Bethlehem 2013

     This film is about Israeli officers and Palestinian informants.  A group of Israeli Secret Service officers maintain contact with their informants on a very regular basis.  Whenever there is an incident in Israel such as a suicide bombing, they immediately contact their informants to try to get leads on who the bomber was and his connections.  Everyone on both sides is not sure of the other side, their loyalties, their truthfulness and the accuracy of their information.

     There is a lot going on in this film but the primary focus is on the relationship between Razi and Sanfur.  Razi considers Sanfur to be an asset but he spends more time with him than his own family.  Sanfur is in a difficult position, he’s a teenager but his brother is a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and he may also be working with Hamas.  I see that Sanfur is risking his life every day that he is involved with Razi but I could not get involved with this film.  There is too much going on at every minute and with the complicated languages and subtitles, I felt lost instead of drawn in.  I felt I was working too hard for little payback?  2* (I didn’t like this movie)

99 min, Drama directed by Yuval Adler with Tshai Halevi, Shadi Mar’I, Hitham Omari, Michal Shtamler, Tarik Kopty, George Iskandar.

Note:  Imdb 7.4 out of 10, 79% critic 74% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2 ½*.

Special Note:  This is the first film from Israeli director Yuval Adler.  He was a member of the Israeli army intelligence services and he co-wrote the film with Muslim journalist Ali Waked.  Ali Waked specializes in reporting on Palestinians.