Hothouse

Idit Gan-Zvi's compelling documentary follows a maladjusted Israeli husband and wife who run a gardening hothouse business in occupied Gaza. Yakov, who founded the business years earlier, was once a prominent extrovert, but today lives a nearly secluded life following his disfigurement in a roadside assault. Ronit has taken over the daily management of the hothouse but finds herself overwhelmed by pressures: the need to relocate the operation following Israel's withdrawal (or, as the Israelis refer to it, “disengagement”) from Gaza, the threat of looming bankruptcy, and the emotional hardship created by Yakov's increasingly troublesome behavior. Hothouse is a painful film to watch as Yakov and Ronit fight with their inner demons, a tumultuous environment, and each other. Although viewers might wonder why the film never questions Yakov and Ronit's initial decision to settle in Palestinian territory under Israeli military control, this is nonetheless a disturbing view of a couple in crisis that skillfully intertwines the personal and the political. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)