Dear mockumentary lovers, The 90 Minute War is finally screened for Indonesian audiences, thanks to the Hadassah of Indonesia that hosted the 3rd Tolerance Film Festival 2018 in Institut Francais Indonesia, Jakarta. Now I would like to review this comedy movie. This beautiful satire-criticizing of Israeli-Palestinian conflict-movie has been created by ARTE team that was popular for their other political mockumentary works, such as Putin's Witnesses (2018) and Rabbi Wolff (2016). For the quality of pictures, there is no critic as the main story, plots, special effects, characters, cinematography, and editing had been done beautifully with some deep research, analysis, and satire moments to combine the real footage of Israelis and Palestinians with the acted plots of the leaders to meet each other to end conflict by the football. That is the main story that lead us to think many plots coming ahead and make us sitting impatiently to see the match. Since the beginning, the Director Mr. Eyal Halfon (Starmeter: 415.435) has taken long shots about the team, who is behind them, why they have to do something, their difficulties, outcomes, and what land they support for. The appearance of German coach, Palestinian mother, half Arabic-Jewish player, and third party of camera (controlled by Mr. Daniel Kedem) are just side of the story to focus on preparing football as the tool of peace. Here we can see the professional acting of Moshe Ivgy (Starmeter: 118.986) and Norman Issa (Starmeter: 835.190) to be played as eternal enemies as defending for their own each country. In fact, talent department under the lead of Mr. Meirav Nahum, perhaps unintentionally choose both Israeli main actors. Both Ivgy and Issa are Israeli actors. This is so contradiction with the football as equal match, so the movie has some side to burden for. Even though Issa was having many roles as Arabic figure, but this movie content is so sensitive to have materials which are not equal. The supporters, lands, conflicts, editing scenes, plots are equal, except the actors themselves. In Indonesia, this movie has been chosen by Hadassah of Indonesia team becomes one of examples movies of being tolerance in Tolerance Film Festival 2018. Since 5 years ago in 2013, the tolerance issue in Indonesia is getting crucial, because not just people is getting sensitive on religion issue, but also some provincial governments support intolerance by promoting unequal laws. This is so sad if we know that Indonesia is the biggest democracy country in the world and the 4th biggest population on earth. Former Indonesian Ministry of Religion, Prof. Munawir Syadzali and 4th Indonesian President, Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid, said that Indonesia is not religious country, nor secular country, so that the definition of state-relationship can be stated depending on the situation and condition. Related to the issue confronted on this movie, Indonesia-Israel is hard to be happened, because realize or not, the majority of Indonesia are moslems with the belief that Jewish is enemy of Islam so that young Indonesian moslems are growing with strong capture that Israel is an evil country in their mind. Many Indonesians moslems did misinterpretation of what is going on in Israel-Palestinian conflict. Sometimes they don't know the differences between Israel, Zionist, and Jewish. In the movie also there is a player who is half-Jewish-half-Arab and other actors call him differently, as Arabian-Jewish or Israeli-Moslem. Yes because scientifically somebody can be internalized with those identities, but somebody perhaps only has one identity of such. But here in Indonesia, generalization and hoax news are everywhere, instead the existence of Pancasila as the belief on creating world peace. Until now, Indonesian diplomacy still support "Free-Palestine". I myself has no any disruption on that, because Indonesia is part of Organization of Islamic Conference and we are friends with Palestinian officials in Jakarta. We don't have Israeli Embassy. The diplomacy Indonesia to support Palestine is totally great, but by judging that only Palestinians are in suffering is out of question, because both parties are suffering. In peace&conflict theory, we are learning about "the concept of being suffered to have international sympathy". In the movie here also the Director Mr. Halfon and Editing Department Mr. Arik Leibovitch, showed that both parties are in suffer. The big match football is taken as soft-critic and black satire to state that it is too complex to have peace in Israeli-Palestinian conflict, so that only fun games can do it. Some dialogues in this movie are coming from the real heart of both parties to have peace. I appreciate Madame Monique Rijkers from Hadassah of Indonesia as organizing committee and also translators for 11 movies screened in Tolerance Film Festival 2018 as part to promote tolerance in Indonesia. Indonesia already has Pancasila as the tolerance tool, but hence, movies are fun way to learn about tolerance. For next year, I hope there will be 4th Tolerance Film Festival with several movies from Indonesia, because it is not Israel Film Festival, nor Palestine Film Festival. Indonesia has several good movies to promote tolerance. It is the time for the world to know that Indonesia is a peace country and to reconstruct of what is definition of tolerance for Indonesians by internalizing Pancasila in everything, including to write movie critic. Congratulation Hadassah of Indonesia, Madame Monique Rijkers, TFF 2018, IFI, and see you next year!
