eyalsivan.net

press

SF Middle Eastern Film Festival by Asaf zulah (Indibay.org)

06.04.2004

The San Fransisco International Film Festival presents a broad spectrum of political documentaries from home and abroad. In a unique and intimate way, the San Francisco International film festival 2004 offers a political documentary puzzle as to where exactly things stand in the middle east. Of the domestic variety Neverland/Guerilla dissapoints.

(...)

But for you hardcore activists who are familiar with the situation and are looking for a fix of critical information, those of you that have the nerves and patience to sit through a 4 hour journey into Israel-Palestine, A Palestinian Israeli joint production “Route 181” follows the path of the UN 1947 border separation Plan. Interviewing different voices from both sides along the route, this is a disturbing documentary that with no solution in sight, exposes the occupation for what it has always been, a pre-conceived plan for a Jewish takeover of the land. When asked about Solomon’s trial, proud Israelis flunk the test and fail to make the connection to their own reality, and an Israeli Arab working on the separation wall puts into perspective the reach of economic racism. The film does not offer a solution or much hope but it does provide a unique physical connection to the ‘holy land’ by the simple act of driving through it, following an invisible historical line that doesn’t make too much sense now and obviously didn’t make sense back then.
In a unique and intimate way, the San Francisco International film festival 2004 offers a political documentary puzzle as to where exactly things stand in the middle east, solve it and you might win a prize : they call it the documentary audience award.