Several Jewish and Palestinian children are followed for three years and put in touch with each other, in this alternative look at the Jewish-Palestinian conflict. The three filmmakers followed a group of seven local children between 1995 and 1998. They all have a totally different background. These seven children tell their own story about growing up in Jerusalem. Through this portrait of their generation, we see how deep rooted and almost insoluble the problems of the Middle East have become.
While the children only live 20 minutes away from each other, they live in completely different worlds and know hardly anything about each other. Their picture of the world is formed by the adults around them and the circumstances in which they live. As a result, the older they get, the bigger the physical, historical and emotional gap between them grows. When the protagonists speak out in an epilogue a couple of years later, it becomes apparent that all have lost their childlike innocence.
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.
Every individual will see the movie through the prism of his or her own beliefs and prejudices, but the one thing most will take away is the sense that peace is possible. That, in itself, is extraordinary.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Emotional documentary about the innocence of youth in national feuds. Powerful and informative. 97/100
February 2, 2011
Simeon Deutsch
Super Reviewer
Israeli and Palestinian children talk about what it's like. Then some of them meet each other. Deserved the Oscar nomination it got. Thought provoking. Hope and hopelessness threading through it.
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