"AMAL | HOPE," a Documentary Directed by Dr. Eros Zhao Receives Widespread Acclaim

Los Angeles, California, USA. 8th November, 2025. A special screening of the documentary film, AMAL | HOPE, took place at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in Los Angeles, California. AMAL | HOPE has previously been shown in San Francisco, London, Copenhagen, and Tel Aviv, where it received enthusiastic reviews from various experts, scholars, and documentary filmmakers. The film will have another special screening at Zipper Hall at the Colburn School in Los Angeles on January 10, 2026, where Duo Amal will perform live, offering the audience an immersive musical experience. TV host Joey Zhou, founder of the Los Angeles Beverly Arts (LABA), and LABA Board member Douglas Ivanovich, founder of World Peace One, were among the guests at the screening.

The film was directed by Dr. Eros Zhao, a Chinese-American director, and co-produced by Templux Productions along with Beijing Times Light and Shadow Culture Media Co., Ltd. The executive producer is the well-known investor Mira Ledger, with Maria Giacchino as the producer, and Jin Wang, Chairman of Beijing Times Light and Shadow, as the co-producer. This powerful team behind the scenes guaranteed the film's world-class standards from its creation to production.

Dr. Eros Zhao with the award, "Best Short Documentary" at the Bal International Film Festival

In today's world, rife with division and conflict, this unique short documentary uses music as a bridge to convey a message of peace and understanding that transcends national borders and beliefs. For its outstanding artistic value and profound humanistic concern, it won the "Best Short Documentary Award" at the Bali International Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying event. This is not only a high affirmation of the film's quality but also signifies its entry into the ranks of the world's top documentaries, demonstrating its strong momentum for an Oscar run.

AMAL | HOPE, set against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, tells the legendary story of Israeli pianist Yaron Kohlberg and Palestinian pianist Bishara Haroni forming the internationally renowned Duo Amal through music, friendship, and cross-cultural exchange. The duo consists of Israeli pianist Yaron Kohlberg and Palestinian pianist Bishara Haroni.

Professor Michael Berry (pictured above, first from left), Director of the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies and Professor in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures and the Department of Film (above), has served as a judge at several film festivals, including the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards, and has published numerous research works on Chinese cinema. Dr. Jeff Kryka (pictured below, first from left), a renowned Hollywood composer and musician, has contributed to film scores for movies such as "Star Wars" and "Jurassic World". Both discussions were highly engaging and enthusiastic, with many audience members participating in discussions with the creative team about the resonance between music, art, and humanity.

"Amal" means "hope" in Arabic. The film, through their musical journey, showcases how art can transcend cultural and political barriers, becoming a bridge of connection and reconciliation. The two musicians, sharing a common language of classical music, break down deep-seated social divisions, creating a symphony of unity, resilience, and the redemptive power of art. The film documents their journey from initial acquaintance to long-term collaboration, and how they used music to resolve barriers and create resonance in a politically tense environment. It also demonstrates how their music, transcending ethnic boundaries, has moved audiences worldwide.

The story begins in Israel. Bishara, immersed in Palestinian culture, developed a deep connection with classical music at a young age through a piano performance; Aaron, a prodigy who debuted at the age of nine, quickly became a shining star in the Israeli music scene. Despite the political turmoil of the 1980s and 90s that overshadowed their formative years, their vastly different backgrounds clashed through a shared passion for music and artistic resonance, sparking a lifelong friendship.

Professor Michael Berry (pictured above, first from left), Director of the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies and Professor in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures and the Department of Film (above), has served as a judge at several film festivals, including the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards, and has published numerous research works on Chinese cinema and Dr. Eros Zhao.

This musical bond began by chance in 2008. When Aaron invited Bishara to perform together in a peace-themed concert, the astonishing synergy they displayed on the piano—and the thunderous response from the audience—suggested that they would dedicate their lives to the "Hope Duo." Living together in an apartment in Berlin, they devoted themselves to honing their skills, with up to ten hours of practice as a daily routine. This intense collaboration required bridging cultural differences while simultaneously fostering mutual growth, ultimately cultivating a profound understanding that transcended the stage—they not only created a unique musical "language" but also built bridges of mutual understanding in their lives.