3 Reviews
A mockumentary with serious political undertones
paul-allaer7 February 2018
"The 90 Minute War" (2016 release from Israel; 95 min.) brings a renewed look at the never-ending conflict between Israelis and Palestinians (simply known as "The Conflict" in that part of the world). As the movie opens, a manager of the Leiria soccer stadium in Portugal gets the word that soon, a winner-take-all match between Israel and Palestine will take place there, to settle the Conflict once and for all: winner gets to say, loser needs to look for a new homeland. We get to know the heads of the Israeli and Palestine Football Associations, as they commence difficult negotiations (who will referee the game? etc.). At this point we are 10 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: I have seen plenty of films looking at the Conflict, both with documentaries and fiction movies. But I had never seen this, in essence a mix of both documentary and fiction, to look at a topic as complicated as the Conflict. Israeli writer-director does a fantastic job exposing the ugly underbelly and at times utter absurdity of the Conflict by being politically incorrect and making a bigger point along the way. The long scene in which the parties negotiate which referee is mutually acceptable is a classic example of that. Another such example is the hilarious scene in which the Portuguese stadium manager and his wife discuss the (to them incomprehensible) concept of an Arab Israeli (as opposed to what? a Jewish Palestinian?). One might think that since this is written and director ab an Israeli, Israel gets 'softer' treatment, but in fact that is not the case at all. And then there is the issue of the outcome of the soccer match itself (I shan't spoil of course).
I recently saw "The 90 Minute War" at the 2018 Jewish & Israeli Film Festival here in Cincinnati. The large theater at which this was screened was a near sell-out. Prior to the screening, Israeli film expert Galit Roichman provded some interesting insights relative to the use of humor in looking at a sensitive topic like the Conflict. If you get the change to catch "The 90 Minute War", be it in the theater or on VOD, I'd readily recommend you do.
Couple of comments: I have seen plenty of films looking at the Conflict, both with documentaries and fiction movies. But I had never seen this, in essence a mix of both documentary and fiction, to look at a topic as complicated as the Conflict. Israeli writer-director does a fantastic job exposing the ugly underbelly and at times utter absurdity of the Conflict by being politically incorrect and making a bigger point along the way. The long scene in which the parties negotiate which referee is mutually acceptable is a classic example of that. Another such example is the hilarious scene in which the Portuguese stadium manager and his wife discuss the (to them incomprehensible) concept of an Arab Israeli (as opposed to what? a Jewish Palestinian?). One might think that since this is written and director ab an Israeli, Israel gets 'softer' treatment, but in fact that is not the case at all. And then there is the issue of the outcome of the soccer match itself (I shan't spoil of course).
I recently saw "The 90 Minute War" at the 2018 Jewish & Israeli Film Festival here in Cincinnati. The large theater at which this was screened was a near sell-out. Prior to the screening, Israeli film expert Galit Roichman provded some interesting insights relative to the use of humor in looking at a sensitive topic like the Conflict. If you get the change to catch "The 90 Minute War", be it in the theater or on VOD, I'd readily recommend you do.
