By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Alon Schwarz
Country: israel
Year: 2022
Running time: 85
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16378034/reference/
Diane says: “Were hundreds of Palestinians massacred in their village of Tantura in 1948? Director Alon Schwarz has created an investigation into a prior scholarly investigation into an incident in Israel’s War of Independence. His ‘star’ is Teddy Katz, whose graduate degree was withdrawn when former soldiers took him to court for defamation 20 years ago for his thesis.
“Schwarz weaves new interviews with the veterans, now in their 90s, with the recordings made by Katz over 20 years ago. Most reject what they originally said to Katz, denying that any villagers were killed, laughing uncomfortably, or blaming others. Schwarz wisely mixes lots of short clips so that we don’t land on any specific person as the culpable one. The impact is cumulative.
“This compelling research highlights one specific event, but around it roil the taboo in Israel of speaking of the Nakba (the catastrophe that the war was to Palestinians) and any number of current debates: critical race theory, academic freedom, the 1619 Project.
“This is one of those docs that you think will be deadly dull and turn out to be otherwise. 4 cats. Seen as part of the IDA festival.