Well, I saw this movie, recently and was pleasantly surprised at the integrity of the presentation. This movie did a wonderful job presenting the struggle/conflict from the perspective of the children being interviewed. Having spent time working with Palestinian children in Ramallah (10 miles north of Jerusalem), I found myself recalling many, very similar, conversations with other children. What this movie reminded me of was the sincerity of these children as they spoke their impressions, as though they were fact.While I could not possibly keep track of all the incorrect statements being made by both sides (Israeli and Palestinian) within this movie... if the viewer is able to appreciate that the children are often simply repeating a mantra they have been trained in by the adults in their lives, the viewer can utilize this movie to learn more about the culture of this conflict.While interviewing the settler boy, we saw the hardness of his heart toward the Palestinians. We can supposed that he has learned this from his parents or other in his life. The movie does show a teaching session that the Palestinian children go through at a school of some kind. I was not surprised to see the strong political views being taught to the children. These kinds of tactics, which I viewed as well, while I was there, always seemed to be the best kind of introduction to a presentation for the PLO or Hamas recruitment. And I am sure that many of the Jewish kids receive a similar style of education. It is a sad story watching these kids being bred to mistrust one another.What I liked even more was the "DVD Extra" where 5 of the 7 kids were interviewed in the summer of 2004. I was surprised to hear the Palestinian girl say she was upset at the "twins" joining the IDF. Apparently, they never teach the kids there that the IDF soldiers service is mandatory. This was just another example of poor understanding of the other side, from both sides.I don't consider this movie completely unbiased... but it does do a good job, trying to present both sides of this conflict and the affect it has on the lives of the kids growing old through it. If you have an opportunity to watch it, don't pass it up.

Okay, so I watched this documentary called Promises today. It's a documentary about Israeli and Palestinian children and sort of investigates their perspectives on the Israel/Palestine.Honestly, going into the film, I thought I knew what to expect--kids being all lovely-dovey and hopeful for peace and wondering why the adults just don't get along. This was not true. Throughout the course of the film, you see the obvious impact of the conflict in Israel-Palestine on the children and how it skews their perceptions towards fear and the dogmatism of their older generations.Of course, given some time, their innocence does appear and they develop a willingness to engage each other. (This is on the DVD synopsis, so I'm not giving anything away). It's in that willingness and that changed perspective in allowing the feared to become human that causes hope to be born. Not to say that everything is peachy in the end; the documentary follows up in the DVD's extra features and the real world still affects the youth.I wonder what happened to these kids-now-young-adults in the recent conflicts. When you put a real name and face and story to people in the situation, it becomes harder to ignore it.Stylistically, the documentary is typical straightforward piece with lots of talking heads (mostly children) intercut with observational sequences. The directors/crew mostly stay out of the picture, but still can't help but getting involved, which is all right by me (I'm by no means an observational purist--in fact, I think it creates fiction out of non-fiction).The film is remarkable in that it bothers to plead for sanity and peace (shalom/salaam) in a world that's torn apart by violence. Good viewing. 8/10.

A lot of people liked this film. Heck, I even like this film. I laughed, I cried...BUT...This isn't a Hollywood film about fictional characters in a fictional situation. It's a documentary about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. So I have some very serious problems with the overall approach of the film.First of all, the main scenes in this film are built on the manipulation of reality by the filmmakers. In the two crucial scenes in the film, in which Palestinians are brought out of the West Bank to visit the remains of their village and Israeli children are brought into the West Bank to play with Palestinian children, the action is able to take place ONLY because the film's producers intervened and set up the situations.Now, to their credit, the directors don't hide the fact that they are manipulating reality. But just the fact that they do, and that this is what the entire crux of the film is based around, leaves me feeling a little empty. After all, wouldn't it be more to the point to show that, in fact, if you are Palestinian living in the West Bank you will NEVER be able to go visit the remains of your village in what is now Israel, and if you are Israeli you will NEVER go to a Palestinian refugee camp to find out what the "enemy" is actually like in person? I realize that these scenes are constructed to make a point. But I prefer documentaries that rely on the way things are, rather than the way things could/should be.And in creating this alternative to actual reality, the filmmakers have managed to gloss over the actual point that they SHOULD be making in a film about the Palestinian / Israeli conflict -- which is that the Israeli military occupation itself is at the root of this trouble, and that lifting it is the key to peace. Instead, a starry-eyed illusion is created in which, if we could all just meet each other and get along, then all the problems would be solved and the divisions mended. True enough, perhaps -- but where is the concrete truth, the actual root of separation? For all its lovely tearfulness, this film serves mostly to leave us feeling warm and sad, rather than address the actual issues that need to be addressed for this conflict to end.

Ever since I knew this was a film made in part by a Mexican, and that it had such an impact in award ceremonies, I've been looking for it.I was glad to find out that all the honors, prizes and kudos given to it weren't in vain.It's a wonderful experience to sit through. It widens the vision you have of the conflict, by letting us see it through the eyes of young, but not that innocent children.Some, we know they're talking with their open heart, some, we know they're reserving their real thoughts. In the end, the blend of ideologies -some simple, some quite complex- are enough to keep you asking for more.I do believe this is a film that should be shone, not only in school across the United States, but across the entire globe. It is my suggestion that this film be included as part of a subject across the whole world.If you are truly interested in this film, its makers are eagerly waiting the chance to make a sequel to it. All they're waiting for is the budget to be ready. Want to contribute? Check their web site!This are not actors, or aspiring performers. This are real people, real children. With hopes, with wishes, with thoughts. The camera is only there to show us a brief moment in their lives, but what about the rest?They will be there, in a land plagued by constant, (and to me, personally) senseless war. Even though they have already been through a lot of experiences some of lucky humans will never be put to, they are still children, who wait for a chance like this, to make themselves a Promise.