Finding Light Amongst Darkness This Festive Season

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Hello and welcome to the Anwampur Hour. Here's where we're headed this week. Enough is enough. We need to... put an end to this horrific anti-semitism a hanukkah in the shadow of anti-semitic violence we navigate the darkness and find some light with australian rabbi gabby kaltman who spoke to me after the attack on Bandai Beach killing 15 people. Then, tackling unemployment with horror and humor. I'm joined by legendary South Korean director Park Chan-wook.

on his latest masterpiece, No Other Choice. And as violence surges in Uganda on the road with opposition leader Bobby Wine. the singer turned politician who wants to be president. Also ahead... people to speak about the monarchy is like blood out of a stone. The uncomfortable truths behind Britain's glittering royal family. Christian asks veteran journalist David Dimbleby what's the monarchy for?

Plus, from Christian's archive, some Christmas spirit with a family who found hope in America after fleeing repression in Poland. Welcome to the program, everyone. I'm Bianna Goldrea in New York, sitting in for Christiane Awanpour. Across the world, Jewish people are marking the last days of Hanukkah, a celebration of light and resistance. This year marred by a horrifying anti-Semitic attack which left 15 people dead.

An event marking the first night of the holiday on Sydney's idyllic Bondi Beach turning tragic after a father and son duo opened fire. The father died in the attack while the son has been charged with 15 counts of murder. For the survivors and Australia's small Jewish community, it means they've spent this holiday at funerals and memorials for those killed. The victims include a 10-year-old girl, a Sydney rabbi and a survivor.

of the Holocaust. For years, Australia's Jewish leaders have warned the government about rising anti-Semitism. As the Hanukkah holiday continued, I spoke with Rabbi Gabi Kaltman from Melbourne. Rabbi Gabi, thank you so much for taking the time. I am so sorry that these are the circumstances under which we are speaking. I know the community, especially the Jewish community in Australia, is heartbroken. It is a very small community.

about 0.5% of the population, some 100,000 people. It's a very tight-knit community as well. And you were in Melbourne. Obviously, this horrific attack happened in Sydney. But I do know... that you know many of the victims as well. Just talk to us about how the community is doing right now. Well, the community here in Australia, the Jewish community at least, is heartbroken. We're shattered.

We're in the middle of just an unimaginable nightmare situation. None of us could believe that something like this could happen on the sun-kissed shores. of Australia in such an idyllic, beautiful, iconic place, Bondi Beach. I knew a number of the victims. One of them is my good friend's father-in-law. Another one was a mentoring student when I was in high school. He was one of the elder students there mentoring.

younger ones. Another one was a rabbi who I just spoke to a couple weeks ago. There is so much overlap and interconnection between the two communities. It's just something that's unimaginable, unfathomable. This also happened on the first night of Hanukkah. And you've said, we cannot cower. We must increase light. For people watching who may...

struggle to understand how public worship is possible in such a trauma. What does that choice mean spiritually for you and what are you telling your congregants? I'm telling my congregation my community, that we must summon the strength and the character of the heroes of the story of Hanukkah, the Maccabees, and be like Judah Maccabee, and find solace in our history.

that we're celebrating right now, and like we've done for the past 2000 years. It ultimately is not easy, but tonight, as I lit the menorah with my family, That's exactly what we did. And we took a moment, together with my children, to remember those that have just passed, to pray for those that are injured, but ultimately to push away. that darkness. You know, us Jews, tragically, we've been here before. This is, in essence, the story of being a Jew, and each time we've persevered.

We've gotten up, we've shaken ourselves off, and we've continued on with love and with hope, holding steadfast to our Torah, our traditions, our faith. and our beliefs. And that's what we will continue to do. That's the story ultimately of the Jewish people. And yet it's understandable why Jews may be... nervous, fearful about continuing to gather publicly and to continue to celebrate and observe.

their faith. And Alex Rivchin, who is the co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said this to my colleague over the weekend following this shooting attack. He said the government has never understood exactly what we're dealing with here. never understood the menace of anti-Semitism. What, if anything, can be done to rectify those concerns among the elected officials in Australia to make Jews feel safer?

