DISENGAGEMENT

Israel, 2007, 115 minutes, Colour.
Juliette Binoche, Liron Levo, Jeanne Moreau, Barbara Hendricks, Dana Ivgy,
Hiam Abbass.
Directed by Amos Gitai.

Disengagement is a topical film by Amos Gitai. For 15 years, Gitai has been making a number of documentaries and feature films many of which focus on the situation in Israel. He has delved into the history of Palestine and Israel in Kedma, the world of the Orthodox in Kardosh, the interaction between Palestinians and Israelis in Freedom Road.

This film is set at the time of the disengagement of the settlers on the West Bank particularly in Gaza. However, it is situated in a story where a French woman is burying her father and her step-brother, from Israel, comes to join her. 20 years earlier, she had given up her daughter who now lives in a Kibbutz. When her father leaves his possessions to her daughter, she joins her step-brother and returns to Israel at the time of the struggle, physical and religious between the settlers and the police.

Juliet Binoche is the French woman. Israeli star Liron Lievo is the step-brother. Singer Barbara Hendrix performs Marhler’s Song of the Earth. Jeanne Moreau appears briefly as the lawyer who communicated the will.

The film is a reflection of the struggles in 2005. Gitai himself says that he is against this kind of Israeli settlement and hopes that go beyond slogans, ethnicity issues in order to transcend their differences and to make peace and harmony in the Middle East.

1. Amos Gitai's work? The 90s and the 21st century? The impact of his explorations of Israel's life? Relationship with the Palestinians? Historical films? Topical films?
2. The impact of the film for an Israeli audience? Secular audience? Religious audience? For Palestinians? For the worldwide audience? The film as enlightening? As emotional? Presenting the sides of the settlers? The Israeli government and the police?

3. The work of Gitai, his vision of Israel? His vision for the Palestinians? His stances? His point of view?

4. The Gaza settings, the kibbutz and the settlements, the bases? The contrast with France and Avignon?

5. The musical score, Hebrew songs? Mahler's 'Song of the Earth' sung for the dead father?

6. The prologue of Uli in the train, chatting with the Palestinian woman, her international passports, her international travel? The bond between an Israeli and a Palestinian? The passport difficulties, the stances of the guard? Suspicions? Their symbolic passionate kiss between Israel and Palestine?

7. The prologue of the house in Avignon, the long tracking shots and the tour of the house? Discovering the father dead? The singer? Mahler? The body lying in state? Ana coming in?

8. The situation, Ana and her relationship with her father, Uli as her stepbrother, her husband being absent, her talk about him, the planned divorce? The impending disengagement of the Israeli settlers and Uli's part in it? Their discussions, the bonds between the two? The experience of the funeral itself? Meeting the people present? Her father and his attitudes? His multicultural background? (Forbidding Ana to learn and speak Hebrew?)

9. The lawyer, the reading of the will, her explanations of the gifts to Dana? The discussion about Dana - and Ana having given her up at birth? Her staying in Israel? The beginning of a quest for Ana?

10. The decision to go, giving Uli the haircut, the car, transporting it by ship, the arrival in Ashdod? The military, their abruptness, the plan? Uli having to go to base? Sending his friend for Ana, her being furious, the drive, the permits and their not being allowed into the settlement, the driver and his persuasive arguments? Her going in?

11. Uli, his exasperation with the military, the accident with the car, his being upset, symbol of his anger? The drills, the rehearsals for treating the settlers? The lines of police, the advance, parting for the horses? How to carry the settlers to the buses? Non-violence, with civility? How to deal with the international press? The various officials - Tormer and his angers, in the midst of a divorce?

12. Ana, her finding the group, sitting by the fire, the trek in the desert, the singing and dancing of Israeli songs? Finding the house with Dana, watching her with the children, the paint, the long shot of the embrace? Their talking together, Dana showing her the herbs, letting her rest in the house, the preparations for leaving?

13. The riots, the police and the military going in, the rabbi and his resistance, the men, the women? The struggles?

14. The camera finding Ana as she passed by the women singing the songs, going into the area of the men with their headscarves? The rabbi? The Torah? Uli sending the troops in? The physical struggles? The rabbi and his wanting to make the speech, to get the Torah removed? The bus? Getting the children on the bus?

15. Dana, going with Ana into the house, getting the plants, the demolishing machinery, Dana and her being carried off, her protests, in the bus, separated from Ana?

16. The Arabs and their watching, their speech and poetry, talking to Ana, her listening - Dana telling her not to speak with Arabs?

17. Ana, meeting with Uli, separated from Dana, her outburst of grief and weeping?

18. What was the audience left with in terms of watching this experience of disengagement? The settlers and their being disengaged? The history of Palestinian disengagement? Ana and Uli and their disengagements from their past?