Coexistence, My Ass! (2025) by Amber Fares

A Bold Documentary About Comedy, Activism, and the Search for Peace

Blending documentary filmmaking with stand-up comedy, Coexistence, My Ass! follows comedian and peace activist Noam Shuster-Eliassi as she confronts one of the world's most enduring and divisive conflicts through humor, personal storytelling, and political satire. As her long-held belief in peaceful coexistence is increasingly challenged by unfolding events, the film becomes both an intimate personal journey and a powerful reflection on identity, equality, and the limits of optimism in times of crisis.

The Big Picture: When Comedy Becomes a Form of Courage

Coexistence, My Ass! is a thought-provoking documentary that follows Israeli comedian and activist Noam Shuster-Eliassi as she transforms her experiences growing up in the unique mixed Jewish-Arab community of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam into a deeply personal one-woman stage performance. Directed by Amber Fares, the film combines observational documentary, archival footage, and live comedy to explore the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through humor, honesty, and lived experience. Rather than offering easy answers, the documentary examines how comedy can challenge assumptions, open difficult conversations, and expose uncomfortable truths about identity, inequality, and coexistence. By placing one woman's evolving perspective at its center, the film delivers a nuanced portrait of hope, disappointment, resilience, and the continuing search for dialogue in one of the world's most complex political realities.

➡️ Implication: Coexistence, My Ass! demonstrates that documentary filmmaking can use humor to address even the most difficult political and social issues. Its deeply personal perspective transforms a global conflict into a powerful human story that encourages conversation rather than simple conclusions.

Quick Facts

Category	Information
Genre	Documentary
Runtime	1h 35m (95 min)
Countries	United States, France
Languages	English, Hebrew, Arabic
Director	Amber Fares
Featuring	Noam Shuster-Eliassi
Release Date	January 26, 2025 (Sundance Film Festival); German theatrical release: February 5, 2026
Best Suited For	Viewers interested in political documentaries, human rights, contemporary history, and socially engaged storytelling
Current Availability	Released theatrically in Germany; additional regional availability varies by country.

What This Documentary Is Really About: Humor as a Way to Challenge Division

At its heart, Coexistence, My Ass! is less about politics than about one person's attempt to reconcile hope with reality. Through the experiences of Noam Shuster-Eliassi, the documentary explores how identity, friendship, activism, and comedy intersect when long-held beliefs about coexistence are tested by real-world events. Moving between intimate personal moments and performances from her one-woman show, the film examines how satire can become both a coping mechanism and a powerful form of social commentary, encouraging audiences to question assumptions while remaining open to empathy and dialogue. Rather than presenting a definitive political argument, the documentary invites viewers to engage with the emotional complexities that shape one of today's most challenging international conflicts.

➡️ Implication: Coexistence, My Ass! shows that humor can create space for difficult conversations that might otherwise seem impossible. Its personal perspective encourages audiences to approach complex issues with empathy, curiosity, and a willingness to listen.

Why This Documentary Is Worth Discovering: A Powerful Blend of Personal Storytelling and Political Insight

One of the documentary's greatest strengths is its ability to combine intimate autobiography with broader social and political questions without losing its emotional authenticity. Amber Fares follows Noam Shuster-Eliassi over several years, capturing not only the evolution of her comedy career but also the profound personal challenges that arise as the realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict reshape her understanding of coexistence and activism. By balancing humor with vulnerability, the film offers a perspective that is both deeply personal and universally relevant, demonstrating how documentary cinema can humanize complex issues through individual experience. The result is a compelling portrait of resilience, conviction, and the difficult search for hope in a deeply divided world.

➡️ Implication: Coexistence, My Ass! proves that the most impactful documentaries often begin with a single personal story before revealing broader social truths. Its combination of honesty, humor, and emotional depth makes it one of the year's most compelling political documentaries.

Should You Watch It?: A Strong Choice for Viewers Seeking Thought-Provoking Documentary Cinema

Best Suited For: Audiences Interested in Politics, Society, and Human Stories

• Viewers who enjoy contemporary documentary filmmaking.

• Audiences interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and human rights.

• Fans of documentaries that combine humor with serious social issues.

• Anyone seeking thoughtful films that encourage discussion and reflection.

May Not Appeal To: Viewers Looking for Light Entertainment

• Audiences expecting a conventional stand-up comedy film.

• Viewers seeking a balanced historical overview of the conflict rather than a personal perspective.

• Anyone looking for fast-paced or purely entertainment-focused documentaries.

➡️ Implication: Coexistence, My Ass! is best suited to viewers who appreciate documentaries that challenge perspectives through personal storytelling and thoughtful discussion. Its combination of comedy and activism creates an engaging viewing experience that remains relevant long after it ends.

Why Everyone Is Talking About It: A Documentary That Uses Comedy to Confront One of the World's Most Difficult Conflicts

Coexistence, My Ass! has attracted international attention for its unconventional approach to one of the world's most enduring political conflicts. Rather than presenting a traditional historical or journalistic documentary, director Amber Fares follows comedian and activist Noam Shuster-Eliassi as she transforms her personal experiences into a one-woman comedy show that questions the meaning of coexistence, equality, and peace. The film's unique combination of humor, documentary storytelling, and political reflection has resonated strongly with audiences and critics, particularly following its acclaimed festival run. Its ability to balance satire with emotional honesty has positioned it as one of the most talked-about political documentaries of the year, demonstrating how comedy can become a powerful tool for addressing complex social issues.

