Promises
by B.Z. Goldberg, Carlos Bolado, Justine Shapiro
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: B.Z. GoldbergDirector: B.Z. Goldberg, Carlos Bolado, Justine Shapiro
Cinematographer: Ilan Buchbinder
Cinematographer: Yoram Millo
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Arabic (Original Language); English (Original Language); Hebrew (Original Language)
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 106 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-11-16
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: New Yorker Video
Product features:
- A Film By BZ Goldberg, Justine Shapiro, and Carlos Bolado
- 102 minutes. In Arabic, Hebrew, and English with English subtitles.
- HOME USE ONLY. NO PUBLIC PERFORMANCE RIGHTS INCLUDED.
Movie Reviews of Promises
Movie Review: Touching and insightful documentary!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just recently saw this documentary for the second time in its recently released DVD version. The Israeli and Palestinian children in Jerusalem and the West Bank that BZ Goldberg interviews, and whose lives we are given a glimpse into, are incredibly outspoken, articulate, often brutally honest and heartbreaking. From the Israeli boy who lives in a settlement in the West Bank, to the blue-eyed Palestinian boy in east Jerusalem, we hear about their daily realities, their fears, their studies and interests, and most telling of course, their opinions on the seemingly interminable conflict that they have known about and lived through their entire lives. The filmaker's and the movie's intent to focus on the children of the conflict does not simply pursue a cliched view that "if only children had their way, peace could be achieved." Rather, the children express a full range of emotions, beliefs and ideologies (some of which evolve and change during different points in the film) towards the situation and their perceptions of "the other"... from curiosity, to indifference, to hope for reconciliation, to anger and resentment. Such emotions and ideologies reflect the plurality of beliefs that exist among Israeli and Palestinian populations as a whole, in large part of course, because of the way in which different parents, leaders, teachers, media sources etc. help to pass down certain values and ways of understanding the situation to the next generation.
The most touching part of the documentary is an impromptu meeting that happens between some Palestinian kids in a West Bank refugee camp and Israeli twins from Jerusalem. Watch this documentary, if just for the scenes that unfold during this emotional, enlightening (for the kids and for us, the viewers) humorous, and bittersweet event (though I think you'll find the entire documentary to be just as great)!
This newly released DVD also includes updates on all of the main children (now teenagers), in which most of them spoke again during the summer of 2004 about where their lives have taken them since. Some of the stories of what their lives have been like over the past 4 years, and how they have changed since the first filmings will be surprising, encouraging and perhaps sad. Whether you don't know much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or are already very interested in it, I would recommend this documentary to you. These kids are wise beyond their years, and some have experienced more hardship than most of us will know. You'll learn from them, and most importantly, understand more about where they're coming from.
Maybe the best sign of how good a movie/documentary is, is whether or not the "characters" and "plot" stick with you after you've seen it. And the stories and personalities of these children have done exactly that with me-- and will for a long time to come!
Summary of Promises
This DVD purchase is for home use only. Please honor copyright law and the filmmakers.If you are a school teacher, professor, librarian, community group or organization, you are required to purchase the Public Performance Rights to the film.
Please visit www.cinemaguild.com/catalog/promises.htm to purchase the Educational/Institutional package.
A beautiful and deeply moving portrait of seven Palestinian and Israeli children, PROMISES (2001) follows the journey of a filmmaker who meets these children in and around Jerusalem, from a Palestinian refugee camp to an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Although they live only 20 minutes apart, these children exist in completely separate worlds, divided by physical, historical, and emotional boundaries. 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 children of PROMISES offer refreshing, personal and sometimes humorous insight into the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. With remarkable balance and a compelling blend of pathos and humor, this Oscar-nominated, Emmy Award winning film moves the conflict out of politics and into the realm of the human. A Film By BZ Goldberg, Justine Shapiro, and Carlos Bolado. 102 minutes. In Arabic, Hebrew, and English with English subtitles. THIS DVD IS FOR HOME USE ONLY. Educators, community groups, and others seeking to screen the film publicly must contact the filmmakers to discuss purchasing public performance rights.
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