Free Zone (film)
Encyclopedia
Free Zone is a 2005 film
directed by Amos Gitai
. Shot in Israel
and Jordan
, the Israel-Belgium
-French
-Spain
production stars Israeli Jewish actress Hanna Laslo
, Palestinian Arab actress Hiam Abbass
, and Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman
.
It is the second film of Gitai's Border Trilogy
.
The film made its debut at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival
on May 19, 2005. It was released in Israel
on June 9, 2005, and then appeared at numerous other film festivals throughout the rest of the year, having a limited release on December 16, 2005 in the United States
.
), a Jewish-American girl, who has lived in Jerusalem for several months. She has just broken off her engagement. One day, she enters a cab
, driven by a Jewish woman, Hanna (Hanna Laslo
). Hanna's destination is the Free Zone in the Jordan
-Iraq
-Saudi
border to collect money owed to her husband, recently wounded in a Palestinian rocket attack. Upon reaching the Free Zone, they meet up with Laila (Hiam Abbass
), a Palestinian
woman who serves as the contact for Hanna's husband's black market activities. The three women set off on a tense journey to retrieve Hanna's money.
The film is bookended by a rendition of the traditional Passover
song "Had Gadia", performed by Chava Alberstein
. The song "Ain Ani" by Shotei Hanevua also plays in the taxi at the end of the film.
, Hanna Laslo
won the Best Actress
award, and the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or
. The president of the jury said afterward he considered honoring all three Free Zone actresses with an award for best ensemble acting.
on February 23, 2005, Israeli Police asked actors and film crew to leave after protests from Orthodox Jews
who were praying there at the famous "Western Wall" while the crew filmed a kissing scene between Natalie Portman and Israeli actor Aki Avni
. The scene was not included in the final cut of the film.
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
directed by Amos Gitai
Amos Gitai
Amos Gitai , born 11 October 1950 in Haifa, Israel, is an Israeli filmmaker and director. He is mainly known for making documentaries and experimental / minimalist feature films...
. Shot in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, the Israel-Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
-French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
production stars Israeli Jewish actress Hanna Laslo
Hanna Laslo
Hanna Laslo is an Israeli actress and comedian.Laszlo rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s in the wake of comedy routines in which she portrayed such characters as 'Safta Zapta' and 'Clara the cleaning woman.' In 2005 she won th Best Actress Award at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival for her role in...
, Palestinian Arab actress Hiam Abbass
Hiam Abbass
Hiam Abbass , also known as Hiam Abbas or Hiyam Abbas, is a Palestinian actress and an Arab citizen of Israel. She is known for her roles in the films Satin Rouge , Haifa , Paradise Now , The Syrian Bride , Free Zone , Dawn of the World , The Visitor , Lemon Tree , and Amreeka...
, and Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
.
It is the second film of Gitai's Border Trilogy
Border Trilogy (Gitai)
The Border Trilogy is a set of three films by Israeli director Amos Gitai:*Promised Land *Free Zone *Disengagement...
.
The film made its debut at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival
2005 Cannes Film Festival
The 2005 Cannes Film Festival started on May 11 and ran until May 22. Twenty movies from 13 countries were selected to compete. The awards were announced on May 21...
on May 19, 2005. It was released in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
on June 9, 2005, and then appeared at numerous other film festivals throughout the rest of the year, having a limited release on December 16, 2005 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Plot
Rebecca (Natalie PortmanNatalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
), a Jewish-American girl, who has lived in Jerusalem for several months. She has just broken off her engagement. One day, she enters a cab
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
, driven by a Jewish woman, Hanna (Hanna Laslo
Hanna Laslo
Hanna Laslo is an Israeli actress and comedian.Laszlo rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s in the wake of comedy routines in which she portrayed such characters as 'Safta Zapta' and 'Clara the cleaning woman.' In 2005 she won th Best Actress Award at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival for her role in...
). Hanna's destination is the Free Zone in the Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
-Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
-Saudi
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
border to collect money owed to her husband, recently wounded in a Palestinian rocket attack. Upon reaching the Free Zone, they meet up with Laila (Hiam Abbass
Hiam Abbass
Hiam Abbass , also known as Hiam Abbas or Hiyam Abbas, is a Palestinian actress and an Arab citizen of Israel. She is known for her roles in the films Satin Rouge , Haifa , Paradise Now , The Syrian Bride , Free Zone , Dawn of the World , The Visitor , Lemon Tree , and Amreeka...
