Coexistence, My Ass!
Sunday 28th of June 5:00pm (Victorian Premiere)
AMBER FARES | USA, FRANCE | 2025 | 1'35"
Noam Shuster Eliassi grew up the literal poster child for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process before making a hard pivot to stand-up comedy and political satire. But as the region sinks deeper into devastating violence, she must meet the moment by challenging her audiences with hard truths that are no laughing matter.
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.
"Noam has unique qualities that I have seen in very few people. She has the ability to move seamlessly between groups that appear to be mutually exclusive. She is able to hold multiple perspectives on reality, refuses us-or-them narratives and doesn’t lose sight of what’s most important. She speaks truth to power in three different languages. And she is really funny.
Amber Fares
Credits
Director: Amber Fares
Producers: Amber Fares, Rachel Leah Jones
Editor: Rabab Haj Yahya
Sunday
2026