➡️ Implication: Coexistence, My Ass! shows that humor can challenge difficult conversations in ways that traditional documentaries often cannot. Its original storytelling approach has helped the film stand out on the international documentary circuit.

Audience & Critical Reception: Strong Festival Acclaim and Critical Recognition

Audience Response: Honest, Emotional, and Thought-Provoking

Audiences have responded positively to Coexistence, My Ass!, praising its ability to balance humor with deeply personal storytelling while tackling one of today's most sensitive political issues. Many viewers have highlighted Noam Shuster-Eliassi's honesty, charisma, and willingness to question her own beliefs, describing the documentary as emotionally engaging, intellectually stimulating, and refreshingly human. Rather than offering easy answers, the film encourages reflection, making it particularly appealing to audiences interested in documentaries that inspire discussion rather than certainty.

Critical Reception: Widely Praised Across the International Festival Circuit

Critics have strongly supported the documentary, reflected in its 75 Metascore and positive reviews following its premieres at major international documentary festivals. Reviewers have praised Amber Fares' patient observational direction, the film's seamless blend of comedy and documentary storytelling, and Noam Shuster-Eliassi's compelling on-screen presence. Particular attention has been given to the documentary's ability to transform an intensely personal story into a broader conversation about identity, freedom of expression, and the challenges of coexistence without sacrificing emotional nuance or complexity.

➡️ Implication: Strong audience and critical reception confirms the documentary's ability to engage viewers through empathy, humor, and thoughtful storytelling. Its festival success reflects the growing demand for documentaries that approach complex issues with originality and emotional intelligence.

Awards & Recognition: 5 Wins and 5 Nominations

Coexistence, My Ass! has become one of the year's most acclaimed documentary films, earning 5 wins and 5 nominations across major international festivals and documentary awards. Its most significant recognition came at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award: Freedom of Expression, recognizing the film's courageous exploration of dialogue, identity, and political expression through comedy. Additional major honors include the Golden Alexander and the Human Rights in Motion Award at the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival, further establishing the documentary as an important contribution to contemporary human rights and political filmmaking.

➡️ Implication: The documentary's international awards highlight its success in combining powerful storytelling with meaningful social commentary. Its recognition across leading documentary festivals confirms its impact on audiences, critics, and the global documentary community.

Entertainment Trend: Personal Documentaries Are Redefining Political Storytelling

Coexistence, My Ass! reflects a growing trend in documentary filmmaking where complex political and social issues are explored through deeply personal narratives rather than traditional reportage. Increasingly, filmmakers are placing individual lived experiences at the center of global conversations, allowing audiences to connect emotionally before engaging with broader political realities. By combining autobiographical storytelling, observational filmmaking, and stand-up comedy, the documentary also illustrates how contemporary nonfiction cinema is embracing more creative and hybrid narrative forms to reach wider audiences. This evolution demonstrates that personal storytelling has become one of the most powerful ways to encourage empathy, dialogue, and understanding across cultural and political divides.

➡️ Implication: Contemporary documentaries are increasingly proving that personal stories can illuminate global issues more effectively than conventional reporting alone. Coexistence, My Ass! exemplifies how authentic lived experience can reshape the way audiences engage with complex world events.

Why This Documentary Matters: Giving a Human Face to a Global Conflict

Coexistence, My Ass! demonstrates how documentary filmmaking can move beyond headlines and political debate by focusing on the lived experiences of a single individual. Through Noam Shuster-Eliassi's journey as a comedian and peace activist, the film explores questions of identity, coexistence, freedom of expression, and the emotional toll of prolonged conflict, encouraging audiences to see one of the world's most complex geopolitical issues through a deeply personal lens. Rather than presenting simple solutions, the documentary creates space for reflection, empathy, and dialogue, illustrating how humor can become a powerful way to challenge assumptions and foster meaningful conversations across cultural and political divides.

➡️ Implication: Coexistence, My Ass! reminds audiences that understanding global conflicts often begins by listening to individual human stories. Its personal perspective transforms political issues into an emotionally accessible and thought-provoking cinematic experience.

What This Documentary Means for the Entertainment Industry: Expanding the Boundaries of Political Documentary Filmmaking

For Documentary Filmmakers: Personal Stories Can Illuminate Global Issues

Coexistence, My Ass! demonstrates how individual lived experiences can provide audiences with a more immediate understanding of complex political realities than traditional issue-driven documentaries. By combining observational filmmaking with autobiographical storytelling and stand-up comedy, Amber Fares creates a documentary that feels both intimate and universally relevant.

For Producers & Distributors: Documentary Audiences Continue Seeking Original Perspectives

The documentary's strong festival reception shows that audiences remain eager for films offering fresh and emotionally engaging perspectives on contemporary world events. Rather than relying on conventional political analysis, Coexistence, My Ass! reaches viewers through humor, authenticity, and personal storytelling, illustrating the growing commercial and cultural value of distinctive documentary voices.

