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Against Your Will

  • Israel
  • Documentary
  • 2015
  • 52 min.
  • Director(s): Assaf Banitt
  • Producer(s): Assaf Banitt

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.

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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

  • Winner

    Fedeora Jury Special Mention
    DocAviv International Film Festival
    2015

Santa Barbara International Film Festival, USA, 2016

DocAviv International Film Festival, Israel, 2015

Reviews

  • 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
  • Losing two sons to suicide - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02vdbk6
    Interview: Losing two sons to suicide, Outlook on BBC World Service