Discordia

It's September 9, 2002, and a scheduled appearance by Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Israeli prime minister, has sparked heated debate at Montreal's Concordia University. By the end of the day, the "Concordia riot" has made international news, from CNN to Al-Jazeera.

Discordia documents the fallout from that eventful day--following three young campus activists as they negotiate the most formative year of their lives.

Samer Elatrash, articulate and impulsive, is the son of Palestinian refugees and active with Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights. Noah Sarna, the soft-spoken co-president of the Jewish students' association Hillel, is passionate in his support for the state of Israel. Aaron Maté, a VP of the student council, finding himself at the eye of the storm, seeks advice from his father, a Holocaust survivor, and Noam Chomsky, a leading critic of Israeli policies.

Filmmakers Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal jump into the fray with street-smart bravado and a handheld camera. Buoyed along by hip-hop artist Buck 65, they offer a tonic reflection on the current state of Canadian student activism--and the enduring value of a tolerant and open mind.