Ehirerapp Waste of time

Colibel Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Nonureva Really Surprised!

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Sindre Kaspersen Israeli cinematographer and director Dror Moreh's documentary feature which he co-produced, premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival in 2012, was shot on locations in Israel and is an Israel-France-Belgium-Germany co-production which was produced by producers Estelle Fialon and Philippe Kowasky. It tells the story about six former heads of the Israeli secret intelligence agency governed by Israel's president called Shin Bet which was founded in the late 1940s, who are assigned to defend their nation against terrorism, espionage and the release of state secrets. Distinctly and precisely directed by Israeli filmmaker Dror Moreh, this finely paced documentary feature which is narrated interchangeably from the interviewees' viewpoints, draws an exploring and densely informative portrayal of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict and of some of the men who were and still is involved in it. While notable for its reverent cinematography by cinematographer Avner Shahat and production design by production designer Doron Koren, this narrative-driven story about foreign policy and contrary ideologies where the significantly educated and experienced men in question elaborate on their role within their private organization, their recruitment of agents, their communication with and interrogation of terrorists who regard them as terrorists, their relation with Palestine and with the Knesset and former presidents and prime ministers, their views on their nation's political history and their tactical methods, becomes a rarely interactive negotiation of power between the interviewees who usually are the interviewers and the interviewer which leads to objective conversations regarding what Palestine has done to Israel and vice-versa, presents a democratic approach which contradicts the anarchistic history it examines and the Israel-Palestine situation and leaves the still crucial questions regarding the possibility of breaking the bloodline of vengeance, of a balance of power, of a lasting armistice and how to communicate humanity were tactics rule, and contains a great and timely instrumental score. This somewhat philosophical, tangible and sarcastically humorous documentary feature which is set in Israel in the 21st century, which plays on imagination, intimidation and authority, which reflects on the history of Israel and the history of their conflict with Palestine from the Six-Day War in 1967 and where men talk about their highly confidential work for the first time, is impelled and reinforced by its fragmented narrative structure, subtle continuity, reenactments, archival footage, distinct psychological atmosphere and interviews. A cinematically commendable study of history.

teetamalangi A very brutally honest documentary about the conflict in Palestine. Ex-chiefs of Israeli intelligence, Shin Bet, come out openly about their operations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Interestingly, these top Israeli security officials openly accept the reality of how Israel has been brutally occupying the Palestinian people for decades. Moreover, they talk about their decisions which led to the killings of numerous innocent people. They talk about how Israel dropped a one-ton bomb in the middle of crowded housing area, which resulted in many innocent deaths and 14 children under the age of 15 were burnt alive.Lastly, these officials also accept that the responsibility of not having peace in the region lies on extremist elements within the Israeli state that do not want any peaceful settlement of the conflict.All in all, it is amazing to see that these top security officials come out in open and talk about all the things in such honest manner.In the end, they wish that a settlement to the conflict is reached and Palestinians are given their due rights--but they remain cynical. One of the former heads of Shin Bet says in the end "Israel acts like German occupation forces acted during World War 2. It is heartbreaking to see, but it is the reality"

Samuel Cohen I lived thru most of the events mentioned in Documentary. The Shabac is only One of the Military Services Involved in Policy and Decision Making. There were hints at the Crux of the Problem in Israel. The PR Election System Similar to Italy after WW2 and Other countries that had PR Proportional Representation mainly from WW1 to WW2. Also Lebanon suffered from Sectarian Politics. Lebanon had a Crisis in 1958 and 1975 when Consensus broke down. Or Holland after Right wing Leader was Shot. But a must see for anyone interested in The Israeli Palestinian Conflict. Quite Detailed Collection of Different Sources about Rabin assassination. Settling of West Bank, The "Wall" and Other Issues. Also I add the Modern Issue of Asymetric Warfare and Asymetric Politics. Uncle Sam.