I think leaders need to take heed and listen to what Jewish community leaders and members are saying. For two years anyone listening we have been telling them that something's not right and the evidence was in front of our eyes when synagogues are being firebombed. That's not normal. So many of us have heritage of People coming to the shores of Australia in search of a better life, a life of decency, a life where we can practice our tradition, our faith freely.

without fear of persecution, without fear of being gunned down at a Hanukkah event on one of the world's most famous beaches, coming here to contribute to a society and to ultimately... live harmoniously with our neighbors and over the past two years that sense of safety has shattered and now tragically we have people that are waking up as orphans wives without husbands and families really hurt and destroyed sadly because of what's happened

I'm just wondering if we can end on perhaps a note of hope and optimism when there's so much darkness and despair. We know that there was heroism as well over the weekend, and bystander Ahmed Ahmed, who happened to watch all of this unfold and took a moment. to risk his own life, to stop and attack one of these two shooters. What went through your mind when you saw that? Australian. That is the epitome of being an Aussie.

of standing up and trying to do what you can to assist, to be there for somebody. And in this case, this individual, this heroic individual. He put his life on the line, and thank God he survived, and he, I'm sure, assisted in saving countless lives. And so did my good friend's father-in-law. He stood in front.

of the gunman and he shot him multiple times and missed eventually tragically he was gunned down but for those few moments he saved and allowed other people to get away while taking the attention of the gunman onto himself and sadly tragically paid for it with his life but ultimately now is the time where australian Say enough is enough. We need to put an end to this horrific anti-Semitism. And it's going to happen. Believe you me. It's going to happen. We feel it now.

But sadly and tragically, we had to go through this to be in this situation of people coming together and saying, wow, this is not the Australian way of life. This is not how we act here. Rabbi Gabi, thank you. Thank you. God bless. Coming up later on the show, the veteran British reporter who's calling out his country's royal family. Christiane's conversation with David Dimbleby.

These are the three subjects I'd like to do. Their power, their wealth, and their image. And straight ahead, legendary South Korean director Park Chan-wook on his new film, No Other Choice. a movie tackling unemployment and charging into this award season. The new CNN original series, Death Cap The Mushroom Murders, now streaming exclusively on the CNN app. Go to cnn.com slash watch to subscribe or log in with your TV provider.

Welcome back to the program. This week, some troubling news for the U.S. economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting that unemployment has risen to 4.6 percent. That is a four-year high. For many, unemployment is a struggle through shame, and sometimes even the absurd. It's a journey tracked in the acclaimed new film No Other Choice, which tells the tale of an unemployed man forced to make impossible decisions because he has, well... No other choice.

It's racked up Golden Globe nominations for legendary South Korean director Park Chan-wook. And I asked Park to help me navigate through the film's many twists and turns. Director Park, thank you so much for joining us. Congratulations on this film, No Other Choice. It's getting rave reviews. And it's interesting because it sounds like this movie was...

Two decades in the making for you. You first read The Axe some 20 years ago. The story centers around a man, Mansu, who seemingly has it all. He's been working at a paper. for some 25 years, has received high praise for his work, has received awards as well. He's married, lives an affluent life with two children. And all of a sudden, things spiral downward once he loses his job.

Talk about the decision to turn him into a murderer. And you say he goes after the wrong people who he should actually be going after. is the system itself. Yeah. Manzhe our protagonist is a very typical man and others around him and himself also considers him a very good man and he went through many difficulties in his life to achieve the humble success and the happiness that he currently has which he lost with

his job and this decision that this simple man could make in this moment of course he had other options like he could file a lawsuit against the company or start a labor movement or even become a revolutionary but the realistic solution it's a foolish solution that he came up with it was to murder his colleagues which is also a brilliant method in my opinion and this was a method that he found the most realistic which he could find the immediate effect

for upon executing it and I think that's a clever premise that the original novel had for the character. Man Tzu is an inexperienced murderer so he needs to visit his potential competition because he needs to observe them very closely. in order to execute his plan. And in that process, he realizes that they are all very similar to him. He senses a bigger sense of familiarity and perhaps they even seem very friendly to him as well. And the more that that happens, the more difficult his plan is.