), a Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
woman who serves as the contact for Hanna's husband's black market activities. The three women set off on a tense journey to retrieve Hanna's money.
The film is bookended by a rendition of the traditional Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
song "Had Gadia", performed by Chava Alberstein
Chava Alberstein
Chava Alberstein is an Israeli singer, lyricist, composer, and musical arranger.-Biography:Chava Alberstein, born in Szczecin, Poland, moved to Israel with her family in 1950. She grew up in Kiryat Haim....
. The song "Ain Ani" by Shotei Hanevua also plays in the taxi at the end of the film.
Awards
In the 2005 Cannes Film Festival2005 Cannes Film Festival
The 2005 Cannes Film Festival started on May 11 and ran until May 22. Twenty movies from 13 countries were selected to compete. The awards were announced on May 21...
, Hanna Laslo
Hanna Laslo
Hanna Laslo is an Israeli actress and comedian.Laszlo rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s in the wake of comedy routines in which she portrayed such characters as 'Safta Zapta' and 'Clara the cleaning woman.' In 2005 she won th Best Actress Award at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival for her role in...
won the Best Actress
Best Actress Award (Cannes Film Festival)
The Best Actress Award is an award presented at the Cannes Film Festival. It is chosen by the jury from the 'official section' of films at the festival. It was first awarded in 1946.-Award Winners:-External links:* * ....
award, and the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
. The president of the jury said afterward he considered honoring all three Free Zone actresses with an award for best ensemble acting.
Controversy
During filming at Jerusalem's Western WallWestern Wall
The Western Wall, Wailing Wall or Kotel is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount...
on February 23, 2005, Israeli Police asked actors and film crew to leave after protests from Orthodox Jews
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
who were praying there at the famous "Western Wall" while the crew filmed a kissing scene between Natalie Portman and Israeli actor Aki Avni
Aki Avni
Aki Avni is an Israeli actor, entertainer and television host. He appeared in the movie Free Zone with Natalie Portman. He also played the character Mohsen in the second season of the television series 24....
. The scene was not included in the final cut of the film.
Cast
- Natalie PortmanNatalie PortmanNatalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
as Rebecca. Partly Israeli, partly American, she left New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to live in Jerusalem but has no family of her own there. - Hanna LasloHanna LasloHanna Laslo is an Israeli actress and comedian.Laszlo rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s in the wake of comedy routines in which she portrayed such characters as 'Safta Zapta' and 'Clara the cleaning woman.' In 2005 she won th Best Actress Award at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival for her role in...
as Hanna. After being expelled from SinaiSinai PeninsulaThe Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
, she established with husband in the NegevNegevThe Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
. - Hiam AbbassHiam AbbassHiam Abbass , also known as Hiam Abbas or Hiyam Abbas, is a Palestinian actress and an Arab citizen of Israel. She is known for her roles in the films Satin Rouge , Haifa , Paradise Now , The Syrian Bride , Free Zone , Dawn of the World , The Visitor , Lemon Tree , and Amreeka...
as Leila. A Palestinian ArabArabArab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
, rejected by her own son for her modern mores. - Carmen MauraCarmen MauraCarmen García Maura is a Spanish actress. In a career that has spanned six decades, Maura is best known for her collaborations with noted Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar.-Early life:...
as Mrs. Breitberg. The mother of Julio. In the final cut, she only appears in a superimposed flashback. - Makram KhouryMakram KhouryMakram J. Khoury is an Israeli Arab, born 30 May 1945 in Jerusalem. He was the youngest artist and the first Arab to win the Israel Prize, the highest civic honor in Israel. He is one of the most accomplished and well-known Israeli Arab actors.Today, Makram is active in films, on the stage, and on...
as Samir, the American. A Palestinian orphan who was a refugee in TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Now living as a car trader in a Free Zone oasisOasisIn geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
. - Aki AvniAki AvniAki Avni is an Israeli actor, entertainer and television host. He appeared in the movie Free Zone with Natalie Portman. He also played the character Mohsen in the second season of the television series 24....
as Julio. Rebecca's former fiancé of SpanishSpanish peopleThe Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
-Jewish origin. They separated after he told her that he had sex with a Palestinian refugee during a military operation.
External links
- Free Zone – Amos Gitai official site (interview with director)
- Compilation of reviews on Free Zone site
- Free Zone images on NataliePortman.com fansite