amit agarwal The Gatekeepers is an Oscar nominated and much awarded documentary that brings together six former heads of Shin Bet, Ami Ayalon, Avraham Shalom, Yaakov Peri, Carmi Gillon,Avi Dichter and Yuval Diskin for a free ranging discussion. Shin Bet, better known as Shabak, is responsible for internal security of Israel and its head is one of the top decision makers in the government on security matters.Only he is known to the public by name and the rest of its members are nameless faceless men and women.This documentary is inspired by Fog of War featuring Robert MacNamara, talking about his insights as US Secretary of Defense.I never thought that I would be captivated by six Israelis talking in Hebrew for 2 hours but all these six men talk with a candidness that is startling and completely engrossing.They sat at the decision making tables to which few journalists have access and knew how a continuous chain of Prime Ministers made the most difficult of decisions.They come across as hardened men whose sometimes brutal jobs gave them insights into the Palestinian problem that few have.For a layperson this documentary is an invaluable tool to gain an insight into the geopolitics of the Middle East and furthermore as a prism to look at the larger interconnected global picture.In one remarkable segment Amy Ayalon recounts how the psychology of suicide bombers was laid bare to him in a meeting with a Palestinian delegation in Paris.He was told the Palestinians were finally winning when in fact the Israelis were completely crushing them.He was told the more we suffer the more you will loose.It is a philosophy that makes the looser the winner by placing the burden of the losers suffering on the conscience of the winner. Suicide bombings of the 9/11 type only push bigger powers into a corner by making them react in a disproportionate manner, ultimately causing grief to themselves as we have seen in the aftermath of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.This documentary is a very apt companion piece to Zero Dark Thirty which was a remarkable film with documentary elements and this one is a documentary with dramatic elements, the most striking being its editing to string out a story for the layperson from free flowing discussion with security agency bosses.In its own way this documentary also examines the role of bureaucrats and technocrats in the shaping of world events a case in point being the Radcliffe line which divides India and Pakistan. It was drawn by a bureaucrat with little local knowledge and announced after 15th August,1947 to avoid a carnage, which happened anyway.This is also a commentary on democracy in an obtuse way, the varied actions of the different democratically elected Prime Ministers from Golda Meir to Netanyahu, all represent the will of the people only to an extent.The current government led by Netanyahu has been elected not on a Palestine denominated plank but an economic one. It also introduces us to the men who are the Jewish counterparts of Islamic fundamentalists, they too have long beards and wear skull caps under which hang coiffured religio-chic locks of hair.Now does the US immigration folks separate them for random checks?Probably not.Dror Moreh, the director. Another interesting thing is that while all of them had differing notions about their job while they were at it they seem to have converged onto the same point of view, namely the perusal of the two state solution combined with never ending dialogue and cessation of the settlement building activity that seems to have permanently deadlocked the peace process.In a way The Gatekeepers also makes one think about the Kashmir problem which has nuclear powers on both sides yet are as unequal in their overall power as Israel and Palestine.Perhaps India's politicians are as much to blame as the Israelis for refusing to turn the consensus solution into reality, namely turning the LOC into the international boundary.The current generation of young Indians are completely unaware of the historical context of that problem and the legitimate concerns of the actual people involved. That one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter, is something lost on most Indians, who only see Pakistan through the lens of propaganda.The important question in this film is not the elusive political solution but the motivations behind the decision of these six men to face the camera.That Amy Ayalon became a minister in the government and a prominent left wing politician and persuaded the others to participate, must have played a role. So the whole film acquires a political taint, in the process becoming a voice of the Israeli left wing.This is a compromise I can live with.As Obamas makes his maiden visit to Israel ( last time he skipped Israel while on his "apology tour"of the middle east) he has said, quite diplomatically, that he is more interested in listening to the parties than offering a solution. Perhaps as his inflight entertainment on Air Force One he could have benefited from watching The Gatekeepers.This film is not just for people who are stakeholders in the Middle East conflict, but an invaluable resource for everybody.But come to think of it we are all stakeholders in that centuries old conflict.Published on my blog mostlycinema.com