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ARABIC + HEBREW | 95 MINUTES | COOLIDGE CORNER

Simone Bitton’s meditation on the Israeli-constructed wall that divides it from its Palestinian neighbors is an exercise in restraint. In this bare documentary, she condenses one of the most explosive conflicts of our time into a single conflicted symbol: a fence meant to save lives that rips new scars. She interviews both Palestinians and Jews, often off camera, but most of all she lets the wall speak for itself. Long sequences of dumptrucks, backhoes, barbed wire, and giant slabs of concrete make up much of the film. As a symbol, it’s potent. As cinema, it’s slow. More compelling than the construction scenes is a series of shots of people climbing over the wall, squeezing through gaps, lending hands to others. They’re not terrorists, they’re just trying to get to work. Both sides deplore the construction, questioning its value and its use. "The fence is worthless," says one person. "Without peace it’s worthless."