A hilarious but insightful mockumentary about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
gailspilsbury1 November 2017
Don't miss this film! The humor and the performances that execute this saga are razor-sharp, imaginative, and nothing short of hilarious. Based on a book by Itay Meirson, The 90-Minute War begins with a serious broadcast by journalist Michael Greenspan: "The leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Territories will finally resolve the longest running conflict in modern history through a soccer match. The game will decide who gets to stay in the Holy Land and who has to go off looking for a new homeland."
Not one cinematic opportunity is lost as the two sides make their way toward the match. The football chairmen—played by Moshe Igvy for Israel and Norman Issa for Palestine—stab, jab, and poke each other over every issue in their peoples' historic disagreements. Igvy and Issa shared the Best Actor award at Haifa's 2016 Film Festival and without doubt will bring some audiences back to revel in their performances again. Even though their roles steal the show, other memorable "types" support them.
The film is told as a documentary of the historic game, and many of the hilarious moments result from the filmmaking itself—what the characters say to the unseen camera and interviewer. A polished, chiseled FIFA leader helps negotiate the terms of the game, including who will referee, as both sides reject every nominee—Germany is out of the question for obvious reasons and England as well. For the laid-back, cigar-smoking Israeli chairman, even Sweden and Norway are out of the question: "They're always against us." Both chairmen rely on antacids as they sit across from each other during these difficult meetings.
The game will be held in Portugal as the people there don't know anything about the Middle East conflict. Leiria's stadium manager Mr. Gomes studies an atlas to find Gaza as tells his wife: "We're the perfect place for the Camp David of soccer." "What?" she answers, mystified. Gomes helps resolve the referee stalemate by suggesting his cousin Carlito, "who's never even heard of the place," and both sides agree to the choice.
Many problems emerge: Israel's coach is a famous German goalie, Mr. Müller, which leads to anxiety at Israeli headquarters: "Can we really have a German leading our team in a match that decides the future of the Jewish people?" Several times, Israeli checkpoint soldiers harass the Palestinian team's bus en route to practice destinations. Another obstacle comes up when one of Israel's best players, Iyad Zuamut—an Israeli of Palestinian descent—can't decide which side he should play on. This leads to FIFA setting new nationality rules for the game—players must live in the country they play for, for at least two weeks of the year.
Besides the documentary's camera igniting moments of hilarity, Michael Greenspan returns at regular intervals to report on the teams' progress. His deadpan delivery at politically loaded locations contains propaganda from both sides. Standing in a Palestinian tunnel with everyday smuggling going on behind him, he tells us how these tunnels bring fuel, medicine, American cigarettes, plasma screens, and fast food to the Palestinians. And on this particular day, they're bringing Germany's soccer star Ahmad Hany to play for the Palestinians. We witness Hany's arrival through the dark, low-ceilinged channel.
Not only superlative characters and fast-paced humor define the quality of this movie. Amazing music and cinematography, by Ran Shem-Tov and Daniel Kedem, respectively, burst upon the screen and through the sound system between every scene, revving up the atmosphere in the manner of sports and politics, but in a subtly satirical way.
As the day of the game approaches and both chairmen realize the tremendous burden they carry for their people, a perfect moment occurs. The neutral Portuguese stadium manager, Gomes, invites both chairmen for a drink on the eve of the game. Unexpectedly the adversaries share a lovely, personal time together at the bar, passing around pictures of their children and grandchildren. Afterward, the filmmakers interview each chairman in his hotel bedroom. The Israeli chief admits how much he enjoyed the evening—"It's always like that," he says wistfully, "one on one we get along fine." When it's his turn, the Palestinian chief says: "I'm really sad. There should have been another solution." After all the laughter we've enjoyed over the two sides' conflict, these last touching moments give the movie a meaning beyond simple mockumentary.
