Kedma (2002)

31% of critics liked it
(13 reviews)
51% of users liked it
(414 ratings)

Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai directed this historical drama based on a true story of the conflict between Jewish refugees and Palestinians on the eve of the formation of the nation of Israel. On May 7, 1948, a freight ship, the Kedma, arrived on the coast of Palestine, carrying a load of Jewish… More Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai directed this historical drama based on a true story of the conflict between Jewish refugees and Palestinians on the eve of the formation of the nation of Israel. On May 7, 1948, a freight ship, the Kedma, arrived on the coast of Palestine, carrying a load of Jewish refugees from Europe who had survived concentration camps in several nations. A few days later, the state of Israel would be created, but at the time, the passengers of the Kedma found themselves in the midst of a war, as they were greeted by British gunfire on one side, while on the other the Jewish underground army known as the Palmach stood by to defend them. The Palmach took many of the Kedma's refugees into hiding, while the rest were given weapons and asked to fight alongside the Palmach against the British and Palestinians. Over the next several days, the Palestinians and their British allies find themselves fighting with the Palmach soldiers and the Jewish refugees while interacting with one another as both sides realize how close and how far away they truly are. The cast includes Roman Hazanowski, Menachem Lang, Juliano Mer, Yussef Abu Warda, and Andrei Kashkar. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Amos Gitai
Written By: Amos Gitai, Marie-Jose Sanselme
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Feb 7, 2003 Wide
On DVD: May 11, 2004
Studio: Kino International

Critic Reviews

Stephen Holden, New York Times
For all its provocation, Kedma is an often dull, incoherent film, and its characters remain frustratingly sketchy.
J. Hoberman, Village Voice
Mesmerizingly bad filmmaking.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
The characters prove nothing more than patchy sketches and the drama simply evaporates.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Apesar do ritmo irregular e dos personagens mal delineados, oferece uma visão complexa e polêmica sobre o longo conflito entre judeus e árabes, o que me leva a recomendá-lo.
Kevin N. Laforest, Montreal Film Journal
Seems slow and aimless for half of its running time, but the last stretch is riveting and thought-provoking.
Leslie Katz, culturevulture.net
The film's "message"...is treated with such a heavy hand, that it'd almost be manipulative - if it weren't ultimately boring.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
While minimalist in its presentation, the film becomes nearly operatic in its intensity.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Gitai has made a quirky film about the origins of the state of Israel that provides insights into the source of present day Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
Whether you agree with Gitai's views or not, the film's flaws make watching Kedma an unpleasant chore.
Shlomo Schwartzberg, Boxoffice Magazine
A pedestrian, unexciting drama.
Harvey S. Karten, Compuserve
This poor-man's 'Exodus' brings to life the struggle of an illegal shipment of Jews to Palestine just weeks before the declaration of the State of Israel.

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Cast

Andrei Kashker
as Yanush
Helena Yaralova
as Rossa
Yussuf Abu-Warda
as The Arab

Moni Moshonov
as Klibanov
Juliano Mer Khamis
as Moussa
Menachem Lang
as Menahem

See full cast

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