Private (film)

Last updated
Private
Private (2004 film).jpg
Directed by Saverio Costanzo
Written by Camilla Costanzo,
Saverio Costanzo,
Alessio Cremonini
Produced by Mario Gianani
Starring Mohammad Bakri,
Lior Miller
Distributed byTypecast Releasing
Release date
  • 10 September 2004 (2004-09-10)(Toronto Film Festival)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryItaly
LanguagesArabic, English, Hebrew

Private is a 2004 minimalist psychological drama film directed by Saverio Costanzo. A debut film by the director, the film is about a Palestinian family of seven suddenly confronted with a volatile situation in their home that in many ways reflects the larger ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israel.

Contents

Initially selected as the official entry from Italy for the foreign language film category at the 78th Academy Awards, Private was disqualified as its main spoken language is not in Italian (a rule that was changed, effective with the next year's Oscars, partly due to this film). The film has received the Golden Leopard (best film) award at the 57th Locarno International Film Festival.

Plot

Mohammad, his wife and their five children live in a large, isolated house located halfway between a Palestinian village and an Israeli settlement. The house, in the crossfire of the two sides, is a strategic lookout point that the Israeli army decides to seize, confining the family to a few downstairs rooms in daytime and a single room at night. Mohammad refuses to leave this home and, reinforced by his principles against violence, decides to find a way to keep his family together in the house until the Israeli soldiers move on.

Main cast

Reviews

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References

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