Cinema
Beyond the Walls
מאחורי הסורגים
Uri Barbash · 1984
Synopsis
In the high-security wing of an Israeli prison, the Jewish inmates, led by Uri, a robber on his second sentence, and the Palestinian inmates, led by Issam, a Fatah man who has become moderate, stand in two blocs. Assaf, a former officer convicted for contact with a Palestinian agent, is accepted by neither side. After a show, a brawl breaks out and a Jewish inmate, Hoffman, is killed; the security officer stokes the confrontation and has the crime blamed on Issam's cell. Doron, the only Jew in that cell, refuses to sign a paper that accuses him.
Context
Benny Barbash and Eran Preis wrote the screenplay. Arnon Zadok plays Uri, Mohammad Bakri Issam, Assi Dayan Assaf; Boaz Sharabi plays a singing prisoner who competes, by a broadcast from the prison, in the national song festival, and the film's song, by Shmrit Or and Nurit Hirsh, became one of its great successes. The film received six awards from the Israeli film institute, including those for best film and direction, was shown at Venice, Cannes and Tokyo, and was the first Israeli film distributed abroad by Warner Bros. A sequel appeared in 1992.
Who it is for
A little over an hour and a half, in Hebrew and Arabic. It helps to know that the prison serves in it as a reduction of Israeli society.
Prizes and reception
Nominated for the Oscar for best foreign film; International Critics' Prize at Venice; box-office success in Israel.