The Gatekeepers - Shin Bet Documentary

[bourbon]

This film looks very good. Six former heads of Shin Bet site down for a The Fog of War style documentary.

http://www.thegatekeepersfilm.com

Trailer Link

Short Synopsis

For the first time ever, six former heads of Israel’s domestic secret service agency, the Shin Bet, share their insights and reflect publicly on their actions and decisions.

Since the Six Day War in 1967, Israel has failed to transform its crushing military victory into a lasting peace. Throughout that entire period, these heads of the Shin Bet stood at the center of Israel's decision-making process in all matters pertaining to security. They worked closely with every Israeli prime minister, and their assessments and insights had—and continue to have—a profound impact on Israeli policy.

THE GATEKEEPERS offers an exclusive account of the sum of their successes and failures. In the process it sheds light on the controversy surrounding the Occupation in the aftermath of the Six Day War.

[bourbon]

Israeli ex-security officials largely favor peace, by Aron Heller. Associated Press, Feb. 20 2013.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's Academy Award-nominated documentary "The Gatekeepers" has won rave reviews for the candid soul-searching of its chief protagonists — the six living former directors of the country's shadowy domestic spy agency — and their somewhat surprising conclusion: That force has its limits and Israel must ultimately take advantage of its military superiority to seek peace.

It's no surprise, though, in Israel. Top security officials have a long history of favoring dovish political parties and criticizing government policies toward the Palestinians after their retirements. Those who have battled Palestinian violence with the harshest methods possible are oddly those often most amicable to compromise.

[Granite_State]

Saw it in LA a couple weeks ago, highly recommended. Great interviews with the Shin Bet heads, all of whom are incredibly candid. Some good info in particular about the Rabin assassination and what preceded it. The filmmaker could have been a bit more artful with some of the stuff that brackets the interview, the re-enacted stuff was a little hoky, but that's a minor quibble.

[Wyatt]

Trying to find a sowing somewhere in north carolina. Looks like a good time

[bourbon]

Originally Posted by Granite_State

Saw it in LA a couple weeks ago, highly recommended. Great interviews with the Shin Bet heads, all of whom are incredibly candid. Some good info in particular about the Rabin assassination and what preceded it. The filmmaker could have been a bit more artful with some of the stuff that brackets the interview, the re-enacted stuff was a little hoky, but that's a minor quibble.

Thanks, that is good to hear. They don't by any chance get into Shin Bet's role in the creation and cultivation of Hamas do they?

[bourbon]

Originally Posted by Wyatt

Trying to find a sowing somewhere in north carolina. Looks like a good time

You should see if the studio could arrange a screening at Ft Bragg. It would be free PR for them because the Washington Post can then run a “Army Screens Controversial Israeli Peace Documentary” type article.

[ganulv]

Director Dror Moreh is going to be the guest on Fresh Air today (28 February 2013).

[ganulv]

I caught The Gatekeepers at a matinée yesterday and much enjoyed it. I would not have minded it being a bit shorter but I did not find it tiresome. And it is not just a collection of talking heads as some reviews have suggested.

[parvati]

Great documentary. Very talented!!!

They must be connected to Goldman Sachs and the Israel Lobby...what you say?

[ganulv]

Originally Posted by parvati

They must be connected to Goldman Sachs and the Israel Lobby...what you say?

FWIW, I do believe I was the only goy in attendance at the showing! There were thirteen of us in the theater for a 1:40 showing in a rural New England town. Not a bad crowd for that kind of film under the circumstances, if you ask me!

I thought the decision to hold off showing any blood and guts visuals until near the end (with the photos from Yahya Ayyash's funeral and the aerial view of the bombed bus full of mangled bodies) had an interesting effect as opposed to showing some of that upfront and letting it set the tone. But Israeli and Palestinian viewers are so inured to that sort of footage that I have to assume it made little difference to them.

[parvati]

Seriously the Israelis and the Palestians in the East Coast seem numb to that - minus some Hassidums I've met(but several of even the the Hassidumu seem antiwar pro Palestiinian rights--- does that make any sense to you?). Like seriously Ive met Hassidum jews working for anti-occupation Palestinian rights? Hmmm.... What can I say?

The documentary was ok? People around you seem pretty liberal, yeaH?

[bourbon]

Originally Posted by parvati

Seriously the Israelis and the Palestians in the East Coast seem numb to that - minus some Hassidums I've met(but several of even the the Hassidumu seem antiwar pro Palestiinian rights--- does that make any sense to you?). Like seriously Ive met Hassidum jews working for anti-occupation Palestinian rights? Hmmm.... What can I say?

I believe there are some ultra-orthodox sects that are anti-zionist.

[ganulv]

Originally Posted by parvati

Seriously the Israelis and the Palestians in the East Coast seem numb to that - minus some Hassidums I've met(but several of even the the Hassidumu seem antiwar pro Palestiinian rights--- does that make any sense to you?).

There's Matisyahu, so it makes a little sense, I guess!

Originally Posted by parvati

The documentary was ok? People around you seem pretty liberal, yeaH?

Solidly Democratic, for sure. But some Dems are vicious pro-Israel hawks and sometimes you get anti-Israel conservatives (I won't say that all of them are anti-Semites, but some of them do give that impression).

[parvati]

Mr. Bourbon...that is an oxymoron right there...but I guess people are complex!

[parvati]

ganulv,

This guy seems like an amazing artist. Will be exploring his music for the next few days. Ill let you know :-)

[bourbon]

Originally Posted by parvati

but I guess people are complex!

People are complex = Essentially why subjects covered on this forum occur.

Originally Posted by parvati

oxymoron?

Debatable. It is unpopular to say, but I wouldn't necessarily say that anti-Zionism means anti-Semitism - though some certainly wish to frame it that way.

[bourbon]

Originally Posted by parvati

This guy seems like an amazing artist. Will be exploring his music for the next few days. Ill let you know :-)

Matisyahu is great. I'm not as into his newer stuff, but his first "Live from Stubb's" was awesome.

[TV-PressPass]

I really want this film to have a wider release. My room-mate spotted the trailer a few months ago when I was reading A High Price, for US customers: http://www.amazon.com/High-Price-Tri.../dp/0195391829and immediately turned me onto it.

If it delivers on half of what the trailer promises: I'll be buying it for sure.