plan becomes to execute. And that is the central plot and theme of the story. I want to show a clip for our viewers from the film where Mansu is actually going to visit one of his potential would-be victims. And this is a line manager who had humiliated him. earlier in the film when he had applied for a job. It's also a scene where Mansu has to break his sobriety in order to follow through on his plan for murder. Let's play the clip.

아니 걔네들 기계를 쓰는 거지 레시피까지 써야 되는 거 아니잖아 라인 매니저 해가지고 어떻게 이런 집에 사냐고 저 차감이야 이건 누가 보면 야 완전 돈 먹고 다녔다고 그러는데 뒤에서 나는 그렇게 생각 안 해 근데. 다른 사람이 그럴 수도 있다. 난 진짜 그렇게 생각 안 해. 자 자자. 원시장아. 괜찮아? What do you see when you watch that moment in the film? I see Mansu, who is a man who has been preparing for murder, become friends with his victim. But in addition, it's almost like he's looking at himself in the mirror, because Mansu himself had alcohol problems in the past.

with that also violent tendencies as well and he's reminded of the memories of his past but in order to succeed in his murder plan he has to drink the drink that is offered to him despite his nine years of sobriety so he has to not only drink alcohol but also take this bomb shot that's in front of him. So there's that sense of bitter irony and also comedy that comes from this moment.

For a long time, I know this was envisioned as actually an English-language American film. There were Western studios that were set up to produce it. What changed for you and this film specifically? to masculinity, humiliation, from a Korean male perspective specifically. Yeah.

I don't think anything has fundamentally changed making this into a Korean film from an American film. I did introduce Mansu's new hobby of bonsai while changing this into a Korean movie, which I was able to cinematically utilize further beyond.

just his hobby but I don't think the essence of the film has changed and regarding the masculinity the subject of masculinity the Korean society does have stronger traces of Confucian order and values so I did assume that Korean audience perhaps might come in with stronger ideas of what kind of a husband what kind of a behavior a husband should have or a man should have but after having screened it in multiple countries around the world I realized that audiences actually have very similar

reactions and ideas in regards to the subject matter. How do you feel about this moment right now where Korean culture really has been elevated? First of all, I hope this is not a temporary trend that's just in fashion. But I think the reason for the success of Korean culture today is that Koreans have experienced many difficulties and pains in modern history.

so inevitably all of us have also experienced great depth and variety of emotions and great range over time as well so i believe that great influence that korean culture has today is truly the price that uh or the gain that we've gotten through the pain that we've experienced in our history. So I actually quite feel bitter about that. Well, I have to say, I don't think that the West's appreciation for Korean culture is a temporary phenomenon.

I have to also say that the reviews for this film have just been incredible. We wish you so much luck with it. I don't remember the last time I saw 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. So there's an accomplishment. of itself uh director park thank you so much um we appreciate the time thank you very much and no other choice is out now coming up A singer turned politician vying for change. Can Bobby Wine unseat the Ugandan president? Larry Madow reports after the break.

Welcome back. We turn now to East Africa, where a violent opposition crackdown is sweeping Uganda ahead of the country's general election next month. The U.N. is condemning the authorities, quote, repressive tactics. CNN traveled to the capital of Kampala to speak to Bobby Wine, the singer turned activist and politician, who is once again seeking to remove President Yoweri Museveni.

after 40 years in power. Correspondent Larry Madoo has this report. This is the man seeking to remove President Museveni from power after 40 years. incredible support among the young people as bb1 arrives so much crowd there is nothing like it Bobby Wine wants Ugandans to sing a new tune. The musician turned politician is running for president for a second time. Nearly twice his age, President Yoweri Museveni is also running.

for a seventh term. When the former general came to power after a civil war in 1986, Bobby Wine was just four years old. I believe that General Museveni largely views Uganda as his personal property, as his family property. and he views us as slaves. It is our time to change our future. Bobby Wine accuses security forces of using violence to stop him from campaigning. At the stop in northern Uganda, Supporters formed a protective shield around the candidate as military officers whipped them.

