Documentary follows lives of army-bound Israeli teenagers
IF YOU GO:
What: ‘Mechina: A Preparation’
Where: Kittredge Auditorium in HBC
When: Tonight at 7 p.m.
How Much: Free
Six Israeli teenagers, transitioning from students to soldiers, are at the center of the documentary ‘Mechina: A Preparation.’ They are on the cusp of joining the Israeli Defense Force.
This documentary, brought by StandWithUs, will be shown tonight at 7 p.m. in Kittredge Auditorium in HBC. Following the showing, there will be a question-and-answer session with the director Maital Guttman.
Filmed in summer 2004, the hour-long film presents the teens with an honest perspective – a look at what it means to be 18 years old, Israeli and required to face conflict as a part of the Israeli army. The film’s subjects are Guttman’s own cousin, Amitai, and his five friends.
The event is being hosted by StandWithUs Emerson fellowship, which works on Israel advocacy and accurate Middle East reporting.
‘It is a chance to see a non-controversial film that shows what college-age students across (Israel) are experiencing,’ said Matan Cafri, a freshman international relations major who worked to bring the film to SU.
‘A lot of times, people don’t know the whole story about what’s going on in the Middle East,’ he said.
In addition to StandWithUs, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA), Hasbara Fellowship and The Hillel Center for Jewish Life are co-sponsoring the film.
‘It is interesting to see as an American student,’ Cafri said. ‘When we turn 18 or 19, we’re thinking about what college we are going to enter and what fraternity parties we’re going to be attending, while our peers across the country who live in this war-torn area have to worry about which army unit they’re going to be in and if it’s safe to ride the bus to the mall today.’
Published on April 8, 2008 at 12:00 pm
