Film Review: "Private"

"Private" is a film by Saverio Costanzo that provides an interesting and different perspective of the conflict in Palestine. Civilians become entagled in the military aspect of the conflict when soldiers occupy their homes. One might think that occupation of a home means the residents are forced to leave, but instead their home is turned into a prison. They are treated as criminals and their freedoms (few to begin with due to the conflict) are confiscated although they have done nothing wrong. No one is excluded; not elderly, not women, not children.

"Inspired by real events, documentary filmmaker Saverio Costanzo's feature
debut is a minimalist psychological drama about a Palestinian family of seven
suddenly confronted with a volatile situation in their home that in many ways
reflects the larger ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel.

Mohammad, his wife and their five children live in a large, isolated house
located halfway between a Palestinian village and an Israeli settlement. The
house, in the crossfire of the two sides, is a strategic outlook point that the
Israeli army decides to seize, confining the family to a few downstairs rooms in
daytime and a single room at night. Mohammad refuses to leave his home and,
reinforced by his principles against violence, decides to find a way to
keep his family together in the house until the Israeli soldiers move on."

You can find more information about this film and see a good trailer for it at TypeCast Films (click the link).

Variety entertainment news describes Private as "Powerful...an emotionally gripping drama."

Some standout quotes from the film: "We're going to die anyway; it's better to die with your head held high." "You can't bare your teeth if you don't know how to bite."

This film emphasizes the meaning of being a "prisoner in one's own home." If you are familiar with the film "Paradise Now", the ending of Private is similar; a cliff-hanger that will leave a viewer debating over what the believed ending is.

I encourage anyone and everyone to see this film, and decide on an ending.