Against Your Will
Synopsis
Gilles and Esther Alexandre struggle with the loss of two sons to suicide committed during their army service and with the condemnation by their religious community, which regards suicide as a sin and source of shame. The Alexandres refuse to succumb and launch a public campaign to reshape Jewish religious discourse on suicide. Now their youngest son Binyamin is about to enter the army and wants their permission to join the combat unit.
Credits
Director(s)
Assaf Banitt
Producer(s)
Assaf Banitt
Script
Assaf Banitt
Cinematography
Izik Be Snior, Daniel Bar
Editor
Yaniv Rize, Noam Amit
Original Language
Hebrew
Subtitles
English
Produced with the help of
The Second Authority for Television and Radio, Israel. The Rabinovitch Foundation, Israel
Broadcaster
Channel 10, Israel
Sound design
Itzik Cohen
Festival Highlights
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Winner
Fedeora Jury Special MentionDocAviv International Film Festival2015
Santa Barbara International Film Festival, USA, 2016
DocAviv International Film Festival, Israel, 2015
Reviews
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"A complex and compassionate film that tackles the delicate subject of suicide regarded as taboo by the religious community, and explores the quest of bereaved parents from multiple viewpoints, through the use of economical storytelling and a tight structure.
"
- Jury's Statement Docaviv
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"Losing two sons to suicide -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02vdbk6
"
- Interview: Losing two sons to suicide, Outlook on BBC World Service
