IN CINEMA
Sunday, June 1st at 12PM
BIPOC Doc Editors Behind the Scenes Masterclass
Presented by BIPOC Doc Editors
Curated by Sarah Yi Fineman
BIPOC Doc Editors is excited to continue their series of editing masterclasses at the Maysles Documentary Center in New York City. Each in-person class features the editors of recent acclaimed documentaries as they share their process and take you on a deep dive from rough cut to picture lock. The fourth installment will be hosted by editor Rabab Haj Yahya The masterclass will be preceded by a screening of COEXISTENCE, MY ASS!
PROGRAM:
12 - 1:45PM: screening of COEXISTENCE, MY ASS! (a screener link will be sent out to all masterclass participants in advance of the session, so the in-person screening is optional if you've already seen the film)
1:45 - 2:45PM: - Lunch break (lunch not provided)
2:45 - 4:15PM - Masterclass with Rabab Haj Yahya
4:15 - 4:45PM - Refreshments and mingling!
COEXISTENCE, MY ASS!
Amber Fares, 2025, 95 min.
COEXISTENCE, MY ASS! follows Israeli activist-comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi as she creates a comedy show by the same name. Shot over five tumultuous years, the film traces Noam’s personal, professional and political journey in tandem with the region’s steady deterioration. Raised in a bilingual Israeli-Palestinian village — the only intentionally integrated community in the country — Noam grows disillusioned with traditional peace activism. She pivots to stand-up and quickly attracts attention across the Middle East. But as her star rises, everything around her falls apart. With biting satire, Noam pushes her audiences to face difficult truths that aren't always funny but do remind us that another reality is possible.
RABAB HAJ YAHYA (she/her) is a Palestinian-American Documentary editor based in New York. Most recently, Rabab has edited COEXISTENCE, MY ASS!, winner of multiple awards including the Sundance U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award.
Her work includes the Critics Choice-nominated Speed Sisters (Netflix), the surveillance exposé The Feeling of Being Watched (Tribeca | POV), and the Emmy-nominated, Another Body (SXSW Special Jury Award, 2023), which takes a chilling look at deepfake abuse. Other recent credits include The Legend of the Underground (HBO), the Emmy-nominated Apart (Hot Docs), and Emmy Winner, Through Our Eyes(HBO).
Her work also spans shorts and international series for platforms like Al Jazeera and Vox, including the award-winning short doc, Love the Sinner and the viral series The Secret Life of Muslims. In addition to her editorial work, Rabab is a passionate mentor. She has served as an advisor for the Sundance Institute Documentary Edit and Story Lab (2023) and continued as a mentor for the Sundance Contributing Editors program. Rabab has also mentored through programs such as Chicken & Egg Pictures and the Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship (2022-current day). She has also provided training and consultations in West Africa, the Balkans, and the Middle East, the last earning her the Sulafa Jadallah Award for Outstanding Contributions to Women’s Cinema.
Fluent in English, Arabic, and Hebrew, Rabab brings a unique cross-cultural perspective and loves to work on stories that elevate marginalized voices.
Tickets: Sliding Scale $20-30
