Full Description
What to make of Ameer Abu Ria, an 18-year-old Arab-Israeli who volunteers
to enlist in the Israeli military? Following in the footsteps of his father and
grandfather, Ameer believes it’s his duty to serve his homeland. At the same
time, he is waking up to the fact that he will always be viewed as an outsider
or worse by the young men he will serve with. At home in Sakhnin, Ameer and
his family—who fly an Israeli flag on their roof—are viewed as traitors. One
of the most heartbreaking scenes in this gripping documentary is Ameer’s
pre-induction party; the family spends all day preparing, but hardly any guests
show up. Filmmaker Naomi Levari gained unprecedented access, following
Ameer through his basic training and assignment in Hebron, and tells his story
with unflinching candor. “There’s one thing Jews and Arabs must know,” says
Ameer. “We’re cousins.” Unfortunately, nothing about Ameer’s story is that
simple.
