Laila is an Arab woman’s name that means “night”. Then Amos Gitai new feature tells about a night in Haifa. The Israeli director always had a controversial relationship with his government and tradition. The magnificent Kadosh is still a perfect example and his most powerful movie, a harsh critic about the orthodox community in Jerusalem. Son of a German Jew escaped from Nazism and Russian who recovered in Palestine, Gitai embraced both cultures of his land trying to let them coexist. At least in movies.
Laila in Haifa is the story of one night in a disco in Haifa attended by men, women, Israeli and Palestinian homosexual and transvestite that every night become a place for coexistence that history seems to consider impossible. But maybe doesn’t have to be like this. The movie tells the story of three women finding shelter in this free zone where the masculine arrogance of both culture is not allowed.
Life and career of Amos Gitai are a strange paradox. The director (and architect as his father who was an exponent of Bauhaus) left his country for ten years travelling to United States and then to France because of his political position. Since he came back to Israel has always been strongly criticized, but he goes on with his ideas is another important piece. As the director said, Laila in Haifa is another attempt to set on common ground the stories of two different nations divided for senseless reasons.
But there’s more because Gitai makes an interesting thought about creative process, the importance that common purposes can have for the cultural economy of both countries. How many efforts could have been made to spread beauty rather than hate and violence. And who knows when this endless process will have a finally fair end. Until then voices such as Amos Gitai and many others around the world will be always precious.
LAILA IN HAIFA
Israel, France, 2020, Directed by Amos Gitai Cast Maria Zreik, Khawla Ibraheem, Bahira Ablassi Runtime: 99’
