Maryam, A Woman of Bethlehem

Join writer and director Victoria Rue for a powerful afternoon of film, storytelling, and conversation. The program features two films exploring the lives, faith, and resilience of Palestinian women through the figure of Mary/Maryam, revered in both Christian and Muslim traditions.

The 75-minute film Maryam: A Woman of Bethlehem presents a Palestinian play performed by two actresses who portray 22 characters—from ages 12 to 87—sharing real stories gathered from interviews in Bethlehem. The program also includes the 20-minute documentary Mary Under Occupation, which follows the creation of the play in the West Bank.

Victoria Rue will introduce the films and lead a Q&A following the screening.

Proceeds from this event will support these organizations:

• The Middle East Children's Alliance-- MECA (A local organization in Berkeley that works directly with Gaza to provide water, food and medicine). For more information visit: https://www.mecaforpeace.org/
• Unity of Walnut Creek -- A vibrant, loving and inclusive community offering a positive path for spiritual living. Through relevant, practical and inspired teachings, we call forth the Divinity within us all to heal and spiritually grow.

About the two films:

Maryam, A Woman of Bethlehem is a 75 minute film of a Palestinian play, acted by two Palestinian actresses and brought to the U.S. in 2022. It speaks to us more now than ever before. Every word of the play is from interviews with Palestinians.

The actresses, performing in Arabic and English, enact twenty-two characters, from 12—87 years of age, Muslims and Christians living in Bethlehem, all of whom are answering the question “who is Mary/Maryam in 21st century Bethlehem?”

And who is Mary/Maryam? She is the iconic mother of Jesus/Issa in the Christian Bible and the Qur’an. Through the stories of these twenty-two characters, you will come to know both Mary/Maryam and the Palestinian people.

Mary Under Occupation

This important 20 minute documentary film, directed by Jules Hart, follows the creation of a play in Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine. Under Occupation for over 75 years, who are Palestinian women? Two young Palestinian actresses, Dalia Shakhtour and Rufaida Farraj, tell the story of performing 22 characters who live in Occupied Bethlehem. Palestinians are primarily Christians and Muslims. These two traditions share an iconic figure, Mary/Maryam, mother of Jesus/Issa. Mary is a Palestinian woman, a Palestinian mother, a Palestinian resistance fighter. She is a window through which we meet today's Palestinian women. Dalia and Rufaida also rehearse the play "Maryam, A Woman of Bethlehem" for performances in San Jose, CA. in March 2022.

About Victoria Rue:

VICTORIA RUE, M.Div. Ph.D. is a Fulbright scholar, emerita university lecturer, a theatre writer/director, and a Roman Catholic woman priest. She has written and directed plays for over 50 years on both coasts. Please see her website: www.Victoriarue.com In 2018/19 Dr. Rue was a Fulbright Scholar at Dar al Kalima University, Bethlehem, Palestine. There she interviewed Christians and Muslims on the subject of Mary/Maryam. Having shaped the interviews into a play, “Maryam, A Woman of Bethlehem,” Dr. Rue directed it’s premier in Bethlehem. It subsequently toured Palestine through the US State Dept. In 2022 the play and its actresses were brought to the US where they performed at the Hammer Theatre in San Jose, CA. A documentary, “Mary Under Occupation” was created by Jules Hart that follows the creation of the play. Dr. Rue is also a Roman Catholic woman priest, ordained in 2005. There are some 250 women priests worldwide. All have been excommunicated. Victoria’s spouse of thirty-five years is Dr. Kathryn Poethig. They met while studying at Union Theological Seminary in NYC and presently live in Walnut Creek, CA.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Unity of Walnut Creek