For Film Festivals: Celebrating Documentary Innovation

The film's recognition at leading international festivals highlights the increasing importance of documentaries that experiment with storytelling while addressing urgent social issues. Its combination of activism, comedy, and observational filmmaking demonstrates how documentary cinema continues evolving through creative narrative approaches that broaden audience engagement.

For Streaming Platforms: Strong Potential for Global Documentary Audiences

With its international subject matter, award-winning festival profile, and universal themes of identity, dialogue, and freedom of expression, Coexistence, My Ass! has strong potential to reach global audiences through streaming platforms specializing in documentaries, independent cinema, and socially relevant storytelling.

➡️ Implication: Coexistence, My Ass! reflects the growing influence of documentaries that combine personal storytelling with global relevance. Its success demonstrates that audiences continue seeking nonfiction films that inform, challenge, and inspire meaningful conversation.

Future Outlook: A Documentary Positioned for Lasting International Impact

Following its acclaimed festival run and multiple international awards, Coexistence, My Ass! is well positioned to continue reaching audiences through theatrical releases, television broadcasts, educational screenings, and future digital distribution. Its themes of dialogue, equality, and freedom of expression remain highly relevant, ensuring that the documentary is likely to remain an important resource for discussions surrounding conflict, human rights, and peacebuilding. Beyond the film itself, its success further establishes Amber Fares as a documentary filmmaker capable of combining deeply personal storytelling with broader social significance, while also bringing wider international attention to Noam Shuster-Eliassi's unique voice as both a comedian and activist.

➡️ Implication: Coexistence, My Ass! has the potential to remain relevant well beyond its initial release because its central questions about coexistence, identity, and dialogue continue to resonate across cultures. Its enduring value lies in encouraging audiences to approach difficult conversations with empathy, openness, and humanity.

Final Verdict: An Award-Winning Documentary That Finds Humanity Through Humor

Coexistence, My Ass! is a courageous and deeply engaging documentary that demonstrates how comedy can become a powerful way to explore some of the world's most difficult political and social issues. Rather than offering a conventional examination of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Amber Fares tells the story through the lived experiences of comedian and activist Noam Shuster-Eliassi, creating a film that is at once personal, emotional, humorous, and thought-provoking. By blending observational documentary with stand-up performance, the film challenges audiences to question assumptions, embrace complexity, and recognize the human stories behind political divisions. Its international festival success and critical acclaim confirm its place among the year's most important documentary releases.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Coexistence, My Ass! proves that documentary cinema can educate, challenge, and inspire by combining personal storytelling with humor and emotional honesty. Its original approach makes it one of the year's most compelling and memorable documentaries.

Summary of the Documentary: A Personal Story That Opens a Global Conversation

Coexistence, My Ass! follows comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi as she transforms her lifelong commitment to peace and coexistence into a deeply personal stage performance that questions identity, equality, and the realities of living amid one of the world's longest-running conflicts. Directed by Amber Fares, the documentary blends comedy, activism, and observational filmmaking to create an intimate portrait that encourages empathy and dialogue while demonstrating how one person's story can illuminate broader social and political realities.

➡️ Key Takeaway: By combining humor with personal reflection, Coexistence, My Ass! shows that documentary filmmaking can make complex global issues more accessible without oversimplifying them. Its emotional honesty and willingness to embrace difficult questions leave audiences with a deeper appreciation of the human experiences behind political conflict.

If You Liked This Documentary: More Powerful Films Exploring Conflict, Identity, and Human Rights

• No Other Land (2024), directed by Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor — An Academy Award-winning documentary offering an intimate look at life under occupation through personal collaboration across communities.

• The Bibi Files (2024), directed by Alexis Bloom — An investigative documentary examining political leadership, power, and public accountability in Israel.

• For Sama (2019), directed by Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts — A deeply personal documentary chronicling life, motherhood, and survival during the conflict in Syria.

• Navalny (2022), directed by Daniel Roher — An Academy Award-winning documentary exploring political opposition, resilience, and the global fight for democracy.

• The Territory (2022), directed by Alex Pritz — A powerful documentary examining Indigenous rights, environmental conflict, and resistance in the Amazon rainforest.

• Collective (2019), directed by Alexander Nanau — A gripping investigative documentary exposing corruption, institutional failure, and the importance of press freedom.

Where to Watch: Available Through Regional Releases and Digital Platforms

As of July 2026, Coexistence, My Ass! has expanded beyond its award-winning festival run with a theatrical release in Germany, a television premiere in the Netherlands, and regional releases in several international markets. Digital availability varies by country, with additional streaming and video-on-demand releases continuing to roll out following its successful festival circuit. Viewers should check local platforms such as JustWatch, regional broadcasters, and national video-on-demand services for the latest availability in their country.

https://www.justwatch.com/de/Film/coexistence-my-ass (Germany), https://www.justwatch.com/ca/movie/coexistence-my-ass (Canada)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImkjqHD9iHw