Private

2004

1h 33m

Drama

War

List

82%

Tomatometer

34 Reviews

89%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

Mohammed (Mohammed Bakri), a Palestinian teacher, lives with his family in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. When violence erupts near their house, Mohammed refuses to evacuate, despite the fears of his wife, Samia (Areen Omari). Israeli soldiers occupy the residence's top floor, arousing the hatred of their son, Yusef (Amir Hasayen), and daughter, Mariam (Hend Ayoub), who spies on the men. Despite being given freedom to leave, Mohammed insists that his family stick together in their house.

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Critics Consensus

Italian director Saverio Costanzo delivers a gritty and intimate drama about how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict affects a Palestinian family and the Israeli soldiers occupying their home.

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John Hartl

Seattle Times

A sketchy but compelling Italian movie about Middle East power struggles.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 7, 2006

Full Review

Empire Magazine

The script is occasionally heavy-handed in laying out motivation and meaning, but excellent performances from the Israeli-Palestinian cast and a chilling moral elevate this to more than 'issue film' status.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 1, 2006

Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Costanzo's debut feature film is potent stuff.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 18, 2006

Full Review

Tom Dawson

The List

Shooting with hand-held digital video cameras, Costanzo achieves a powerful immediacy, particularly when conveying the chaos and terror of the nighttime raids endured by the family.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 24, 2019

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

... as politically defiant a metaphor for Israeli-Palestinian relations in the occupied territories as you'll ever see on screen.

Rated: B

Apr 6, 2006

Full Review

Steve Schneider

Orlando Weekly

The movie is more noteworthy for the intimate suspense it brings to the subject of Israeli occupation than for any dramatic conclusion it chooses to reach.

Mar 9, 2006

Full Review

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Audience Member

This film left me speechless with joy afterwards, it completely blew me away...one of the most incredibly tense films Ive ever watched...please, anyone who loves films find it and cherish it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

what u see in the movie is what u see in real life - pain that innocent palastinian n israeli people been going thru

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is a non artistic movie but a consiousnes of the meaning of the human fact and human issue that are behind the wars and occupation forces. Focused in the Israel-Palestine´s conflict, the italian director Saverio Constanzo makes a pretty balance film without using, the Manichean perspective and the pittyness, a pretty good movie about the people who really are facing the conflicts. The ordinary people and the militar and human factor of the "enemy" soldiers who also carry stories and in certain way had been programed through speeches and had been involved on the army by economical necesities of their family.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Gran film, coraggioso, pieno di tensione e girato molto bene. Da vedere, una piccola perla.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Very thought provoking--I highly recommend it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Politically: full of stereotypes about the conflict, lacking historical reflection, some but stereotypes not met: the evil Jewish soldiers had no glasses and no big nose. A nightmare. Technically: Come one, "Dogma"-movies can be much more interesting...

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

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Saverio Costanzo

Director

Lior Miller

Commander Ofer

Mohammad Bakri

Mohammad B.

Tomer Russo

Private Eial

Areen Omari

Samiah B.

Hend Ayoub

Mariam B.

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Synopsis

Mohammed (Mohammed Bakri), a Palestinian teacher, lives with his family in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. When violence erupts near their house, Mohammed refuses to evacuate, despite the fears of his wife, Samia (Areen Omari). Israeli soldiers occupy the residence's top floor, arousing the hatred of their son, Yusef (Amir Hasayen), and daughter, Mariam (Hend Ayoub), who spies on the men. Despite being given freedom to leave, Mohammed insists that his family stick together in their house.

Director: Saverio Costanzo
Producer: Mario Gianani
Screenwriter: Saverio Costanzo, Sayed Qashua, Camilla Costanzo, Alessio Cremonini
Production Co: Istituto Luce Cinecittà, RAI Cinema, Offiside
Genre: Drama, War
Original Language: Arabic
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Nov 17, 2005
Release Date (DVD): Jun 6, 2006
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Dolby