Budapest Israeli Film Week,
by Alex Deleon
BETHLEHEM,
An Israeli Agent and His teenage Palestinian Informant

Bethlehem (hebrew: ‫בית לחם‬‎‎) is a 2013 Israeli drama directed by first time helmer Yuval Adler. It was screened at the Venice Days section of the 2013 Venice Film Festival where it won the top prize.
Bethlehem takes place during the Al-Aqsa second Intifada around 2004 and tells the story of the complex relationship between an Israeli Secret Service officer who speaks Arabic and is trying to avert a major suicide bombing attack, and his teenage Palestinian informant-protegé, Sanfur, who shuttles back and forth between all belligerent sides.
Stars:
Razi -- Israeli agent ~ Tsahi Halkevi  (star charisma)
Sanfur -- Shadi Mar'i (the young informant)
Badawi -- Hitham Omari (Palestinian militant leader)
Running time 99 minutes.
The Belgian production company "Entre Chien et Loup" is noted for making hard hitting off mainstream films and the name which means "Neither Dog nor Wolf" is a perfect metaphor for this movie which is neither Pro-Israeli, nor Pro-Palestinian, but, if anything, against the madness on both sides. Both central actors, the protective agent and the conflicted boy, are extremely sympathetic so that you can't help rooting for both of them to come out on top. Unfortunately the rules of the deadly Intafada game are not going to let that happen.  The city scapes of Jerusalem and to a lesser extent Bethlehem are more than mere settings- something like living organic geography..
All in all this is a non-stop thriller that brings the Intifada -- the Palestinian  uprising against the far more heavily armed Israeli establishment -- right into your living room or your lap depending where you are watching it. Tanks and pellet guns against rock throwing mobs -grenades when necessary -- in your face.
Industrial strength film making with totally realistic acting all around -- so realistic it's chilling. Actually more Arabic is heard than Hebrew, and a nifty touch is that the Israeli Intelligence agent, Razi, speaks perfect Arabic when he has to, which is much of his screen time. Since the Palestinians are on screen the majority of the time we see the Intifada more from their point of view, while not necessarily approving or disapproving -- and a mixed point of view it is because of the fierce Internal rivalry between the Hamas and Palestinian authority factions.  This internal feud is starkly brought into focus when the two factions nearly come to a shootout over the question of how to dispose of the body of a fighter (martyr) killed in action against the Israelis. This is a film that tells it like it is whether you like it or not and introduces some excellent new actors in a very tightly directed and spellbinding drama apart from whatever politics may or may not be implicit. Both Tsahi Halevi as the handsome. brooding Israeli agent and Shadi Mar'l, the teenage Palestinian caught in the middle of a deadly three way tug of war, radiate star charisma each in his own way. Another candidate for Top Ten of 2016.
Two Best Tens in a Row ~ following yesterday's "Only in New York"
which also addressed the Israeli Palestinian question but in a humorous vein.