42 | SEPTEMBER 19 • 2024
J
N
A
lthough the Hebrew-
language film Kissufim was
filmed before the attacks
of Oct. 7, 2023, the streaming
release on Netflix strikes a chord
with viewers still feeling the impact
of the terrible events that saw
Israeli kibbutzim, including the
real-life Kissufim, devastated by
Hamas terrorists.
Following the daily lives of a
group of young soldiers and friends
volunteering at Kissufim (in the
northwestern Negev desert in Israel
adjacent to the Gaza Strip), the
film is set in 1977, just four years
after the Yom Kippur War. Yet, its
themes continue to hit hard today.
In addition to mounting
antisemitism and the enduring
tension between Israel and its Arab
neighbors felt both in the film and
today’s world, the real Kissufim
kibbutz was targeted by Hamas
terrorists, who killed 14 members.
Many of these individuals worked
closely with the Kissifum film
crew during filming, though the
events to follow couldn’t have been
predicted.
With its sense of place, themes
and geopolitical conflict relevant
to today’s times, Kissufim sheds
light on the decades of survival
Israel has faced since becoming
a nation in 1948. Still, despite
its unprecedented connection to
the modern age, Kissufim has a
heartwarming and compelling story
full of friendship, love, sexuality,
morality, freedom and the end of
innocence.
The coming-of-age period film
showcases the highs and the lows
of life at Kissufim for young friends
working at the kibbutz at the end
of their army service. By day, they
work hard in the fields, and at
night they let loose and have fun.
They even swim at the beach in
Gaza, which, in 1977, was under
Israeli control. Back then, Israelis
would visit the Gaza Strip to shop
and eat.
However, as it does today,
conflict ensues between Gazans
and kibbutz residents. 1977 marked
a pivotal year when then-Egyptian
president Anwar Sadat
visited Jerusalem, but the
border region continued
to exist in a state of
crisis and tension. The
story captures the tough
reality of life on the border and the
threats that civilians face on either
side. Life in a war zone is full of
danger and the 20-year-old soldiers
come face-to-face with death on
countless occasions.
Kissufim is a powerful drama that
may be fictional but is inspired by
real events and people.
Israeli writer-director Keren
Nehmad’s father once volunteered
at Kissufim as a soldier, and
his memories helped create the
backdrop of the film. Yet Nehmad’s
feature debut instilled a more
feminine narrative in which women
hold the power both on screen and
behind the camera.
While we won’t reveal the
dramatic ending, Kissufim has an
eerie similarity to today’s kibbutzim
and the dangers that still remain a
part of everyday life for its hard-
working citizens.
Kissufim has already won
Best Foreign Feature and Best
Cinematography at the Orlando
Film Festival. It also won the
Golden Aphrodite, Best Score and
Best Editing at the Cyprus Film
Festival. Its Netflix debut is in
its original Hebrew language but
includes English subtitles.
Dazed and Confused with an
Israeli twist, Kissufim pulls at the
heartstrings for more reasons than
one — though its connection and
semblance to the Oct. 7 events may
be extraordinary.
A must-watch film, Kissufim is a
potent reminder of both the beauty
of life and its fragility.
ARTS&LIFE
FILM REVIEW
Now streaming on
Netflix, Kissufim has an
eerie resemblance to
today’s events.
Life on
an Israeli
Kibbutz
ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
BY LIGHT STREAM PRODUCTIONS
Screenshot
of Kissufim
RATING: