James' Journey to Jerusalem (2003/2004) (AKA
Massa'ot James Be'eretz Hackodesh)
A "fish out of water" story, "James'
Journey to Jerusalem" is one of the most intriguing
and engaging films to be seen this year. Surely the
film's biggest asset is its star, Siyabonga Melongisi
Shibe, a young, presumably African actor who exudes
innocence, naivete, warmth, kindness and charm with
a simple smile or the moving of his eyes. It is Shibe
as traveling Zionist James that makes viewing the
film worthwhile.
If the film were not made in Israel
by a director of Israeli descent, it might be quite
easy to consider it anti-Semitic. I don't want to
spoil the film for you but its plot finds young, dark-skinned
James stuck in Israel, while on route to a pilgrimage
to the holy city of Jerusalem, and becoming enmeshed
in a world of corrupt business, wheeling and dealing,
gambling and servitude that is quite unappealing.
This is a harsh indictment of the Israeli people and
how they conduct themselves unethically in business.
As seen from outside, it is quite intriguing in a
way. And filmmaker and co-writer Ra'anan Alexandrowicz
makes everything about the film, especially in its
beginning, so realistic and subtle that we don't hesitate
to accept what is happening for a second.
What's really nice about this film,
in fact, is how much more subtle it is than the standard
"fish out of water" film. James is taken advantage
of in many ways (albeit never sexually) but he is
never shown to be stupid or so naive that he is unrealistic
or a victim, a "sad sack." Likewise, he's corruptors
aren't purely evil and villainous either. In fact,
we grow, like James, to generally like and care for
those who are somewhat using James for their own gain.
No one here is a monster or a devil, rather they are
simply business people and citizens caught up in a
corrupt and distasteful cycle of unethical situations.
Through it all Shibe's charisma
and innocence make this ordeal palatable. Were he
is never presented as dumb, overly naive or as too
much of a martyr, James' story here would be as ham-handed
and as unbelievable as a film by Lars Von Trier ("Dancer
in the Dark," "Dogville") or a thousand other filmmakers.
Thankfully for the viewer, this is not the case.
Alexandrowicz directs the film with
no real overt cinematic flair, but it doesn't matter.
The verisimilitude of the film is quite compelling
and the characters and story are so engaging that
we don't need obvious or overly artsy cinematics to
occupy our minds here. This is a smart, charming,
and unique film and one that wins our hearts, even
when it ends with a pointed and ironic barb aimed
squarely at its own countrymen.
Note:
In Hebrew, Zulu and English all
with subtitles.
Filmed in Tel-Aviv.
The film premiered at the Cannes
Film Festival in 2003 and was released in Israel in
January 2004 and in the US in March 2004.
Viewed at the Dobie at a press sneak
in April, 2004.
