FREE ZONE

Israel, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Natalie Portman, Hana Laszlo, Hiam Abbas, Carmen Maura.
Directed by Almos Gitai.

Amos Gitai is prolific, a film every year – and finding his way into festival competition every year.

In one sense this is a modest film, a brief story of three women, one American, one Israeli, one Arab. They interact over a period of twentyfour hours, clashing, moving together, clashing. Much of the action is close-ups and conversations in cars. There is a cinema verite feel about much of the camera work, experiences at borders, sweeps of landscapes and townscapes in Jordan.

The tone is set by a very long take opening the film where we watch Natalie Portman weep and listen to an Israeli song, an allegory of the chain of violence in nature and in humanity that repeats itself. The film ends with the chain happening all over again as the song’s melody is played in the background.

There are a lot of pertinent observations in the screenplay about Israeli- Palestinian relations (for instance, how things would improve if Israelis learnt Arabic as Palestinians learn Hebrew). The film is a cry for peace and understanding as it takes its action from Israel into Jordan and into the Free Zone, the buffer between Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

1.The work of Almos Gitai, his film each year and the perspective on Israel, internal relationships, with the outside world? This film and its focus on Israeli- Palestinian relationships? His career, his message for Israeli audiences in the 21st century? For world audiences?

2.The cinema style, the long takes, characters within the car, the different scenes and locations, the superimpositions? Flashbacks? The action?

3.The initial song, Rebecca and her weeping? The status of the song in Israel? Israel’s history? The repetition of the song at the ending? And its being seen in the chain of events?

4.The title, the reality, the ironies? Rebecca and Hana in their experience of the free zone?

5.Israel, its history, relationship with the Palestinians? Hostility and tensions? The repetition of clashes between the two peoples? The possibility of breakthrough? Collaboration? Enmity, language? The significance of the central characters being women? Their role and possibilities for changes of consciousness in Israel, for peace between Israelis and Palestinians?

6.Rebecca, in the car, the long close-up of her face, her weeping? The background of the song? The taxi, her employing Hana? Her lack of decision, the decision to go to Jordan? The insertion of the flashbacks? The mother-in-law? Her relationship with Julio? The talks, the shooting? The two days, the rape? Her reaction to Julio, his work, the military? Her leaving and weeping?

7.The sequences at the border, the Israeli treatment of the women going through? The young recruits and their training? The contrast of being in Jordan? The courtesy of the Arabs?

8.Hana, her character? Mischa? Her relationship with her husband, his work, their financial needs? Her doing the driving? The story of Sinai and the flowers? The experience of the Intifada? The only certainties in their life, their hopes? Dealing with the armoured cars? Taking them to Jordan and their going to Iraq? Hana’s personality, tough and abrasive? What she wanted, respect, not giving?

9.The sequences in Jordan, the service station, the petrol, the coffee, suspicions? The women being lost? Rebecca speaking?

10.Rebecca and New York, her background, character, age and experience? Coming to Israel, not Jewish and not having a Jewish mother? Her experiences, her freedom from family, going to Israel? Sympathy, American? The experience of Palestine? Her changes of consciousness?

11.The meeting with Leila, the phone calls? Leila and her personality, character? The deals with the armoured cars? Leila with Hana – and the Israeli- Palestinian tension? The barter? The time, the vehicle being late? The decision to go to the settlement?

12.Life in the settlement, the men, the fire, the violence, the dispute? The reaction of each of the women?

13.Rebecca, her story? The two hundred dollars?

14.The effect of this experience on Rebecca, her consciousness, understanding of Israel, of the Palestinians? The return?

15.Leila and Hana, symbolising the clashes between Israel and Palestine? Their bickering? The issues of terrorism? Leila and her contacts, the village, the Palestinian cause? Hana, her husband, the financial needs?

16.Rebecca running from all of this – and the audience sharing her experience?