Educational Media Reviews Online

Lea Tsemel is an Isreali-Jewish human rights lawyer who has spent her career defending Palestinians charged in Israeli courts, which has made her both a very interesting and controversial figure. This film takes a close look at her life, from her start as a young, student activist, to the fearless lawyer she is today. It documents her as she defends a 13-year old Palestinian boy accused of attempted murder and a Palestinian woman accused of plotting a suicide bombing. This powerful film highlights injustice and Tsemel's determination to fix the system even though it seems impossible.

This film weaves Tsemel's story together well by showing snippets from her past in between present- day footage of the cases she is working on. There are also interviews with Tsemel herself along with those close to her, such as her husband, daughter, and son, which illustrates how her choices have impacted her family. Oftentimes you will see the frame bisected with live-action footage and animation. This artistic choice is done to protect the identities of Tsemel's clients. As a warning, this film does contain some graphic and hard to watch images. I would highly recommend it to any academic library that supports programs looking at human rights, the Israel-Arab War, law, and politics.

Awards

Best Picture at DocAviv Film Festival