The unRival Film Premiere Event

Two short films celebrating creative peacebuilders, and a panel about the need for hope and artistry to live in violent times.

UnRival accompanies peacebuilders to nurture hope, inspire collaboration, and overcome destructive rivalries.

Everyone can agree that we live in divided and difficult times, even while we all long for peace, so why can’t we figure out how to work together?

This is what unRival is all about: Finding people, like you, who see friends where others see enemies—bringing a community together—nurturing hope and inspiring collaboration.

On October 26, 2022, we hosted an online event where we shared two short films and discussed the necessity of hope and artistry to live peacefully in increasingly violent times. We’re so grateful to everyone who attended and supported, and we’re happy to share the films again here, along with a recording of the event!

Part 1

Play Video

Film: The unRival Invitation

The first film, unRival Invitation, undertakes a journey from the battle-ready beliefs common within us to the healing relief of true belonging in a community without rivals.

Play Video

Part 2

Play Video

Film: Artisans of Peace

The second film, Artisans of Peace, shows how simple acts of loving-kindness and creativity can bind a community to one another with dignity and beauty. Visit our Artisans of Peace Program page to learn more about the work we’re doing with creative peacebuilders like these.

Play Video

Part 3

Play Video

Thank you for attending!

As unRival has grown over the last two years, we’ve been moved by daily support, the deeply generous engagement of peacebuilders, and regular invitations to collaborate. We were honored to extend this invitation to others, as the unRival story begins a new and hopeful chapter.

There is hope in these divided and difficult times.

The world's peace builders desperately need spaces of trust, curiosity, and collaboration. Meet the need by supporting gatherings that nurture hope and inspire creative solutions to the world's toughest problems.

Join us to transform communities plagued by violence and rivalry.

UnRival Your Perspective: Navigating News, Partisanship, & Your Peace of Mind

Navigating news, partisanship, and politics can be confusing, frustrating, and polarizing–but it doesn’t always have to be. In this guide, learn how to slow down, break through the noise, and unrival your approach to consuming media with four simple practices.

Peace is Possible: Overcoming Roadblocks to Positive Peace

Our free downloadable resource, “Peace is Possible,” summarizes years of research into the state of peacebuilding. It makes the case that community leaders have an outsized effect on peacebuilding efforts. They greatly need your support. We offer examples of how you can apply their insights to transforming conflicts in your own life.

Photo credit: Jeremy Yap
https://unsplash.com/@jeremyyappy

Shimmers of Light in the Dark: An Interview with Andy Peterson

In this interview, unRival’s Research Director Lyle Enright talks with Andy Peterson about the often unjust landscape facing filmmakers who want to tell stories about peace and justice. Andy passionately creates and advocates for new ways of sustaining documentary filmmakers, so they can continue drawing hearts and minds towards a deeper vision of belonging.

"The Quiet Year," a storytelling game designed by Avery Adler. https://buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-quiet-year

Play, Peacebuilding, and “The Quiet Year”

Through playing the storytelling game “The Quiet Year” with peacebuilders at the Artisans of Peace retreat, Lyle Enright discovered the importance of creativity, strategy, and play in peacebuilding.

Moving with the Mountain

Suzanne Ross delves into the profound connection between people and their natural surroundings. Through a transformative experience with the Artisans of Peace, she collaborates on a unique piece of art and poetry, learning to appreciate the symbiotic relationship between a community and its volcano, and challenging her initial perceptions.

Disarmed by Insight: COV&R 2023 and the Lasting Influence of Mimetic Theory on Peacebuilding

Lyle Enright reflects on his experience at the 2023 COV&R Conference in Paris, commemorating René Girard's 100th anniversary of birth. When theory meets action, we can see meaningful change in the world.

The 2023 JustPeace Film Lab

In early 2023, unRival Network partnered with Justice Film Festival to host the first-ever JustPeace FilmLab in New York City, a nonrivalrous learning space to bring together storytellers who long to create a better world for all people.

Choosing to Speak Up

Jason Ferenczi recounts an experience where showing up imperfectly, yet authentically, nurtured a safe, nonrivalrous space for growth.

A Journey of Faith and Struggle

As asylum seekers and migrants from Central America continue crossing through Mexico to enter the United States, unRival sits down to interview Producer Julie Mirlicourtois and Pastor John Garland on their new documentary film, ACROSS, the story of what happens when we set aside our politics and witness the humanity and faith of asylum seekers firsthand.

The Surprise of Showing Up: A Reflection on the First Artisans of Peace In-Person Gathering

In May of 2023, we hosted the first in-person gathering of the Artisans of Peace cohort in North Carolina. Jason Ferenczi, unRival’s Program Director, reflects on the shared experiences and discoveries we made as we worked and collaborated with these leaders in peacebuilding face-to-face.