This film is a complex illustration of the beloved motherland from an Israeli veteran actor-turned-director. It follows various characters whose lives are intertwined in shocking chaos with such poignancy rarely seen from a first-time director that it can even be said to be a modern version of ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’. The film is provocative in its narrative, especially in an episode that re-enacts [In the Realm of the Senses] of Oshima Nagisa. Its effect surpasses ordinary homage or parody, and proves to be something new and different. More importantly, the film embraces poignancy, but without being sensationistic which can only be explained by the maturity of the director in his late fifties. The life of every Israeli is consciously or unconsciously shaped by the national state of affairs, at times in a destructive and irrevocable manner. This truth becomes the underlining theme of the film. However, the director does not discard the In despair, ‘the disease to death’, and never gives up hope. Unlike ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’ in which the world collapses, here lies a possibility that those virtuous will revive Israel and go on to revive the world, for there still is love for this anarchistic country. Seeing the director, a famous actor himself, participate as one of the virtuosos also adds to the entertainment. It is as if he has not forgotten his responsibility as a prominent actor of the era, paying his dues to the society. This film is definitely a must-see, a gift from this year’s PIFF. (JEON Chanil)