Vai e vivrai
Directed by:
Radu MihaileanuCinematography:
Rémy ChevrinComposer:
Armand AmarCast:
Yaël Abecassis, Roschdy Zem, Roni Hadar, Shimon Mimran, Pierre-Jean Chérer, Joy Rieger, Hervé Pauchon, Shmil Ben Ari, Patrick Descamps, Shlomo Vishinsky (more)Plots(1)
Cultural confusion and the lack of true identity plague a young boy swept away from his mother during a joint American-Israeli rescue mission in director Radu Mihaileanu's fact-based drama. As thousands of displaced Africans crowd into Sudanese refugee camps, American and Israeli troops organize "Operation Moses," a mission aimed at relocating the wandering Falashas to Israel. Forced by his Christian mother to declare himself Jewish in hopes of joining the exile and escaping a grim fate, young Solomon (Moshe Agazai) is swept away to Israel and adopted by a Tel Aviv-dwelling French Sephardic family and re-named Schlomo. Terrified of being revealed and shaken to the core by the radically different culture of Israel, Schlomo does his best to adapt to his new surroundings as his presumed salvation slowly gives way to the inner decay of a fading identity. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (1)
I still remember the arrival of Ethiopian Jews to Israel, and it must be said that it is material that is incredibly attractive for a film. Films with a message have it easier after all because a star is added to the topic. The issues of uprootedness, cultural and religious identity, and racial prejudice all have dramatic potential and when it comes to a story based on a real event, it counts double. How can a nine-year-old Christian boy answer the rabbi's question about who brought the Jews their faith? Unfortunately, Radu Mihăileanu's film does not take advantage of all these possibilities. The script is only average and predictable most of the time, including the final scene of the reunion after years. In many cases, it transparently counts on human emotions. It's not a bad movie, it just could have been even better. Besides the script, I also disliked the melodramatic music. On the other hand, the direction, camera work, and performances are the strong aspects of the film. Overall impression 75%.
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