Dr. Eros Zhao with guests

In Jerusalem, a land shrouded in political turmoil and violence, the documentary profoundly portrays how the music of Bisharah and Aaron transformed into a ray of light piercing the darkness. Through heartfelt interviews with the two pianists and their families, the film, with its delicate narrative, presents the extraordinary journey of AMAL | HOPE in forging musical bonds and sowing seeds of hope in this conflict-ridden region, conveying to the world the enduring power of art to heal hearts and bridge divides.

Some experts, after watching the film, stated that AMAL | HOPE is not merely a documentary showcasing musical talent, but a moving poem about hope, love, and human resonance. The film profoundly interprets how art can be a catalyst for peace and a bridge to harmony, awakening our reflection on shared humanity and hope for the future through its unique perspective.

Dr. Eros Zhao, an accomplished artist, was born in China and studied Chinese painting at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He later pursued further studies in the United States, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he also taught. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Chinese Art History from UCLA and a PhD in Arts Management from Shih Chien University in Taiwan.

Dr. Eros Zhao with pianist Bishara Haron and guests

As a creator spanning film and music, Dr. Zhao is dedicated to building dialogue between visual and performing arts through the production of classical music and film concerts. He has collaborated with institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Denver Art Museum, and Steinway & Sons on numerous art documentaries, winning many international awards, including a nomination for Best Documentary Short at the 2024 Austin International Film Festival and several other international film festival awards. In addition to his filmmaking, he is a researcher and disseminator of Chinese calligraphy, painting, and Buddhist art. He was the first to translate Dr. Fu Shen's classic work, Studies in Connoisseurship, into Chinese, promoting academic exchange between Chinese and Western art.

TV host and LABA founder Joey Zhou, film producer Maria Giacchino, coordinator CuiXia, and Donna Smith, former CEO Universal Pictures

Dr. Eros Zhao also curates classical music and film music performances, connecting the worlds of visual and performing arts through his cross-disciplinary artistic practices. It was this unwavering pursuit of cross-disciplinary artistic expression that prompted Dr. Zhao to resolutely decide to document this deeply moving true story through film, a musical legend that transcended ethnicity and faith. The final work, with its sincere emotion and exquisite artistic expression, proves to the world that the power of music to move people knows no bounds, and that the pursuit of peace and hope is forever humanity's highest resonance.

TV host and LABA founder Joey Zhou, World Peach One (WP1) founder and LABA board member, Douglas Ivanovich, pianist Bishara Haron, and Professor Michael Berry ,Director of the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies

Dr.Zhao’s profound understanding of the cross-disciplinary expression of classical music and visual arts makes AMAL | HOPE not merely a documentary, but a moving visual symphony. Through delicate visual language and sincere interviews, the film presents this friendship that transcends ethnicity and faith, showcasing the power of art to dissolve hatred and evoke empathy in a turbulent world.

Director Dr. Eros Zhao and WP1 founder and LABA board member, Douglas Ivanovich

“Music has no boundaries; art is a universal language,” Zhao Shuo said in an interview with this newspaper. “Even in the most turbulent times, understanding and hope can still be heard.”

On the two evenings of screenings at the Lani Hall Theater of the UCLA School of Music and the Steinway Theatre in Pasadena, pianist Bishara Haroni gave a solo performance, his delicate playing and sincere emotion winning thunderous applause. Director Eros Zhao and producer Maria Giacchino took to the stage to interact with the audience, sharing the inspiration and creative process behind the film.

Director Dr. Eros Zhao and Bali Film Festival Chairman

The two evenings' live discussions were moderated by: Professor Michael Berry, Director of the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies and Professor of Asian Languages ​​and Cultures and Film Studies, who has served as a judge at numerous film festivals including the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards and has published several research works on Chinese cinema; and Dr. Jeff Kryka, a renowned Hollywood composer and musician who has contributed to film scores for movies such as Star Wars and Jurassic World. Both discussions were highly engaging and enthusiastic, with many audience members participating and exploring the resonance between music, art, and humanity with the creative team.

Dr. Eros Zhao (R) and panelists present to the audience

During the exchange,Dr. Zhao said, "We are not trying to provide answers, but to listen, respond and understand through music. Music is sometimes complex and sometimes discordant, but it can always achieve perfect resonance at some moment - just like their story."

The Beverly Arts News is sponsored by Universal Artifacts Token, Token Works, USSCA Chinese Economic & Culture Association, World Peace One, MDSUN, XAVVI, Shennel Trading, InLight Foundation, Cynthia Clarté, Jiannan Huang Art Institute, Galaxy Community, Xiuwen Wang Art Studio, and The Beverly Arts Foundation