The
Ruins Of Lifta (2016/First Run DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C- Extras: D Documentary: B+
On
the outskirts of Jerusalem lies the ruins of Lifta, the remains of an
Arab village. Currently it one of the few places that has not been
occupied or repopulated by any current group, but now ,the Israeli
government wants to bulldoze ruins and turn it into luxury condos.
But who does Lifta belong to? It originally lived by Arabs but then
forced out by holocaust survivors for them to live there, but now 60
years later survivors from both sides lay claim to Lifta as we
investigate in Menachem Daum & Oren Rudavsky's new documentary
The Ruins Of Lifta (2016).
Lifta
is currently a ruin village, but it symbolic of people and how hard
peace it is in Jerusalem. Holocaust survivors came to Lifta after
losing their homes and family in Europe, but in order for them to
come, they had to force out the Arabs/Palestinians who already lived
in Lifta in another conflict that falls under the idea of a Holy War.
It is only because of modernization by the current Israeli
government, Lifta has brought back attention to the survivors from
both sides. Each side has lay claim to the land and is afraid the
reconstruction will destroy the history/their culture and the
memories of those who died there. It was once a land where both Jews
and Arabs once shared, but now they both sides want it because
neither side want the world to forget their people's suffering there.
This
was an interesting documentary, directed and narrated by an American
Orthodox Jew, he sets out to understand the origins of his family,
the survivors and where they came from. It shows how people are not
really so different from each other regardless of race or culture,
each one has their pride and stubbornness when it comes to their past
heritage and cultures. It is very symbolic of how because of how
people's pride has made peace so elusive in Middle East and
Jerusalem.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is good fir this kind of
documentary, but the lossy Dolby Digital sound has more location
audio ands mixing issues than expected, so be prepared for that.
Extras include trailers.
-
Ricky Chiang
