Room 514

An Enigmatic Israeli Drama That Turns Into An Effective Morality Play
The Israeli drama "Room 514" can be described as a claustrophobic chamber piece that examines some fairly universal topics despite its relatively confined settings. It's a small picture that packs a big punch. Almost all of the film's action is confined to a spare room, there are rarely more than two characters on screen at the same time, and the movie relies on an intimacy in its interactions that make the viewer feel almost like a voyeur (a fly on the wall, if you will). While many of these choices may have been dictated by the movie's budget, they are elements that help to make "Room 514" feel decidedly different. There is nothing particularly new about he topics that the screenplay raises, but the story is allowed to unfold organically without hitting you with overt politics or moral pronouncements. In the end, though, filmmaker Sharon Bar-Ziv wrestles with the weighty issues inherent in any territory divided by strife. When is force justifiable? When is it considered...

The permutations of Interrogation
It is rare to encounter a film confined (for the most part) to a single room that packs the wallop that this film form Israel delivers. Written and directed with great sophistication by Sharon Bar-Ziv and acted by a very small cast of splendid actors, this is a cinematic experience that shake's the viewer and makes an indelible impression of the many conflicts facing not only the Israelis of the story but of all peoples of global significance.

Anna (Asia Naifeld), whose origins are Russian, is in the Israeli army and is assigned the duty of investigating military/civilian incidents. Her current investigation involves interrogating Nimrod (Guy Kapulnik), an officer who is suspected of having information about a group of Israeli soldiers who brutally beat and unarmed Arab family. Nimrod is sarcastic about Anna's abilities, saying she doesn't understand warfare: his accusations are punctuated with frequent cellphone calls Anna accepts from her mother about household matters...

Gripping film with clear biased undercurrent by by Director
Political agenda of Film Director shows refusal to understand reality on the ground. Easy to raise questions about the military's behavior and conveniently ignore facts. Liberal point of view masks real facts.
Good acting by all actors, primarily the female interrogator and accused officer.

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