Photo Farag

This documentary tells a simple story about an immigrant (from Iraq to Israel) who built a business on the seamline between art and technology-- a photography business-- and what happened when the business outgrew him. Like the Godfather, Farag Peri builds the business on family ties for the sake of stability and loyalty, and out of a sense of obligation, but he doesn't always find his children as appreciative as he'd like. The film is a product of the third generation, and filmmakers Kobi and Roee Farag unfold the story with not only a good sense of what to shoot but also a good sense of pacing. There is an element of nostalgia too, certainly for Israeli audiences but also for anyone who has ever handled a roll of film or seen hand- developed photos hung up to dry.

I'm not entirely sure of the main academic field I chose at that time , about 10 years ago , but I studied accounting in a great , very honorable and known university in Jerusalem (the reputation justified and very true ) . The reason I still have thoughts about the major I chose , is because I wonder what field I would have chosen if financial and social factors weren't involved . There is a small part of me still sure , the main unconscious reason I chose this field was to mainly make my mother happy . And also , I wanted to fit and blend in my super achievement demanding Israeli society , where engineering , accounting and law are considered the most prestigious to our academic education demanding Jewish mothers ( I never had a father ). I just wanted to be "normal" .

This situation resulted in that accounting , the movement of funds and numbers were the main topics I learned . Words can have many meanings and contexts , they are dependent on the person's ability to express himself , they can be said by mistake or in anger , and people can regret them later . Numbers tell a much more "exact" story , very much less open to interpretation , lies and mistakes can be spotted easily with numbers . When you say something doesn't really "add up" in accounting , it really doesn't add up , nothing someone can say would change that .

On the other hand , the void of interest left by my accounting studies , made me take and study in the most relentless way , every course that wasn't about numbers and accounting rules . I would wait for these courses , I would admire and envy the people who made their major field about these extremely interesting topics the university offered us as minor studies and "expansion" courses . Being in a very professional university , I toke courses in folklore , bees ( yes , these small godly animals , they still occupy my mind from time to time today ) , Holocaust studies , government and history , all of them tutored by some of the greatest Israeli academics in their field , true academic genuineness . Sometime it would seem to me , they knew everything there is to know about their field from the most direct source . They are amazing people , it was a privilege to listen and learn from them .

Today I see these two general academic paths as one . Numbers tell one more technical "exact" aspect of the story , but more aspects are very much required to complete the full human picture , if someone wants to really understand something deeply and humanly .

The reason I love watching documentaries about businesses (mainly relatively "small" family owned businesses ) , is they tell the story of us . How we achieve self realization , how we earn money and advance in life and in our profession , how we expand and improve , how we cooperate with others , or how we survive and gain means to enrich and fund our children and family's , how we are fired , leave or lose our jobs , how we dismantle relationships or go bankrupt and lose property and status .

All of these together tell an enormous aspect of humanity , and the story of us humans .

"Photo Farag " is directed and led by the graceful and heart broken Kobi Farag , in his journey to uncover his family's tragedy and hardship , after the Farag family achieved a leading status in the photo development field of business , from the early years of the courageous and sophisticated Jewish nation , Israel .

Taking photos and capturing human moments was an industrious and costly feat back in the day . Our parents had to buy a camera and film at notable cost , go to a place like "Photo Farag" and develop the film , return for the developed photos , purchase albums and arrange and glue the photos manually , and write their personal dedications and notes beside every photo .

Our technology is somewhat fake in that aspect , we have millions of digital photos almost no one really remembers or views but us . Once in a few years we watch them for a bit and move on .

Albums and film cameras are totally different , the process of taking the photo at the right moment in order to save film , arranging the people of interest and scenery in the shot and then reminiscing on it when family members visit and go to that book shelf where all the photo albums are arranged , maybe in a moment of boredom or lack of anything better to do at that time , they randomly select an album , and suddenly the entire family gets involved and start to remember again the situations and people in the photo and these very special times technology was not around . More albums are pulled from the album shelf and passed between family members , this hair do or long girly wavy hair or afro some family member had is laughed about , photos of us naked in the bathtub are passed around and quick Jewish judgment is "bestowed" upon us without shame , " you were so cute , what happened to you ? " . I still have a hard time explaining when that photo of us 3 very young boys doing a fashion show with my mothers clothes is found .

Our technology doesn't really replace film cameras and photo albums . Its something else entirely , I miss it .

In comparison with "similar" films , mainly "the king of Borek" , Kobi Farag is a much more laid back Documentary creator . His attitude toward life and cinema is somewhat more artistic and much more acceptive . Farag doesn't press his opinions on anyone , doesn't argue , doesn't push his way or ask complicated questions . Farag just puts the Film's "characters" ( his family members) in front of the camera and lets the film make it self .

On one hand Farag is devastated by what happened to his family , on the other , his great love , respect and admiration for his parents and uncles , and to the main "Farag" , the father like leader of the family , make Kobi Farag accept their story and complications with pain & tears , as is . As it is in life sometimes , when things are too solid to change state .

"photo Farag" is an amazing documentary , gracefully and truthfully told , in the most accepting and gentle way . Farag's unique attitude in creating this film , makes watching it a personal experience , and leaves the viewer with many unanswered and intriguing questions and ponders about his own family , their history and survival along centuries , and their past and present survival , success and hardships .