75
A prismatic meditation on an entire nation, Eliav Lilti's documentary is history as abstraction.
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What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
60
What Lilti’s cinematic mural does is remind us that the political is always personal—and in Israel’s case, vise versa.
70
Lilti tells a fine story, but he doesn't always look closely enough at what he's saying.
50
New York Post by Farran Smith Nehme
Ultimately, this film reveals the Israeli self-image, but not much more. The people with the cameras pass by Arab neighbors, and what the Palestinians’ home movies might look like remains unexplored.
80
The Hollywood Reporter by Frank Scheck
This striking cinematic collage provides a hauntingly personal perspective on a country that has been wracked by strife from its very beginnings.
67
The A.V. Club by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
Israel’s most interesting — and revealing — footage tends to be the most candid: beach-goers in the ’30s, scenes from family gatherings and celebrations, a coke-fueled celebrity wedding in the ’70s. The commentary gimmick justifies itself in these stretches.
60
There’s a matter-of-factness to Israel: A Home Movie that’s disquieting, as it shows the joy and determination of a nation in the making, and the dismayed faces of those elbowed aside.
70
The New York Times by Rachel Saltz
These mostly silent home movies often have the tug of nostalgia, especially those that show domestic life... But images can be slippery, showing something different from what their creators intended. Even as Mr. Lilti constructs a history...he seems to show its fissures.