Israeli audiences will soon have the opportunity to see Ziad Doueiri’s feature The Attack at the Jerusalem Film Festival, taking place from July 4 – 13, 2013. The film embodies the controversies and complexities of this region in its subject matter – a terror attack occurring in Tel Aviv – and in its reception. Lebanese cinemas will not be showing this film, nor was it selected by Lebanon to represent the country at the Academy Awards, despite critical acclaim.
Although Doueiri had initially received permission from Lebanese authorities, the film was banned in Lebanon following a letter of protest from the Israel Boycott Office of the Arab League, ostensibly because the director had spent time in Israel filming. Doueiri described the situation on his facebook page: “To set things straight, I did shoot part of the film in Tel Aviv because this is where part of the story takes place. I used Israeli actors because also these were the artistic choices that I had made. And I have no regret and no apologies whatsoever.”
Doueiri’s film tells the story of Amin Jaafari, an Arab-Israeli surgeon working in an Israeli hospital. When people wounded during a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv are brought to the hospital, Jaafari’s life takes an unexpected turn, raising painful issues that he must struggle to comprehend. The film is based on a novel written by Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra (Mohammed Moulessehoul).
In the context of the conflict, I feel that open discussion of all issues and perspectives in art, in the media, on the street and in conversation is essential. Yet this film touches on something that extends far beyond this volatile neighborhood, and concerns artistic freedom. Art cannot exist without freedom of expression. Artistic decisions should never be censored by external pressures, and there is no point in our existence without art. See this film; then we can talk about it.
The Attack
Directed by Ziad Doueiri; Written by Ziad Doueiri and Joelle Touma based on a novel by Yasmina Khadra; Producers: Jean Bréhat, Rachid Bouchareb; Executive Producers: Amir Harel, Tony Copti; Cinematography: Tommaso Fiorilli; Cast: Ali Suliman, Reymond Amsalem, Evgenia Dodena, Dvir Benedek, Uri Gavriel, Ruba Salameh, Karim Saleh, Ramzi Makdessi.