One of his closest aides was wounded. Look at what the police and the military are doing to us for no crime whatsoever. The Electoral Commission condemned the incident that is now under investigation. He says more than 450 members of his party and supporters have been imprisoned during the campaign, others tortured or disappeared. Some people have been shot dead at my rally and I know...

the regime has me as the main target. Why won't you be allowed to campaign freely? Well, I believe it is fear. It is fear that General Museveni knows that he has no support. Every time I go out to campaign, I know that somebody is going to be beaten, somebody is going to be killed, run over by the police, shot with live bullets and all that.

The UN human rights chief has condemned widespread arbitrary arrests, detentions and the use of unnecessary or disproportionate force against the opposition. CNN filmed hundreds of police, military and special forces. at Bobby Wine's rallies in the capital Kampala. They blocked him from using some roads, beat up some supporters and tear-gassed bystanders.

Everywhere Bobby One goes, there's dozens of police officers, soldiers. It always ends up in a scuffle. Right now, they're blocking his way from coming into a rally venue. And that's tear gas. before he's even inside we're hearing that sound like live shots tear gas in every direction tear gas in every direction it's really It's become a chaotic scene. And this happens. Bobby White. Police told CNN that they were forced to use tear gas here to disperse people and clear a busy intersection.

They have repeatedly denied that they're specifically targeting Bobby Wine or his campaign. We all benefit from coming out of this election with the most minimal damage on individuals and property. There are six other candidates running for Uganda's top job, but January's election is largely a rematch between the president and the pop star. In a free and fair election, can you beat President Museveni?

If 2021 was a free and fair election, I would be president already. Will this be a free and fair election? This is not an election to begin with. This is war. Uganda's electoral commission has asked law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint and stick to the law while dealing with candidates. Still to come, from pomp and pageantry to family scandal, how the British monarchy is coping with a tumultuous year. Christiana asks legendary journalist David Dimbleby if that popularity is in peril.

A lethal lunch, three people dead, a premeditated murder, or horrible accident. The new CNN original series, Death Cap The Mushroom Murders, now streaming exclusively on the CNN app. Go to CNN.com slash watch to subscribe or log in with your TV provider. The holiday season is here and CNN underscored is your VIP pass to unique gifts at the best prices from expert recommendations to can't miss deals. We've wrapped it all up for you. Shop last minute gifting now at underscore. Thank you.

Welcome back. Now in the United Kingdom, it's been a year like no other for the British monarchy. Revelations of former Prince Andrew's relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have severely damaged the royal's reputation. forcing King Charles to strip his brother of his royal title. With scandals rocking the halls of Buckingham Palace and popularity for the entire institution waning year on year, veteran journalist David Dimbleby is asking...

question, what is the monarchy for, in his new BBC docuseries. He spent decades covering the royals for the country's independent broadcaster, another iconic British institution that has found itself under scrutiny this year. forced to defend its editorial practices on multiple occasions and facing the threat of a multi-billion dollar lawsuit from the Trump administration over a misleading edit in a Panorama documentary.

David Dimbleby joined Christiane from the London studio. David Dimbleby, welcome to the program. Thank you, Christiane. All of the Dimbleby family has been very, very important in chronicling Britain, really, over the decades. What was it that made you want to do this particular one as someone who's actually been covering the royals for all these years? Now you say, what's the monarchy for? The reason for doing it now was I suddenly realised that the BBC had never actually done it.

