The Color of Olives

Carolina Rivas' semi-staged documentary The Color of Olives profiles a Palestinian family—the Amers (father Hani and mother Monira, along with their six children, ranging in age from four to 20)—living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank. The family's situation is decidedly unusual: the house is located on the line of demarcation along which the Israelis have built their defensive wall, and is now (since the family refused to relocate) enclosed within a series of fences. Until the gates are unlocked by Israeli soldiers every day, the family is trapped within their little compound (an officer who tried to persuade them to move warned the family that they would become virtual prisoners—a prophecy that has certainly proved accurate). Now the family has difficulty getting to their fields (to work their meager crops) or to school, and their house is regularly pelted by stones thrown by residents of a nearby Jewish settlement. The Color of Olives is artfully made, featuring many long, deliberate scenes, with shots of Monira morosely staring out a window serving as a kind of running motif. While the leisurely pacing allows the viewer to feel each family member's sense of isolation, it's also—at times—entirely too successful in conveying the tedium of their situation. Still, given the fact that building walls along the U.S.-Mexico border is currently a hot topic, this film carries a certain amount of resonance for American audiences. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)