Lebanon

Courtesy of Rialto, we have passes to Lebanon, winner of the Golden Lion 2009 Venice Film Festival and Official Selection at 2009 Toronto Film Festival and 2009 New York Film Festival.

Lebanon is about four young men who had never been involved in anything violent before, and found themselves killing people in the first Lebanon war in 1982.

A lone tank is dispatched to search a hostile town that has already been bombarded by the Israeli Air Force. What seems to be a simple mission gradually spins out of control. Schmulik the gunner, Assi the commander, Hertzel the loader and Yigal the driver are the tank’s crew, four 20-something boys who have never fought in a war and are now operating a killing machine. Though trying to remain brave, the boys are pushed to their mental limits as they struggle to survive in a situation they cannot contain, and try not to lose their humanity in the chaos of war.

Written and directed by Samuel Maoz, based on his own experiences as a twenty-year old novice soldier serving in the Israeli army during the 1982 war.

To win, email miguel@focalattractions.com.au and tell us, would you ever willingly ight in a war?