They never, they do the occasional Andrew interview when he's in disgrace. Diana, when she's in trouble, you know, they interviewed her. But they've never looked at the monarchy as an institution. I thought I'd been covering events for the monarchy, which is different. But let's just have a look at how the thing works because, and this is the important point,

In Scotland and Wales, remember, we're four countries in the UK. In Scotland and Wales, there's now a narrow majority against monarchy and a rising number of young people in this country against monarchy. So it seemed to me a good moment to say... Is it working? Is it how it should be? So when you dug into it, did you find that it was open to scrutiny? Were you able to actually set yourself a mission and find the answers easily? I tell you, it's incredibly difficult.

I wrote to the BBC saying I'd like to do the monarchy and these are the three subjects I'd like to do. Their power, their wealth and their image. And to my amazement, the BBC agreed and they backed me all the way through about this. But... Getting people to speak about the monarchy was like blood out of a stone. I mean, we did have two private secretaries in the end who were brilliant, but they speak in a kind of cryptic way.

Nobody comes out and says, well, this is this, this is that. If you talk about taxation or money, they're very defensive. So they are not elected. They're a constitutional monarchy. But the prime minister is elected. But every single week...

The prime minister, I believe it's on a Tuesday, goes for their weekly audience with the Queen. Plays have been made about this. Films have been made about this. And here is what David Cameron has said, because you spoke to him, about his meetings with the... late queen let's have a listen well you never knew what she really she protected her impartiality and being above politics um you know religiously so you'd never really get her feeling but you must have

an indication of when you're talking to a person in private, whether they're looking at you in a steely way. All I would say is she was very careful not to express an opinion. No, that's different. But you can tell whether what you're saying is being... Happily received or unhappily received? Yes. Did you? I'm not going to answer that. You can always tell by the questions people ask what they think. You can think. You think you can.

But it doesn't always mean you're right. This EU referendum, Prime Minister, are you sure it's a good idea? Are you asking me whether I think it was a good idea? even An actor of your distinction is not capable of that, so I'm sorry. But what about the referendum? Because actually it's such a consequential thing that has knocked this country for six in some ways, many analysts would say. And the polls are very different now than they were ten years ago.

years ago. It said that, you know, many people want to say that she wasn't for it. What do you think? What do you mean? No idea. You know, you have no idea. I don't know what she said. Whatever goes on at those meetings. And I just hope it's not. the king.

telling the prime minister or advising the prime minister or raising issues because we're a democracy. Okay, so you... It's not his job. Right, but he does also have an education and a view. I know, I know, but I'm just leading into the next little bit, right? leading into the bit because the king is adamant, you know, that...

Well, anyway, he spent a lot of time writing. They call them the spider letters. 2,000 letters a year, he said. 2,000 letters a year. That's a lot. To the government. And handwritten. Yeah. And long letters. Yeah. Well, then... There was a court case trying to release them. Finally, they had to release them. You spoke to Dominic Grieve, I think, who was attorney general at one point around this.

What do you make of those letters? Do you think they were demanding? Were they just advisory? Was it a bad thing that the king, from his non-political perch, can have a view on certain important things like climate and other such stuff? I think he's kind of, I wouldn't say pig-headed, he has a, he's always, there's an element in him of sort of self-righteousness, that he sort of has thought things through that nobody else has thought through.

But he was ahead of his time and ahead of the curve, on the climate, on the environment. On homeopathy, which the NHS have ruled out. He still bats on about that that's the way. He fell under the spell of... gurus who've since been discredited, like Laurence van der Post. He's subject... I mean, he's a very passionate person. I don't know him at all, let me just say that.

My brother's a friend of him. Yes, he wrote the definitive biography, I think. Yes, wrote a biography, made a long film. I don't know him, but he has opinions. Okay, everybody has opinions. The question is whether as head of state, it's his job, unelected.

to push those views. Did he push them or just share them? I mean, I don't know. I think if the Prince of Wales, it comes out in the films, if he's sharing his view, that amounts to pushing. And how much of them were taken on board then by the government? Difficult to tell. You can't tell. It's a really fascinating documentary series. But because you have been such a stalwart at the BBC, what is going on? This sort of pile on. Is it under serious threat?

