Z32

Israel, 2008, 81 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Avi Mograbi.

Z32 is an experimental film by celebrated Israeli director Avi Mograbi. He himself appears in the film, in discussions with two Israelis, a young soldier and his girlfriend. He also appears as himself, talking to the camera, explaining the background of his film, discussions with his wife and son who pass by as he speaks. However, his contribution is singing, a range of songs to camera, with musicians in the background, commenting on the action, Israel and the Palestinians, the violence of the conflict. This serves as background to the interviews with the young man and woman.

The young man is a soldier, not very old, talking about his training, the intensity, the gung-ho attitudes. He also spoke about the lack of activities and, when the opportunity arose, especially in house searches, there was an even stronger gung-ho attitude and the soldiers relished the opportunity, even for violence and killing. The young woman cannot understand the motivation of her boyfriend, and questions him, unable to be in his shoes even though he asks her.

The young man and the woman are masked, at other times their features are disguised.

The young man eventually goes with the director to the scene of the action, finds that it is quite different from what he remembered, reconstructs the action, the killing, meets various people, the shepherds, looks at the flocks. The challenge to his conscience and awareness is to realise what he has done. It is not clear whether the soldier is really capable of this kind of self-understanding.

While many films have explored the relationship between Israel and Palestine, this is an Israeli contribution to checking and challenging the Israeli conscience.

1.The impact of the film, brevity, experimental style?

2.The director, his discussions with the young people? Talking to camera, his explanations? His songs?

3.The value of the songs, the music, the musicians in the background?

4.The young man and woman? Their being masked? The initial discussions, the young man conscious of the camera, the woman trying to get him to speak?

5.The young man being interviewed, his face disguised? His explanation of what had happened, himself, the training, attitudes, violence? Attitudes towards the Palestinians?

6.The description of the action, the violence?

7.His going to the site of the killing, his awareness, reconstruction, the impact of being there again? The jogging of memory, conscience?

8.The young woman, her attempts to understand, her inability to understand?

9.The cumulative effect of this kind of film, listening to the discussions, the interviews? The songs?

10.A contribution to Israel’s conscience? Palestinian awareness? The world’s understanding of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians? The violent repercussions? The question of whether a film like this can change attitudes and can change reality? Hope? Revenge, vengeance and reprisals not being the answer to conflict?