Disengagement

Veteran Israeli writer and director Amos Gitai delivered another political film with this drama. The death of their father reunites an Israeli brother and French sister in France. When the sister returns to visit her abandoned daughter in the Israeli occupied Gaza where her brother is part of the military to remove the settlers, their relationship is tested. Gitai was always an outspoken filmmaker who called for peace and criticized Israel in his films. Despite some flaws, the film addresses two critical points on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. First that both the Israelis and Palestinians have much more in common than they realize or would like to admit which is brilliantly shown in the first scene. Second the political conflict tears apart families regardless on which side they are standing. While the brother and sister easily bond in France after years being apart, they are instantly torn apart upon their arrival in Israel. The stellar cast includes Juliette Binoche and Liron Levo in the leads with the support of Jeanne Moreau and Hiam Abbass. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.