CHILDREN OF THE FALL

Israel, 2017, 111 minutes, Colour.
Noa Maiman, Aki Avni, Yafit Shalev, Danny Leshman, Tamara Klingon, Ronny Dotan, Michael Ironside, Yotam Ishay.
Directed by itain Gafney.

This is an unusual mixture of themes.

On the one hand, this is a story of an American young woman, a volunteer to a kibbutz in northern Israel in 1971. At the kibbutz, she meets a number of volunteers, from a variety of countries. The volunteers are partly welcomed by the staff, but partly under suspicion from the Israeli authorities and the military.

The first part of the film shows Rachel and her arrival at the kibbutz, meeting everyone else, discovering an American who lives on the property and seems gun happy, choosing work to be done, interacting with the head of the kibbutz and his assistant who arranges the work.

The film focuses on young people acting like young people – especially on the day of celebration of Yom Kippur when they are asked to be more restrained but, of course, they are not.

This leads to quite a transition in the genre of the film. First, a Russian girl who was spoken out against the racism of the Zionist Israelis, is murdered in the kitchen. Then there is a hooded figure using a range of implements to kill off the volunteers one after the other, finally confronting Rachel who gets some help from the American (Michael Ironside) but he too is killed.

Just as Rachel is about to be killed, bombs go off, the military go on active alert.

It is not a surprise to discover who the murderer is. And the motivation for the killings, the narrow Zionism, suspicious of outsiders, is condemned as violent fanaticism. Interesting the use of the slasher conventions for a dramatic prospective.

1. The perspective on Israel? The 1970s? The aftermath of the Six Days War? Life on the keyboards? Volunteers, Israelis and non-Israelis? Strong Zionist stances?

2. Northern Israel, the countryside, the roads, the keyboards, orchards and places of work, accommodation, eating, hall and assembly? The musical score? The songs?

3. The introduction to Rachel, on the road, from the US, the later nightmares and memories of her father, the flashbacks, her mother’s death, the staunch treatment by her father, his criticising her lack of respect? Her leaving? Hitchhiking, explanations about her background, Jewish father, non-Jewish mother? Her quest in Israel?

4. The role of the Kibbutz in Israeli culture? The work, communal life? The leaders, demands, rules, supervision, breaking rules?

5. The military, the guards, their attitude towards Rachel, towards women? The later behaviour as war broke out?

6. Introduction to the Kibbutz, the secretary, speaking Hebrew, the doctor and his examination, her demanding gloves? Yaron, his western hat, his comments, the welcome? In the light of his later behaviour, the rules, Yom Kippur, his reprimanding the volunteers? His assistant, her being in charge of work, allotting the work, Rachel and her working in the orchard?

7. The other members of the team, the volunteers, International, Jeff and his American brashness, Bobby and his age, songs, being picked on, the girls from Germany, Russia, Salina from Spain, sharing accommodation with Rachel? The telling their stories?

8. The outing, the encounter with Sam, the gun? Rachel and her responses, his respect? Her later going to his house, the explanation of why he was in Israel, his dead wife and her burial, Visa difficulties, tending the land, growing the marijuana? Smoking, talking? Rachel later taking refuge with him? His being killed with the pitchfork?

9. The behaviour, the talk, sexual encounters, work? Yom Kippur and their disregarding it, at the pool? Yaron and his rebukes?

10. The mysterious figure, the film turning into a slasher movie, the variety of deaths, grim, the Russian and her outburst against the authorities, defying them, accusing them of prejudice and racism? Her death in the kitchen? The other couples, the brutality? Rachel, with Bobby, his song, make up, death? Her being pursued, the dangers, going to Sam?

11. The outbreak of the war, the bombs, the attacker fleeing? Rachel and her encounter with Yaron, his threats, his disappointment in her, his strict Zionist principles, against intruders into the land? His associate as the killer?

12. Rachel, taking refuge, the doctor, the other soldiers, helping? With the gun against your Ron? The bombs?

13. The social comment about the Zionists and their fanaticism, even to killing, attitude towards outsiders, using the slasher movie style? The postscript with Bobby and his recovery and looking in the mirror?