Tears of Gaza, Life During Wartime

Dear Editor,

I’m a resident of Topanga and I also went to see this film. 

I’m an American who served in the Israeli army and has had personal experience with Gaza and I can tell you that although this film does show the devastation of war—horrible for anyone to live through especially children—this film did in fact lie.

The close range shooting of babies, said to be “on purpose,” is where I realize this is a total fabrication. The most likely scenario is that these babies where killed due to the terrible onslaught of war where terrorists hid within civilian areas, and were shot after they were dead at close range in order to blame Israel for such atrocities.

I’m disappointed that my beloved Topanga would illustrate such a film, a film that is designed to politically fuel even more hatred in the region.

Thanks,

Mike Stark

JP SPENCE RESPONDS

The intent of Tears of Gaza is to show that family, above all, is the ultimate victim of war.

In my interview with director Vibeke Lokkeberg (see “Film Interview: Into Pandemonium,” Messenger Vol 36, No 20 [Oct 4, 2012]) she made it abundantly clear that no political sides were emphasized.

It should also be noted that Lokkeberg was not granted complete access into Israel or Egypt, as it was a war zone. Regardless of fault or philosophical/religous differences, there is no dispute that Israeli Defense Forces used white phosphorus in civilian heavy areas including a United Nations school that was being used to house civilians from the onslaught along with children under age three with gunshot wounds to their chest, per the film footage.

This further reinforces the film’s intent that the true casuality of war, is family. While I certainly appreciate and respect your view and opinion, mine is that cinema is fascinating in that there are as many intrepretations of the film as there are viewers watching.

Thank you for taking the time to write and it is my hope that you continue to write in, hopefully under better pretenses. Keep watching and reading!

JP Spence, Film Critic, Topanga Messenger