Although nominally about Israel's 2005 evacuation of settlements in Gaza, the bulk of the 2007 film "Disengagement" takes place in France. Uli (Liron Levo), an Israeli policeman, travels to Avignon for his wealthy adoptive father's funeral. There, he reunites with his flighty sister Ana (Juilette Binoche). In his will, Uli and Ana's father leaves most of his property to Dana (Dana Ivgy), the daughter Ana gave birth to when in her early teens. Dana currently lives on an Israeli settlement in Gaza. Per her father's instructions, Ana must travel there to meet the adult daughter she has not seen since infancy.
"Disengagement" is very short on dialog and exposition. Many questions -- like, "Who is this person?" "Why is she singing opera?" and "Why is she acting like that?" -- arise, but few are answered. Scenes and shots, on the other hand, tend to be very long and very static. This style of filmmaking does allow emotions and meanings to emerge nonverbally from characters and settings, but few scenes in "Disengagement" really benefit from this treatment.
Aside from a brief encounter between Uli and a Palestinian woman he meets while traveling to France, all of the film's strongest scenes come during its final 15-20 minutes, as Israeli police prepare to remove settlers from Gaza and then begin doing so. The initial encounter between Ana and her long-lost daughter Dana is touching as well, but, as with everything else in this film, drags on far too long.
"Disengagement" would probably make a good short story or novella, but as a film it is a failure. Don't waste your time.
"Disengagement" is very short on dialog and exposition. Many questions -- like, "Who is this person?" "Why is she singing opera?" and "Why is she acting like that?" -- arise, but few are answered. Scenes and shots, on the other hand, tend to be very long and very static. This style of filmmaking does allow emotions and meanings to emerge nonverbally from characters and settings, but few scenes in "Disengagement" really benefit from this treatment.
Aside from a brief encounter between Uli and a Palestinian woman he meets while traveling to France, all of the film's strongest scenes come during its final 15-20 minutes, as Israeli police prepare to remove settlers from Gaza and then begin doing so. The initial encounter between Ana and her long-lost daughter Dana is touching as well, but, as with everything else in this film, drags on far too long.
"Disengagement" would probably make a good short story or novella, but as a film it is a failure. Don't waste your time.