In a time when the world is at war, it’s hard for an American to truly comprehend the hardships faced by the rest of the world. Disengagement gives us a glimpse into the conflict between Israel and Palestine, honing in on the removal of local settlers from Gaza. Juliette Binoche stars as Ana, a French woman who is unhappily married and searching for meaning in her life. After the death of her father, Ana is reunited with her adopted brother Uli, a member of the Israeli police force. Together the two travel to Israel, Ana to find the daughter she gave up at birth, Uli to help with the disengagement of Israeli settlers in Gaza. What unfolds is a heartbreaking story of family and faith.
Juliette Binoche (Chocolat) has only gotten more graceful and elegant with age, and here she brings the character of Ana to life so well that you feel as if you’ve known her for years. She is so confident in her skin on screen, and delivers a moving performance that really fuels the film. We feel her trepidation as she leaves her husband to journey to Israel to find her daughter, and we want nothing more than for them to be reunited and live happy ever after. Of course, a happy ending is difficult in the midst of the turmoil of war.
While Ana searches to reunite a family she has never known, Uli is in charge of tearing families apart. Liron Levo (Munich), gives a strong performance as Uli, a man who questions his country’s political ideology as well as his own identity, despite his power in the Israeli police force. Binoche and Levo have a great intimacy on screen, as brother and sister whose relationship is strong enough to withstand distance and incredible difference. While both have mixed backgrounds, Ana identifies with France and Uli is primarily Israeli. When Ana arrives in Israel, she realizes how out of her element she is when she cannot speak the language.
For someone unfamiliar with the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the movie is a bit unclear. Although opposing sides are pretty obviously marked by the appropriate flag or emblem, but it’s not entirely clear exactly what the conflict is. It’s apparent that Uli’s job is to aid in the removal of people who are illegally living in Gaza, but why is not explained to the uninformed viewer. Israeli director Amos Gitai (who makes a cameo appearance as the man who helps Ana enter Gaza) does a beautiful job of telling the story visually, but the plot is not as clear as it really needs to be for such a serious and specific document of history.
Gitai’s film is visually stunning, and the director uses his environment to beautifully capture his characters and their tribulations. He focuses on imagery over anything else, relying on natural sounds in lieu of a soundtrack. Simple visuals like Ana’s scarf flowing in the wind, or a long, steady pan over the countryside and its settlers, are what make Disengagement so engaging. The film personalizes an event that much of the world cannot identify with. As we follow these characters on their journeys, Gaza feels a whole lot closer, and we’re more aware than ever of the impact war has throughout the world.
DVD Bonus Features
Nothing but some trailers.
"Disengagement " is on sale December 14, 2010 and is not rated. Drama, Foreign. Directed by Amos Gitai. Written by Amos Gitai and Marie-Jose Sanselme . Starring Jeanne Moreau, Juliette Binoche, Liron Levo .
