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Movies / On DVD / Promises
Promises

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Promises (2002)

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Reviews Counted: 47

Fresh: 45

Rotten:2

Average Rating: 7.8/10

Consensus: A heartbreaking and illuminating look at the Israeli and Palestinian conflict through the eyes of children.

Rated: Not Rated

Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins

Genre: Education/General Interest

Theatrical Release:Mar 15, 2002 Limited

Synopsis: Rather than focusing on political events, the seven children featured in Promises offer a compelling human portrait of the Israeli & Palestinian conflict. The film draws viewers into the hearts and... Rather than focusing on political events, the seven children featured in Promises offer a compelling human portrait of the Israeli & Palestinian conflict. The film draws viewers into the hearts and minds of Jerusalem’s children by giving voice to those captured by the region's hatreds as well as those able to transcend them. These seven children are between the ages of 9-13, an age group that rarely has the opportunity to speak for itself. They are less self-conscious and polite than teenagers and adults. They speak directly and without self-censorship and are both true mirrors of their cultures and spokespeople for future generations of Israelis and Palestinians. Promises follows the journey of filmmaker B.Z. Goldberg, an American who grew up in Jerusalem and was a journalist during the intifada, (Palestinian uprising.) Over the course of 4 years, B.Z. and Justine Shapiro , the filmmakers, were welcomed into the daily lives of these seven children and their families. Each child offers a dramatic, emotional and sometimes hilarious insight into what it’s like to grow up in the charged and complex city of Jerusalem. Audiences will engage with Palestinian & Israeli kids, coming to know them as multi-dimensional people, not as simple stereotypes perpetuated by the mainstream media. Though they live only 20 minutes apart, the seven children exist in completely separate worlds; the physical, historical and emotional obstacles between them run deep. The ability to have dialogues with anyone, in a way that breaks through prejudices, is surely a prerequisite for peace in the region. And yet hardly anyone has such conversations. The Filmmakers were able to confront and overcome these obstacles, but could these children ever do the same? Promises explores the nature of these boundaries and tells the story of a few children who dared to cross the lines to meet their neighbors. The film is intended for TV broadcast and for organizations involved in public policy, conflict resolution and the peace process. The film will also serve as a tool to prepare future generations of Israelis & Palestinians for the challenges of peacemaking. -- © 2002 The Promises Film Project [More]

Director: B. Z. Goldberg, Justine Shapiro, Carlos Bolado

Director: B. Z. Goldberg, Justine Shapiro, Carlos Bolado
Screenwriter: Stephen Most
Producer: Justine Shapiro, B. Z. Goldberg
Studio: Cowboy Pictures

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Release:

Nov 16, 2004

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Reviews for Promises

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
11/12/08
David Rooney
Variety
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
10/06/07
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Empire Magazine
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Derek Adams
Time Out
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
07/21/05
Houston Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
05/13/05
Apollo Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Beautifully explains the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Full Review Source: Reno Gazette-Journal | comment Comment
12/16/04
Forrest Hartman
Reno Gazette-Journal

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: SPLICEDWire | comment Comment
05/22/04
Rob Blackwelder
SPLICEDWire

If there's one big point to Promises, it's that nothing can change while physical and psychological barriers keep the sides from speaking even one word to each other.

Full Review Source: Offoffoff | comment Comment
03/11/03
Joshua Tanzer
Offoffoff

A profoundly moving document...The filmmakers' refusal to downplay the situation's intractability makes the glimmer of hope the film offers that much more powerful.

Full Review Source: All Movie Guide | comment Comment
01/04/03
Josh Ralske
All Movie Guide

If nothing else, this balanced and moving film is both informative and entertaining.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
01/02/03
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The children are all so beautiful and smart and it's heartbreaking when they talk about death as casually as they talk about soccer.

Full Review Source: TheMovieChicks.com | comment Comment
12/20/02
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
TheMovieChicks.com

Give Shapiro, Goldman, and Bolado credit for good intentions, but there's nothing here that they couldn't have done in half an hour.

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
12/09/02
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review

Too sincere to exploit its subjects and too honest to manipulate its audience.

Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
12/09/02
Paul Malcolm
L.A. Weekly

What emerges is an unsettling picture of childhood innocence combined with indoctrinated prejudice. Promises is a compelling piece that demonstrates just how well children can be trained to live out and carry on their parents' anguish.

Full Review Source: Martha's Vineyard Times (Massachusetts) | comment Comment
12/01/02
Niki Patton
Martha's Vineyard Times (Massachusetts)

A gripping documentary that reveals how deep the antagonism lies in war-torn Jerusalem.

Full Review Source: Miami Herald | comment Comment
11/15/02
Marta Barber
Miami Herald

What's so extraordinary about this Oscar-nominated work is that it shows us that conflict through the eyes of seven bright, funny, thoughtful kids, ages 9 to 13, on both sides.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
08/22/02
Jane Sumner
Dallas Morning News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Beautifully crafted and brutally honest, Promises offers an unexpected window into the complexities of prejudice.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
07/20/02
Loren King
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Promises is one film that's truly deserving of its Oscar nomination.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
07/19/02
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Even these tales of just seven children seem at times too many, although in reality they are not enough. Every child's story is what matters. This film can only point the way -- but thank goodness for this signpost.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
07/14/02
Bridget Byrne
Boxoffice Magazine
 
 
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