Jaffa by Keren Yedaya

Directed by young Israelian filmmaker Keren Yedaya, who won the Camera d’Or for Mon Trésor at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, Jaffa is above all a psychological movie. Whilst it’s modest script and limited scenery (mainly filmed within the closed walls of the garage and the family apartment) may not have immediate appeal for certain audiences, for those willing to enter into it this is an original, simple and powerful tale, dealing with the notions of love and forgiveness through the context of the Israeli-Palestinian relationship. Indeed, Mali the Israelian is pregnant by Toufik, the Palestinian - an interesting character, appreciated for his work by Reuven but hated by Meir.

The first part reveals the characters and their daily lives, and is set out as a filmed theatre play. It ends with a tragic moment, something that could happen to every family. The second part takes place nine years later. Mali is now a young mother, who has moved away with her parents in order to forget. Toufik has been in prison for years and is soon going to be released. It is this come-back-to-reality which is the interesting section of the movie, with Mali revealing a few things to both her family and Toufik.

Pierre-Anthony Canovas