Beyond the Walls
Directed byUri Barbash
Written byBenny Barbash
Eran Preis
Produced byRudy Cohen
Katriel Schori
StarringArnon Zadok
Mohammed Bakri
Assi Dayan
Rami Danon
CinematographyAmnon Salomon
Edited byTova Asher
Music byIlan Virtzberg
Release date
  • 15 February 1985 (1985-02-15) (USA)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryIsrael
LanguageHebrew
Box office$400,000[1]

Beyond the Walls (Hebrew: מאחורי הסורגים, MeAhorei HaSoragim, lit. "Behind the Bars") is a 1984 Israeli film directed by Uri Barbash and written by his brother Benny Barbash and Eran Preis. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.[2]

Plot

The story takes place in the high-security block of the central Israel Prison Service jail. Uri and Issam are the leaders of the Israeli and Palestinian prisoner groups, respectively. After a musical performance in the prison, a row breaks out between Hoffman, a Jewish inmate, and a Palestinian. When Hoffman is killed, the security officer initiates a fight between the sides, pinning the blame for the murder on Issam's cell. Doron, the only Jewish prisoner in the Arab cell, is asked to sign a document implicating Issam in the crime, but refuses and dies by suicide. He leaves a note saying that his cell was not responsible for the crime. As a result, Uri and Issam begin a general hunger strike, and make personal sacrifices in order not to break it.

Characters

  • Uri (Arnon Zadok) is serving his second sentence for armed robbery, and has been a criminal from a young age. He is the leader of all Jewish prisoners in his cellblock.
  • Issam (Muhammad Bakri) is a Fatah terrorist who turns moderate in prison. He is the leader of the Palestinian cell.
  • Asaf (Asi Dayan) is a former IDF officer sentenced for contacting a PLO agent in Europe. He is initially disliked and distrusted by both sides, but normalizes his relations with Uri.
  • "The Songbird" (Boaz Sharabi) is a talented singer and musician from Uri's cell, and the first prisoner to participate in a national music festival in Israel.

See also

References

  1. ↑ BORSTEN, JOAN (Sep 4, 1984). "ISRAELI FILM CAPTURES VENICE CRITICS' PRIZE". Los Angeles Times. p. g3.
  2. ↑ "The 57th Academy Awards (1985) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2013-10-30.


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