My First War

Ha'milchama Ha'rishona Sheli
Director: Yariv Mozer
Israel 2008 82 mins
Language: Hebrew with English subtitles
Awards: Special Jury Award - DocAviv 2008

Unexpectedly drafted as a reservist in the Second Lebanon War, Tel Aviv film school graduate Yariv Mozer made a casual decision to take his video camera along. The resulting film offers an extraordinary insight into the campaign against Hezbollah, and rarer still, into compulsory army service in Israel during active conflict. Mozer’s focus quickly becomes the fury and frustration felt in the ranks towards IDF top brass, who stand accused of epic mismanagement and lack of care for their troops.

Part wide-eyed video diary, part sophisticated anti-war polemic, My First War turns the spotlight back on a forgotten conflict, which claimed the lives of over 160 Israelis – and hundreds more Lebanese civilians.The film proved controversial in Israel; perhaps more surprising is that Mozer managed to get it through the compulsory IDF checks without agreeing to any major cuts. A thought-provoking companion piece to last year’s Waltz with Bashir. SM

The director Yariv Mozer will attend the screening which will be followed by a Q&A

Screening with:

Sand Box

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A typical day at the playground interrupted…