love-hate-love-poster

Love Hate Love (2011)

It’s been nine years since Liz Alderman’s son Peter was murdered by terrorists. Every day since then she’s faced the same two options; succumbing to the depths of despair or finding a way to survive. Esther Hyman knows about this choice. Her sister was killed when her bus was blown up, she too has had to continuously keep from being immobilized by sadness. And Ben Tullipan now lives minus two legs because of his encounter with a car bomb. Their lives, shattered by terrorists, are now on a new path and they’re taking thousands of people along for the ride. ‘Love Hate Love’ follows these survivors as they search for honor, meaning and a new life’s path.

Film Synopsis

LOVE HATE LOVE AT A GLANCE:
It’s been more than a decadesince Liz Alderman’s son Peter was murdered by terrorists. Every day since then she’s faced with the same two options; succumbing to the depths of despair or finding a way to survive. Esther Hyman knows about this choice. Since her sister was killed when the bus she was on was blown up, she too has had to continuously keep from being immobilized by sadness. Ben Tullipan survived but was gravely injured. Their lives, shattered by terrorists, are now on a new path, taking thousands of people along for the ride.

LOVE HATE LOVE IN DETAIL:
Executive Producer Sean Penn presents “Love Hate Love.” It’s been more than a decade since Liz Alderman’s son Peter was murdered by terrorists. Every day since then she’s faced the same two options; succumbing to the depths of despair or finding a way to survive. Esther Hyman knows about this choice. Her sister was killed when her bus was blown up. She too has had to continuously keep from being immobilized by sadness. And Ben Tullipan now lives minus two legs because of his encounter with a car bomb. Their lives, shattered by terrorists, are now on a new path and they’re taking thousands of people along for the ride. ‘Love Hate Love’ follows these survivors as they search for honor, meaning and a new life’s path.

“Love Hate Love” is a feature-length international documentary chronicling the transformation of three families whose worlds are torn apart by terrorism. Can love triumph over pain and prove that terrorists don’t win?

The film is a showcase of the human spirit. Three families tell stories of transformation from normal lives, to unthinkable pain and loss, and the journey they ultimately take to emerge dedicated to building a better world. “Love Hate Love” weaves together the stories of families who lost loved ones or were victims themselves, in the most notorious terrorist attacks of the last decade. It takes the audience to six countries on five continents. Each family describes the love that was taken from them, then the hatred they felt after the attacks. The filmmakers then travel with them on their journey back to love. Each of the characters embarks on a profound exploration, which leads them toward a selfless place where many of us strive to be. Thousands benefit from their work, yet their profound loss underscores and drives all that they do. For these families, therapy is philanthropy.

“Love Hate Love” capitalizes on the physical beauty and contrast of the places the filmmakers visited. From the beaches of Australia to the lakes of Uganda, to the fast-paced streets of Manhattan’s financial district, the visual differences stand in contrast to the commonalities of the human spirit. The families’ situations in life couldn’t have been more different before the attacks… but now their quest for love, peace and compassion in the world trumps their different backgrounds and cultures.

The goal of the film is to show that while terrorism is a global problem it cannot break people’s will to love and live.