Arie Elias Movies

This simple story espouses the virtues of trying to live a peaceful existence in a land often torn by war. Friendships develop between and Israeli girl in a kibbutz and a Bedouin boy in the desert. She is part of a modern world, while he and his people ride camels through the desert as their ancestors have done for centuries. The lush greenery of the kibbutz is contrasted by the arid desert sands that have been home to the Bedouins since ancient times. The boy's camel is lost and found on several occasions, causing suspicion and fear of Arab reprisal towards the new settlers. The two children become friends, ignoring the longtime prejudice exhibited by their elders. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

A teenager discovers he may be a genius, which turns out to be a less-than-welcome surprise to his family, in this comedy-drama from Israel. Shlomi (Oshri Cohen) is a 17-year-old boy who has unwittingly become the most important member of his household -- with his mildly-paranoid father (Albert Illouz) divorced from his mother (Esti Zakhem), busy supporting the family as a nurse. Shlomi cheerfully looks after his aging grandfather, cooks the meals, keeps tabs on his brother, Doron (Jonathan Rozen), and tries to keep the house clean. With so much going on, Shlomi doesn't have much time for (or interest in) his schoolwork, and he's more preoccupied with his girlfriend Tehila (Rotem Zisman) and his efforts to move their relationship to the next level; however, Shlomi's math teacher (Nisso Khavia) discovers that Shlomi has a rare gift for working with numbers and is eager to transfer him to another school where he can hone this talent. But Shlomi's family resists the idea, partly because they're not sure if he can do the work and partly because they don't want to see the family's anchor go away. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Sephardic Jewish singers and musicians of North African or Asian origins are featured in this biased drama as individuals who are addicted to drugs, or who are grossly unethical or simply dull-witted. Israeli discrimination against these performers has been an issue for a long time, and this film is evidence of the problem. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Yaky Yosha's 1982 Israeli drama Kvish Lelo Motza (aka Dead End Street) observes the trials and travails of a young prostitute named Alice (Anat Atzmon) who is thrust into jail alongside her pimp and hustler boyfriend. In desperation, Alice devises a scheme to save both of them: she will take the steps necessary to free herself, then set about raising the money to save her beau. However, she fails to anticipate the arrival of a documentary crew comprised of husband and wife Yoram (Yehoram Gaon) and Miri (Gila Almagor), who insist on filming her as she undergoes rehabilitation; when Yoram begins to fall hard for Alice, it draws the ire and chagrin of Miri, who begins to seethe with jealousy. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

A well-meaning American finds himself in the midst of political turmoil in the wake of the Arab-Israeli Six Day War in this drama. David (Bruce Davison), an American student doing graduate work at Tel Aviv University, becomes reacquainted with Raschid (Zeev Revan), a young Arab who was David's roommate while attending Yale. David and Raschid are studying archeology, and in the interest of friendship, David begins acting as a go-between for Arab and Israeli students, unaware that he's aiding an underground terrorist operation in the process. The supporting cast includes Nicol Williamson as Dr. Lang, one of David's professors, and Daria Halprin as Nurit, one of Lang's students (and also his lover). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi