Promises

Filmed largely during a lull in the most recent Palestinian Intifada, this insightful, unbiased, and very personal Oscar-nominated documentary explores the lives and opinions of seven Israeli and Palestinian children (all 8-to-13 years old) who live disparate existences only a few miles apart in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Israeli-American filmmaker B.Z. Goldberg (along with two partners) takes his video camera to refugee camps and suburban homes, visiting a Muslim boy who works in his father's coffee shop under the watchful eyes of billy club-swinging Israeli soldiers; two Jewish twins who disagree on the rights of Palestinians; the hopeful daughter of a journalist being held without charges (two years and counting) in a distant Israeli prison; a brilliantly articulate Hasidic boy; and others--many of whom have lost young friends, killed by terrorists or overzealous soldiers. The kids' fear, antipathy, curiosity, and empathy--often all rolled into one--makes for a fascinating microcosm of the conflict, and the film's simple but thorough historical and cultural context offers a great primer for understanding the issues and stakes that make the Israeli-Palestinian conflict such a quagmire. A simple but astonishingly powerful film, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. [Note: DVD extras include a 2004 update featurette on five of the youths featured in the film (19 min.), 14 minutes of deleted scenes, “The Kids' Journey to the 2002 Oscars” (14 min.), an 11-minute segment of clips from director/producer Justine Shapiro's “other job” on PBS's travel series GlobeTrekker, text filmmaker bios, and trailers. Bottom line: an excellent extras package for an excellent documentary.] (R. Blackwelder)