Private

Film Info

Italy 2004 | 125 min. Director: Saverio Costanzo

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Private

Synopsis

Mohammad's family lives in an isolated house situated halfway between a Palestinian village and an Israeli settlement. The house lies in the crossfire between the two opposing sides. For this reason the Israeli Army decides to invade the house.

Although Israeli soldiers occupy the second floor of the house, Mohammad refuses to leave. Reinforced by his strong principles against violence, he decides to find a solution living together with the Israeli soldiers.
This way of living together, soaked in fear, splits the family between those trying to understand the father’s message and those who simply cannot do so. Every family member reacts in a different way to the soldiers' presence in the house and to the father's authority.

Cast & Crew

Director

Saverio Costanzo
Producer

Mario Gianani
Screenwriter

Saverio Costanzo, Camilla Costanzo, Sayed Qashua, Alessio Cremonini
Director of photography

Luigi Martinucci
Main Cast

Mohammad Bakri (Mohammad B.), Lior Miller (Commander Ofer), Tomer Russo (Private Eial), Areen Omari (Samiah B.), Mohammad Bakri, Lior Miller
Editor (Cut)

Francesca Calvelli
Sound Design

Gabriele Moretti, Antonio Dolce
Original Score

Alter Ego
Production Design

Ludovica Amati
Costume Design

Einat Fadida

Director's comment

PRIVATE started from a true story. When I was in Palestine a journalist talked to me about an Arab, whose identity I cannot disclose, who still today lives with Israeli soldiers on his roof. He is the principal of a school who loves Shakespeare, prays five times a day and observes the Ramadan. He lives five meters away from the wall of the Israeli military base: he opens the door of his kitchen and here it is. Recently they shot at his son but luckily he was hit only in his foot.

Since 1992 nobody has left the house. There is nothing around it because usually the Israelis destroy the surrounding houses so to be able to have an unhindered view. But they also cannot evict him because of two reasons: he is not a terrorist and has become famous. The media know and back him. What struck me is that within the occupied house one does not perceive hatred or anger, from neither party.

Biography

Saverio Costanzo was born in Rome in 1975. He studied communications sociology and got his degree with a thesis on Italian-Americans from Brooklyn. He moved to New York where he made a documentary in episodes on the daily life on the public space of the Milleluci cafe in Brooklyn.

He remained in New York for two years during which he worked as cameraman and writer for documentaries for the production company GVG Usa.

In 2000 he wrote, filmed, directed and edited six episodes of a new docu-fiction set within the red room (emergency resuscitation) of the hospital "Policlinico Umberto I" in Rome. With SALA ROSSA he won the special mention from critics at the Turin International Film Festival. PRIVATE is his first feature film.

Filmography:
2004 PRIVATE
2001 SALA ROSSE, 6-episode doc-fiction
1999 CAFFE MILLE LUD, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, doc.