Magasin III Jaffa Films

״Coexistence, My Ass!״

95 min ✧ English, Arabic & Hebrew ✧ Subtitles in Arabic & Hebrew

COEXISTENCE, MY ASS! follows Israeli activist-comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi as she creates a comedy show by the same name. Shot over five tumultuous years, the film traces Noam’s personal, professional, and political journey in tandem with the region’s steady deterioration. Raised in a bilingual Israeli-Palestinian village -the only intentionally integrated community in the country – Noam grows disillusioned with traditional peace activism. She pivots to stand-up and quickly attracts attention across the Middle East. But as her star rises, everything around her falls apart. With biting satire, Noam pushes her audiences to face difficult truths that aren’t always funny but do remind us that another reality is possible.
Director/producer: Amber Fares Writer/Producer: Rachel Leah Jones Editor/writer: Rabab Haj Yahya Cinematography: Philippe Bellaiche, Amber Fares, Amit Chachamov

Following the screening, a conversation was held with Noam Shuster-Eliassi and Lisa Hanania, joined by the film’s writer and producer, Rachel Leah Jones.

Noam Shuster Eliassi
A comedian, performer, activist, and former UN employee who once thought she would make big positive changes to advance justice, peace, and coexistence. Haha. The first Jewish comedian to ever perform in the Palestine Comedy Festival, Shuster Eliassi grew up in the only intentionally mixed Palestinian-Jewish community in Israel. Noam performs and writes in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. The film “Coexistence, My Ass!”, which follows Noam Shuster Eliassi, has been shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Lisa Hanania
Lisa Hananiais the director of Jaffa Culture Well House, a cultural center operated by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality that integrates artistic and educational activities to promote shared living in Jaffa. In her role, Lisa leads cultural initiatives that connect the city’s diverse communities, emphasizing values of equality, diversity, and cultural preservation. Previously, she managed digital marketing at Mishlama for Jaffa and served as the political advisor for Arab society affairs at the British Embassy in Israel. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University in the U.S., where she studied on a full scholarship awarded for her social activism. In 2018, she was named one of The Marker‘s “40 Under 40” promising young leaders. Born and raised in Jaffa, Lisa was a founding member of the city’s bilingual school and the Forum for the Advancement of Public Arab Education in Jaffa. She is married to Aouni and the mother of Jude and Naya.