Caught in Crossfire is a short films curation that plunges into the chaotic in-between spaces where individual lives are trapped by forces far beyond their control. The program opens up with 1 + 1, a haunting dystopian exploration of two survivors from opposing factions forced to navigate the razor-thin line between the instinct for war and the desperate need for peace. This systemic pressure tightens in The Steak, where a private birthday celebration is violently intercepted by a catastrophic event, and in Transit, as a hospital clerk finds his psyche caught between his bureaucratic duty to the dead and a growing, suffocating paranoia triggered by a mysterious caller. The curation then shifts to those who stand in the line of fire to bear witness; the documentary Shattered Memory honors photojournalist Mahfouz Abu Turk, who placed his body on the frontlines to archive the history of a city under siege during the intifada. Collectively, these films serve as a testament to the endurance of identity, offering a powerful glimpse into the strength required to protect one’s humanity—and provide a reprieve for the next generation—while caught in the crossfire of history.