Arna's Children (2003)
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67% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
83% of users liked it
(451 ratings)
Arna Mer was a devout Israeli Jew who served in her nation's army as a teenager and fought for the cause of freedom for Israel. Arna later fell in love with a Palestinian man, and as she became disenchanted with Israel's policies, Arna began to actively support Palestine. In her later years,… More Arna Mer was a devout Israeli Jew who served in her nation's army as a teenager and fought for the cause of freedom for Israel. Arna later fell in love with a Palestinian man, and as she became disenchanted with Israel's policies, Arna began to actively support Palestine. In her later years, Arna Mer Khamis opened a learning center for children in Palestine after Israeli troops closed the nation's schools during their occupation, and Arna, with her son Juliano, organized a children's theater troupe as part of their curriculum. Juliano often brought a camera to classes and rehearsals of his theater group between 1989 and 1996, and he and filmmaker Danniel Danniel used this footage as a starting point for the documentary Arna's Children. The film offers a look at youngsters growing up under trying and dangerous circumstances who have found joy and self-expression through art; later, Juliano and Danniel track down several of Arna's students, discovering that the grim realities of life in Palestine have not escaped them. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Juliano Mer Khamis, Danniel Danniel
- Written By
- Juliano Mer Khamis, Daniel Daniel
- Genres
- Documentary, Drama, Art House & International, Special Interest
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Oct 8, 2004 Limited
- Studio
- Think Film
Critic Reviews
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Manohla Dargis, New York Times
A subject as complex as this demands greater rigor, deeper intelligence and a sense of dialectics.
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John Anderson, Newsday
It feels patronizing and self-important.
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Robert Dominguez, New York Daily News
What begins as a routine documentary about a children's theater group in a Palestinian refugee camp soon turns into a haunting chronicle on the tragic toll of war.
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V.A. Musetto, New York Post
The documentary takes no sides, but its bleak message is all too clear.
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David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor
Contains amazingly candid views of warriors behind the scenes of battle.
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