Holy Air

"Holy Air" seemed like it would be a quirky comedy...though I was surprised that the film really wasn't that funny. It is interesting, however, because it gives you a view of Israel you don't normally see...as the story is about a Christian man and his dealings with Christians, Muslims and Jews when he starts up a new business.

Adam is a rather sullen man...and knowing what he's thinking isn't very easy during the film. He has a wife who is very, very different...she's very expressive and at times unpredictable. And, because Adam is so difficult to read, his wife has no idea he's quit his job in order to try being an entrepreneur. What is this business idea? He'll bottle air from one of the holiest sites and sell it to suckers...I mean 'pilgrims'. But to do so he'll have to work with the various powers within the community. At the same time, he has to deal with his wife's pregnancy and a dying father.

Again and again, the film could have gone for the funny, quirky angle but didn't. So, if you are expecting a comedy (like the audience here at the film festival), you'll be disappointed. In addition, the movie more or less just ends...with only some resolution to the plot points but some left dangling. This was the biggest complaint I overheard about the film. So, apart from some clever insights about the various religious groups, the film left me wanting more...much more.

This is the 2nd feature film Shady Srour directs and stars in. I didn't see his first, but the 2nd does show a very confident film maker, who understands his subject matter very well and knows how to make the camera tell a story. The actors also do their share. in a very Israeli story, told from the Arab point of view. It does spread a bit too widely for its own good, but all together it's worth a viewing, if only for the good use of cinematic language. It's not getting the credit it should get in modern film making.