Across the Divide (2012)

On the surface, the atmosphere at Bethlehem University resembles any campus in the West. And then you're reminded why this region is unlike any other. Across the Divide takes viewers to the first university established in the West Bank and the first Catholic university in the Holy Land-an institution whose history has been shaped by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There we meet Christian students like Berlanty, who must persevere to exercise her right to education. Forced to leave Bethlehem by military decree, she must find a way to keep her dream alive. We also meet Marian, who, like so many in Bethlehem, has experienced the violence of the conflict first-hand. Salt + Light tells the story of the university, the religious brothers who run it, and the students who will sacrifice everything for their education. Together they aim to build a better future for the Holy Land. "Across the Divide is a message that provides a foundation for genuine hope for all who pray for a future of peace for the people of that currently very troubled land." - Archbishop Richard Smith, President, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops