on integrated teams, children forge new friendships and bridge old and bitter divides. • Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom is a sisterhood of Muslim and Jewish women whose aim is to build trust, respect and understanding between the members of the two faiths. • Tri-Faith Initiative brings together a synagogue, church, mosque and interfaith center all on one campus in Omaha, Nebraska. • Chicago Children’s Choir consists of 5,000 students in many different school choirs throughout the city of Chicago. Its goal is to foster understanding between young people of all races, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, gender identities and sexual orientations.                 • SCREENSHOTS •