Bethlehem

Israel’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Bethlehem is an intricate, tick-tock cliffhanger centered on the tragic relationship between an Israeli intelligence officer and his Palestinian informant.

Shadi Mar’i gives an award-winning performance as Sanfur, a hot-headed Palestinian teenager who feels overshadowed by older brother Ibrahim (Hisham Suleiman), a militant local hero wanted for orchestrating suicide bombings in Israel. Conflicted and vulnerable, young Sanfur is exploited by Israel’s Shin Bet security service and fatherly intel agent Razi (Tsahi Halevy) who establishes a fragile bond with him. As an Israeli plot to assassinate Ibrahim heats up, and conflict erupts among Palestinian factions, loyalties are tested and pressure mounts, leading to a gut-wrenching climax.

Shifting between streetwise Israeli and Palestinian viewpoints, this morally complex story achieves added authenticity by the experiences of first-time writer-director Yuval Adler who served in Israeli military intelligence, and co-writer Ali Waked, a Palestinian journalist. Nominated for 12Israeli Academy Awards, Bethlehem garnered wins for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Editing.

Hebrew and Arabic with subtitles.

Part of the 11th JCC Rockland International Jewish Film Festival.