What it’s about
Yaron (Klein) heads an elite anti-terrorist police squad whose main task is to assassinate Arab enemies. He and his men are under scrutiny for collateral damage in a recent mission, but they remain united in solidarity and proudly patriotic. Shira (Pelzig) and Nathanel (Aloni) are home-grown Jewish radicals who plot class warfare against the country’s one percenters; their politics and actions eventually bring them into Yaron’s sights.
Why we love it
Lapid’s first feature tells two seemingly separate stories, with the police on one side and some young revolutionaries on the other, but we know the two will eventually collide. Yaron’s terse machismo contrasts with Shira’s poetic writings on revolution, yet both actors exhibit the same steely confidence in their characters’ convictions and motivations. Lapid’s engrossing thriller culminates in a standoff that bracingly captures the complex reality of present day Israel.