Can it revive itself? I believe it will, put it like that. It's too valuable an institution. Whatever you think of monarchy, the BBC is the other great... institution in britain and worldwide is really important that it makes terrible mistakes and idiotic ones including this one over the trump but joining two bits of film and then

thinking it'll go away as a problem because nobody's raised it as a problem. And, of course, things like that don't go away, and then you end up with this kind of terrific furore about it. And two people resign. The senior people at the top of the BBC resign. I'm not... privy to what went on there and why that happened. But we have had trouble at the top. But the one problem with the BBC is that people are abandoning television.

in favour of all the ways of getting information, but they're still compelled to pay £179 a year to have a licence fee to watch television. And that's the stumbling block. And for me, if they can get that sorted, then the BBC will be OK. It's too important to Britain, maybe like the monarchy. All right, well...

It's an amazing watch and really good investigation. And David Dimbleby, thank you very much. Thank you, Christine. Always great to talk to you. Coming up, finding hope in the shadow of war. I look back at Christian's report on a family of Polish refugees starting a new life in America. We must be free. This is chance for our life. One chance for our life.

Welcome back. Now, as people around the world celebrate Hanukkah and look ahead to the Christmas festivities or even just spend quality time together as the year draws to a close, many, too, are living in the midst or shadow of war. from Ukraine and Gaza to the Congo and Sudan. This week, we're digging into Christiane's archives for a ray of hope and resilience when she met a family of Polish refugees restarting their lives in America.

brutal communist crackdown against democratic dissent in the 1980s. This family serves as an example of how carrying on with everyday life can often be the simplest act of defiance. It's been six years since tanks rolled through the streets of Poland and troops trampled the newborn solidarity movement, but the aftershocks are still being felt. We don't have hope, because we don't have hope.

We are here. Here is New York where Eva and Andres Kowalinska now live with their two young daughters, spending their first Christmas in their new homeland. Back in Poland, Ava was a TV anchorwoman. Her husband was a cameraman. They say they had a good life, a life that ended when martial law began. Ava went to jail for refusing to toe the party line. My wife and I... was in solidarity and we have trouble, some trouble from this reason. I must as journalists speak all is best, all is good.

people are happy I must speak I don't speak that I speak what I think Once out of prison, they were blacklisted and unable to get jobs, but things may be changing now. After a six-year struggle, the family arrived here last month, part of a special refugee program. I won't be happy. Our first steps in America, these first steps are difficult.

Difficult, leaving family and friends behind, learning a new language, adjusting to new lives and finding jobs. Difficult, but worth it. We must be free. This is chance. Will they ever go back? Christiana Manpour, CNN, New York. Well, democracy did eventually win out in Poland, and despite many having to flee persecution and leaving their homes behind, families like this one found sanctuary in another country, one that welcomed them with open arms.

and when we come back how the whole world is getting lost in austin for the pride and prejudice authors 250th birthday

And finally, it's a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of the world's most beloved writers. Well, if it wasn't, it certainly became known this week. As 250 years since the birth of the British author, celebrations of...

the world commemorated her impact. Fame for her sharp wit, class commentary, and of course sweeping romances in novels like Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility. Despite only publishing four novels, in her lifetime, her work continues to spread joy, both in its original form and in the countless adaptations of it, from Clueless to Bridget Jones' Diary to the many more in production at this very moment.

Austin once poignantly wrote in her work Persuasion that time will explain. Well, 250 years of time have made one thing abundantly clear that Jane Austen's genius is one for the ages. All right, that is all we have time for this week. Don't forget, you can find all of our shows online as podcast at cnn.com slash audio and on all other major platforms. I'm Bianna Golodryga in New York. Thanks so much for watching.

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. Welcome to Times Square. We have a great show planned tonight. I thought you would have been fired by now. F it up, everybody. It's New Year's Eve. Live coverage starts at 8 on CNN and watch on the CNN app.