Mashallah by Eytan Harris (Israel, 2004, 62 min, Digibeta) U.S. Premiere

Synopsis:

In 1985 in Jerusalem, two cab drivers were brutally murdered three days apart. The first was an Israeli Jew; the second was and a Palestinian, Khamis Totangi, the absent subject of this subtle and surprising documentary. With grace and a sure sense of plot, Eytan Harris weaves together the stories of the victim’s family, the murderer, the investigators and even a part-time poet, who adds a fascinating element of literary intrigue to this tale of lives forever linked by tragedy.
In Hebew & Arabic w/English subtitles.

Followed by Hopefully for the Best

Introductory remarks by Ryan LaHurd, President, Near East Foundation
Post-screening panel discussion with filmmaker Raed Helou and Hamid Dabashi (Columbia University). 

Filmmaker’s Bio:

Eytan Harris graduated from New York University's School of Film and Television in 1980 and since then has made more than 35 features and documentaries as both cinematographer and director. He has worked as a cameraman for Israeli television, shooting news items and documentary films, including the renowned series Tkuma, and later shot for CBS's 60 Minutes and CNN on various occasions. Harris made his first full length theatrical film in 1987 titled Late Summer Blues, one of the most successful Israeli films of all times. He has also acted as director, producer, chief cameraman, cinematographer and director of photography on numerous works, including the award-winning 6 OPEN, 21 CLOSED (1994) and Jenny and Jenny (1997). His latest full length documentary, Abe, is a portrait of famous peace pilot and activist Abe Nathan and the story of the Voice of Peace radio station.

Festivals and Awards:

• Docaviv 2004 - Marketing and Distribution Award

Reviews:

A refined masterpiece of a documentary… Mashallah unravels a complex story on the subject of murder driven by nationalism, and does this in a witty way, almost allowing it to be defined a fascinating fictional feature…This is the directorial debut of experienced cinematographer Eytan Harris, unfolding a double story- about the driver, and the anonymous poet- and in doing so outlines a surprising path of humanity and kindness among the violent outbursts in the Middle East.
— Meri Schnitzer, Ma’ariv (Israel)

The highly praised film by Eytan Harris contains all the elements which make our daily lives so very depressing through poetic. The film depicts a mysterious chapter of tension which binds death and poetry. The story unfolds in a clear, even coherent form. The end of the film is a juxtaposition of two parallel scenes: Tears of happiness against tears of sorrow; the whiteness of the Bridal Dress against the whiteness of the gravestone; a new beginning versus a gloomy ending; the wicked man doth profit. It may sound cliché, but one cannot ignore the power of this double scene; I myself will be remembering it for days to come.
— Eyal Dotan, Globus (Israel)

Print Source:

Eytan Harris
Phone: 972 4 639 6224
Fax: 972 4 629 1876
Email: harris@netvision.net.il