Two young men, one Israeli and one Palestinian, discover they were accidentally switched at birth.
In this family drama by French writer-director Lorraine Levy (JFFB 2006), two baby boys are accidentally switched at a clinic during the first Gulf War. One is an Israeli; the other is Palestinian. One wants to join the Israeli Air Force, though he aspires to be a folk singer. The other grows up in the West Bank and is later educated in Paris. When the two discover what had happened as they're about to turn 18, they seem to handle the news more easily than their fathers.
A Film by Lorraine Lévy
Directed by Lorraine Levy, France/Israel 2012, French with English subtitles, 106', DCP, Color
How would one go about approaching the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a way that transcends the history and politics and delves deeper towards our shared humanity? Not an easy task, but one that writer-director Lorraine Lévy has achieved with great aplomb in the remarkable and profound The Other Son. The high concept premise is quite ingenious. When 18-year-old Joseph takes a blood test in preparation for military service, it reveals that he cannot be the biological son of his two parents, French physician Orith and Israeli army commander Alon. A subsequent visit to the Haifa hospital where he was born resolves the mystery: Joseph was switched at birth with Yassin, the child of a Palestinian family on the West Bank.
With Emmanuelle Davos, Jules Sitruk and Pascal Elbe, Mehdi Dehbi, Khalifa Natour.
Directed by Lorraine Lévy
France, 2011. In Arabic, English, French and Hebrew with English subtitles. 105mins.
Edited by Sylvie Gadmer.
Cinematography by Emmanuel Soyer.
CAST
Emmanuelle Devos > Orith
Pascal Elbé > Alon
Jules Sitruk > Joseph
Mehdi Dehbi > Yassin
Areen Omari > Leïla
Khalifa Natour > Saïd
Mahmood Shalabi > Bilal
Bruno Podalydès > David
Directed by
Lorraine Lévy
Producers
Virginie Lacombe / Rapsodie Production
Raphaël Berdugo / Cité Films
Associate Producer
Éric Amouyal
Executive Producer
Itaï Tamir / Laïla Films (Israel)
Coproducers
France 3 Cinéma
Madeleine Films
Solo Films
Co-Financiers
Useful Production
Sofica Hoche Artois
French Broadcasters
Orange Cinema Serie, France 3
Script
Nathalie Saugeon, Lorraine Lévy, Noam Fitoussi
Original Idea From
Noam Fitoussi
Music
Dhafer Youssef
Running Time
105'
Image
35 mm
Format
Scope 2.35
Sound
Dolby SRd 5.1
Original Languages
French / Hebrew
Arabic / English
Budget
€3 million
Delivery
spring 2012
French Distributor
Haut et court
International Sales
Raphaël Berdugo
Cité Films
rberdugo@citefilms.com
+33 6 73 68 26 16
The film examines how both families grapple with this bombshell and how they reconcile with having raised and loved the son of their adversary. Despite its melodramatic setup, the film avoids sentimentality and through a focus on familial relationships, shows the human cost of the conflict. You cannot watch this film without feeling deeply for both families as their most primal relationships are being upended.
While nothing can dampen both mothers' love for their children, it is the other family members, particularly the fathers that have the most trouble adapting to this new reality. Everyone is forced to reconsider their identities, values and beliefs. Restrained and nuanced performances from the entire multinational cast (led by Emmanuelle Davos as Orith) elevate this memorable and touching family drama into an unforgettable viewing experience. A must-see for parents and for grown children. In other words, for everyone.
Sponsored by the Lisa and John Pritzker Family Fund
Source: San Francisco Jewish Film Festival - SFJFF 2012
http://prod3.agileticketing.net/WebSales/pages/Info.aspx?epguid=1b480240-2738-4c73-be1f-483c23114bbf&evtInfo=36396~cb15eca8-60ee-4994-aed0-3a80721900eb&
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Zwei Babys sind vertauscht worden: ein Israeli und ein Palestinenser. Nur finden die beiden das erst heraus, als sie schon fast 18 sind. Wie gehen die beiden jungen Männer nun im heutigen Israel mit der Identität des Anderen um?
Spielfilm, Regie: Lorraine Levy, F/IL 2012, 106 min, DCP, OF eUT
Mit Emmanuelle Davos, Jules Sitruk and Pascal Elbe, Mehdi Dehbi, Khalifa Natour.
2012 | 18th Jewish Film Festival Berlin & Potsdam - JFFB 2012
* Deutschlandpremiere
Screening: 16. Juni | 19:00 UHR | Kino Arsenal
www.jffb.de/the-other-son-le-fils-de-lautre.html
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