(This commentary is part of a MinnPost Voices series highlighting “What We Can Do Week“ — an effort to bridge divides and reject political violence. Participating organizations include the Citizens League, Majority in the Middle, the University of Minnesota Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, the Minneapolis Regional Chamber and the St. Paul Area Chamber.)
Resilience is forged in relationships. A recent airplane conversation reminded me that our democracy becomes fragile when we stop seeing each other as neighbors.
Returning from a conference, I sat next to a man who fled Pakistan after his Christian family experienced discrimination and threats enabled by laws that restrict religious freedom. His story reminded me that the freedom to live alongside people who are different from us is neither universal nor guaranteed.
Related: Let’s treat translation — of literature, film, theater — as the artistic venture that it is
We strengthen our freedom by practicing the skills of connection. That’s the idea behind the Better Together Film Festival. Taking place this July, the national festival invites community-based organizations to open their doors to the public and show one or more from a selection of films that involve bridging behaviors.
The festival succeeds because local organizations adapt it to their communities. Last year congregations, nonprofits, libraries and civic groups hosted conversations that brought together people who might never otherwise meet. The model is intentionally lightweight: organizations provide the gathering space, while festival organizers provide films, discussion resources and a national network committed to strengthening social trust.
“What good is watching a movie?” You ask. Last year 250 Minnesotans attended seven festival screenings, completing surveys before and after the events. Answering questions from the Social Cohesion Impact Matrix, they emerged with two changes:
- A decrease in how polarized they felt before the movie, from 5.6 average out of 10 to 4.7.
- And an increase in their confidence in being able to dialogue across differences, from 5.9 to 7.
Both of these results were statistically significant. Watching a thoughtfully chosen film and discussing it with neighbors can help you to dislike others less and have better, more diverse relationships in the future. Put another way, it helps you love your enemy and be a better peacemaker.
When our ability to connect with each other is at risk and pluralist norms are under threat, you can make a difference this summer: Be a site host for the Better Together Film Festival this July. Perhaps your faith community has a screen, projector and air conditioning? Perhaps you can reserve a room in the neighborhood library?
Films were announced June 4 and they include award winners like Minnesota-produced “A Binding Truth,” which won the Founders Award at the International Black Film Festival; “My Omaha,” nominated for the Slamdance Grand Jury Prize; “Creede U.S.A.,” Best Indie-Spirit Documentary at the Sedona Film Festival; and other films chosen for their diverse representation of backgrounds and the way they model people connecting across their differences.
The man I met on the airplane reminded me that the freedom to live alongside people who are different from us is neither automatic nor guaranteed. It survives only when we practice it. Hosting a film screening may seem like a small act. But resilient communities are built through small acts repeated thousands of times. This July, Minnesota organizations have an opportunity to do exactly that.
To be a site host — even to just explore the idea — you can contact me or complete this form.
The Rev. Jerad Morey is director of civic dialogue at the Minnesota Council of Churches and a board member of Majority in the Middle.
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