A genuine drama of a society living in the small but gallant and beautiful state of Israel - a drama set in Beaufort fortress in Southern Lebanon. As far back as in 1982 did brave IDF soldiers take control of the fortress in a bloody battle during the first Lebanon campaign. That war was started to stave off bloodthirsty terrorists (this time - members of Hezbollah). Much blood was spilled during that battle, but the movie is focusing on the year 2000, shortly before the Israeli troops withdrawal from Lebanon. The fortress somehow reminds of the state of Israel itself: also isolated, among the trigger-happy enemies only seeking to grab every chance to shoot to kill. The defendants of the fortress, despite their being soldiers, have their own, sometimes very different opinions concerning defense strategies in particular and politics in general, and that is how Israel is divided, too. Ruefully, the final course of action decided upon both by the commanders of the fortress and commanders of the country is almost always that of defense and withdrawal, as the little state of Israel lacks international understanding and support necessary to treat the trouble-makers as they deserved to be treated and are treated in other places. The good thing about the film is that it doesn't seem to take a clear-cut stand concerning what should be done and thus embraces both camps comprising the society - leftist and rightist. United shall we stand, but shall we win? Hopefully so.
Beaufort
(2007)
A genuine drama of a society living in the small country
18 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers