Join Writers & Books and Witness Palestine Film Festival for a pair of short film screenings at University of Rochester in support of our Rochester Reads 25th Anniversary selection, One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad.  

Join us in celebrating the opening of the 15th edition of the Witness Palestine Film Festival, with an evening of home-cooked Palestinian cuisine. This year we are honored to welcome Pulitzer Prize winning poet Mosab Abu Toha, who will provide the keynote address at our opening dinner.

Seeking to decode a final, unanswered invitation, a filmmaker explores why the renowned Lebanese director Jocelyne Saab reached out for a collaboration just two months before her passing. Since his reply can never reach her, the film transforms into a lyrical expedition through the life, political commitments, and artistic vision of a singular voice from the era of revolution.

From workshops to community gatherings, here's what we have coming up. Mark your calendar—we'd love to see you there.

An interactive session for makers and thinkers to collaborate, connect, and spark new ideas.

An interactive session for makers and thinkers to collaborate, connect, and spark new ideas.

An interactive session for makers and thinkers to collaborate, connect, and spark new ideas.