Early in the film, the camera shoots a sports bar near the Leiria stadium, capturing the drinkers' raunchy conversation about the upcoming game. The camera returns to this low-life bar after the game is over—as an epilogue. The characters' shouting disgust for the game show us the irrelevance of which side won—a particularly incisive conclusion to the longest running conflict in modern history.
Not one cinematic opportunity is lost as the two sides make their way toward the match. The football chairmen—played by Moshe Igvy for Israel and Norman Issa for Palestine—stab, jab, and poke each other over every issue in their peoples' historic disagreements. Igvy and Issa shared the Best Actor award at Haifa's 2016 Film Festival and without doubt will bring some audiences back to revel in their performances again. Even though their roles steal the show, other memorable "types" support them.
The film is told as a documentary of the historic game, and many of the hilarious moments result from the filmmaking itself—what the characters say to the unseen camera and interviewer. A polished, chiseled FIFA leader helps negotiate the terms of the game, including who will referee, as both sides reject every nominee—Germany is out of the question for obvious reasons and England as well. For the laid-back, cigar-smoking Israeli chairman, even Sweden and Norway are out of the question: "They're always against us." Both chairmen rely on antacids as they sit across from each other during these difficult meetings.
The game will be held in Portugal as the people there don't know anything about the Middle East conflict. Leiria's stadium manager Mr. Gomes studies an atlas to find Gaza as tells his wife: "We're the perfect place for the Camp David of soccer." "What?" she answers, mystified. Gomes helps resolve the referee stalemate by suggesting his cousin Carlito, "who's never even heard of the place," and both sides agree to the choice.
Many problems emerge: Israel's coach is a famous German goalie, Mr. Müller, which leads to anxiety at Israeli headquarters: "Can we really have a German leading our team in a match that decides the future of the Jewish people?" Several times, Israeli checkpoint soldiers harass the Palestinian team's bus en route to practice destinations. Another obstacle comes up when one of Israel's best players, Iyad Zuamut—an Israeli of Palestinian descent—can't decide which side he should play on. This leads to FIFA setting new nationality rules for the game—players must live in the country they play for, for at least two weeks of the year.
Besides the documentary's camera igniting moments of hilarity, Michael Greenspan returns at regular intervals to report on the teams' progress. His deadpan delivery at politically loaded locations contains propaganda from both sides. Standing in a Palestinian tunnel with everyday smuggling going on behind him, he tells us how these tunnels bring fuel, medicine, American cigarettes, plasma screens, and fast food to the Palestinians. And on this particular day, they're bringing Germany's soccer star Ahmad Hany to play for the Palestinians. We witness Hany's arrival through the dark, low-ceilinged channel.
Not only superlative characters and fast-paced humor define the quality of this movie. Amazing music and cinematography, by Ran Shem-Tov and Daniel Kedem, respectively, burst upon the screen and through the sound system between every scene, revving up the atmosphere in the manner of sports and politics, but in a subtly satirical way.
As the day of the game approaches and both chairmen realize the tremendous burden they carry for their people, a perfect moment occurs. The neutral Portuguese stadium manager, Gomes, invites both chairmen for a drink on the eve of the game. Unexpectedly the adversaries share a lovely, personal time together at the bar, passing around pictures of their children and grandchildren. Afterward, the filmmakers interview each chairman in his hotel bedroom. The Israeli chief admits how much he enjoyed the evening—"It's always like that," he says wistfully, "one on one we get along fine." When it's his turn, the Palestinian chief says: "I'm really sad. There should have been another solution." After all the laughter we've enjoyed over the two sides' conflict, these last touching moments give the movie a meaning beyond simple mockumentary.
Early in the film, the camera shoots a sports bar near the Leiria stadium, capturing the drinkers' raunchy conversation about the upcoming game. The camera returns to this low-life bar after the game is over—as an epilogue. The characters' shouting disgust for the game show us the irrelevance of which side won—a particularly incisive conclusion to the longest running conflict in modern history.
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