EditInnocence (2022)

Filmen fortæller historien om unge israelske piger og drenge, som forsøgte at undgå værnepligt, men endte med at bukke under. Deres historie er aldrig fortalt, fordi de mistede livet for egen hånd, mens de gjorde tjeneste. Baseret på deres skræmmende dagbøger beskriver filmen deres indre kampe og den kamp og det pres, som de mødte i tjenesten. Filmen sammenfletter førstehåndsoptagelser fra militæret, øjeblikke fra deres opvækst og hjemmevideo af de afdøde soldater, hvis historier bliver betragtet som en trussel mod nationen Israel, og som derfor må skjules.

Making a war is a storyteller’s job. A good story is crucial to legitimize the use of military force. That’s why militaries need strong promotion and Israel is a model country in promoting its military ventures. Our history as persecuted Jews, and our enlightened democracy are both in use in our solid PR kit. But before pitching our story to the world, we need to pitch it to our children. As moral corruption linked with apartheid thrives, avoiding military service becomes a threat. For some children we’ll offer benefits, for most we’ll sell fictitious promises. Every child is screened to serve with bearable pressure and an adjusted amount of exposure to violence. ‘Innocence’ tells the story of children who resisted to be enlisted but capitulated. Their stories were never told as they died during their service.