COVID-19 has forced us to change the way we live. We can imagine some things – good and bad - that may never return to the way they were, but we don’t really know what the future holds.

Despite this uncertainty, people from all political and social points of view are finding proof in the crisis to demonstrate why their pre-COVID story about the world was correct. Everyone finds facts to support their story. It’s a very human thing to do. Everyone seems confident the facts will convince others to change their minds, but if no one does, we end up with deeper partisanship and more conflict.  Alternatively, we could take this moment to imagine new stories capable of capturing the public imagination and building new coalitions.

As the world begins to open up, we want to create a space where people can experiment with new narratives about old problems - where it is possible to imagine new stories about ourselves and the future.

The Jerusalem Cinematheque in partnership with the Van Leer Group, the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, the Bernard van Leer Foundation, and Haaretz has curated The Day After program. Through a series of films and discussions with leading world figures, the program explores issues of the day after through five global challenges that COVID-19 has brought to the forefront of public debate. The program will allow for a discussion and experimentation with alternative narratives that might help us to better address

these challenges as we look ahead to The Day After.

COVID-19 has provided a prism through which to observe the tensions between economic growth, equality, human health and the environment. How might we better frame efforts to build an economic system that is more inclusive within and between countries and does not damage human or environmental health?

Yanis Varoufakis Economist, former Minister of Finance of Greece, in conversation with Eytan Avriel, founder of TheMarker and its current Editor-in-Chief

Screening of the films:

Capital in the 21st Century

Dir.: Justin Pemberton I France 2019 I 103 minutes I English, French

Hebrew subtitles

Adapting one of the most groundbreaking and powerful books of our time, Capital in the 21st Century is an eye-opening journey through wealth and power, breaking the popular assumption that the accumulation of capital runs hand in hand with social progress, and shining a new light on the world around us and its growing inequalities. Traveling through time from the French Revolution and other huge global shifts, to world wars and the rise of new technologies today, director Justin Pemberton assembles accessible pop-culture references coupled with interviews with some of the world's most influential experts. The result is an insightful and empowering journey through the past and into our future.

 

Participants

Yanis Varoufakis Economist, former Minister of Finance of Greece, in conversation with Eytan Avriel, founder of TheMarker and its current Editor-in-Chief