TORN

After Hamas kidnapped 251 people from Israel on October 7, 2023 and Israel's war in Gaza took its course, another conflict flared up in New York - thousands of kilometers away - visible on the walls of the city. TORN shows the emotional aftermath of the now iconic "KIDNAPPED" poster campaign, a spontaneous solidarity movement that quickly became a controversial symbol and sparked fierce clashes between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian New Yorkers.
Through the voices of artists, activists and relatives of the hostages, the film sheds light on the motivations of those who put up the posters - and those who took them down again. The result is an impressive picture of a proxy war waged with stickers, slogans and torn paper. TORN makes visible how a distant war divided everyday life in one of the world's most diverse cities - and challenges us to think about identity, freedom of expression and empathy in a polarized time.

The film is in English and will be followed by a discussion with Nim Shapira. Nim Shapira is a creative director and artist working at the intersection of storytelling, technology and culture - from documentary film to experimental media formats.

The event is organized by the DAI Heidelberg in cooperation with the university.

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