The Film Class

Racial differences in the Moslem Bedouin community are not recognized by the state, but to everyone else in Rahat, in southern Israel, they’re as plain as black and white. The Film Class explores the black Bedouin population through the astonished eyes of its young women, several of whom are taking the eponymous filmmaking class taught by Uri Rosenwaks, of Beersheva. Together teacher, students and we make a series of amazing discoveries about the origins of this tribal community, whose history of slavery goes back only two generations and explains a great deal about the poverty and racism that persist today. We wouldn’t want this spontaneous film to be more polished than it is; the pain and joy of these delightful, adventurous women as they uncover the secrets of their grandfathers is palpable.