An award-winning local documentary set in Israel and Palestine will air on SABC3 on Sunday 16 October at 10pm, with a repeat on Thursday 20 October at 9am.
The Letter, produced by Johannesburg-based Chedza Media, won best documentary at the 2008 World Television Awards: Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcast Development (AIBD).
The documentary promotes better religious understanding and was filmed on site in the West Bank and Tel Aviv. It follows an Israeli mother who lost a son to sniper fire during his service in the reserve army. Speaking from the heart, she wrote a letter to the sniper’s family, seeking closure and reconciliation.
The Letter was awarded because it increases public awareness on an important area of cultural diversity, tolerance and peace. “We set out to tell the simple story of two people and their journey towards reconciliation. For us, being able to achieve this goal is our greatest achievement,’ explains writer and producer Coetzee Zietsman.
“I got taken out of my comfort zone and learned about political conflict through the eyes of those involved. It was painful at times, but staying focused on the story kept me going,’ says Debbie Sprowson, script writer and assistant to Zietsman.
The spirit in which this documentary was written and filmed by the Chedza Media team takes out the politics so that a healthy civic discourse can take place.
The AIBD seeks to facilitate regional and international dialogue on electronic media and to assist members through educational programs.
