Avanti Popolo

A most beautiful anti-war movie. It describes the surreal journey of two Egyptian soldiers as they're coming back to Cairo from the Six-day War of 1967. One is an aspiring actor, whose biggest role so far was that of Shakespeare's Shylock (the irony of fate), who contributes the role of the sad clown (played in a most touching way by the Arab-Israeli actor Salim Daw); the other soldier is a very disillusioned and broken man whose only aspiration is to return home (while he is not familiar to me, he performs his role very well too). This contrast between the real and the fantastic is possibly what enhances the movie's message most.

While the movie fluctuates between pacifist euphoria and tragedy, it is a very focused and thought-provoking film.

Although an Israeli movie, most of the movie is actually in Arabic. I can't say this was great, but it is still worth seeing, even if just for the 15 minutes where the Egyptian and Israeli soldiers are together.

Pretty funny, but some parts are weirdly political.

This film was Rafi Bukai's graduation film in the Tel Aviv university cinema studies. It had almost no budget, and it was misunderstood by many as a self hating anti Israeli anti war movie. It's not it's probably the best movie ever made in Israel by a great cinematic mind with a deep understanding of the limitations of a students film budget, and how to use these for your own advantage. With very little means this movie creates a series of unforgettable images that speak in every language. It's not anti Israeli, it's anti war, and it uses the war in which Israel has won its biggest victory ever, because it helps delivering the point. Yes it does show some Israeli characters which aren't very nice, but it also shows some which are much nicer. and of the three Egiptian characters in the movie one is very bellicose, and his role is next to insignificant considering his screen time, but much more significant when considering the fact that he's one of the only three Egiptians shown in the film. Their nationality is not the issue here, that's the reason the film is named after the anthem of the Italian Communist party, an anthem heard on the radio during the film and getting sung as a marching tune in one of the greatest scenes ever seen in Israeli cinema.

If you can keep an open mind regarding some very touchy spots you'll have to see that this one of the best anti war films ever, made in Israel or at any other country. This one is a real must see.

A compelling and well-constructed anti-war film, that feels ahead of its time specially with the sociopolitical situation in the middle east. It was Israel's Academy Award entry for best foreign film in 1986, and was described by Ariel Sharon, the Minister of Industry and Commerce back then as "a self-destructive portrait of inept Jews".

The narrative traces the surreal journey of two Egyptian soldiers crossing the Sinai desert to reach the Egyptian lines beyond Suez Canal, following the defeat of the Egyptian forces in the Six-Day war in 1967 and the subsequent chaotic retreat.

Being born and raised in Egypt, the obvious issue I found with the film from the outset was the Arabic accent/dialect used by the Egyptian soldiers' characters, and their expressions of fear and surprise, and while this might not make a great difference for the foreign viewer, the second drawback with the dialogues of the two soldiers, which felt too bland and obvious and quite theatrical at times, was sometimes a letdown, specially with the well-written situations where a good dialogue would have been a big addition.

But apart from that, good cinematography that fully utilised the desert background, and interesting sequences specially towards the end, of the encounter between Egyptian soldiers and their Israeli counterparts, made it a worthwhile experience. The powerful humane message of the film and the interesting setting definitely make the film worth checking out for foreign film fans.

In the middle of one of the painful wars that the Jewish and Israeli people can ever experience, I found myself drawn into the end of one of the most famous Israeli wars ever. Never seen it, don't know how or why, but this was the fact. Such a human story with many icons and symbols, from each and every side of the war.

The main issue is that the soldiers, from both sides, wasn't really sure why they are fighting. Not the case of today, that's for sure. The unpopular opinion about humanizing the enemy's side was probably what led this film to be unpopular, of with unpopular point of view, but it is giving us the will to coexist and primal instinct for basic peace between two nations, that are led by ordinary people from both sides.

From one side; the Egyptian side - two soldiers: an actor and a fellah. From the other side and way later in the film's chronology - wanna be actor, Kibbutznik and another pretty simple guy. Also, none of the Israeli soldiers are shown as officers (except one, for five minutes). They are all tired and want to get the hell home.

The Egyptian guys are wondering around, thirsty and looking for they're way back to Suez Canal and just want to end the journey. They came across a UN vehicle, with alcohol in it and since this point until the end of the movie, they are getting into weird situations, but symbolic ones and even pretty emotional, for the viewers.

Salim Daw with tremendous acting performance, is holding this movie on both shoulders. Suhel Haddad is also good, but most of the weight is falling on Daw hairy shoulders and he manages to take this movie to its quick ending, without the need to create a lot of over dramatization - the characters are still getting their arcs and interesting to watch.

I don't have the tools to say if it is one of the greatest Israeli movies of all times nor the proper context to the era, but it is definitely a movie that is very hard to forget, plus its iconic march in the send - together, while singing a song that probably doesn't reflect some of the singers views.