The Vanishing Soldier is the story of a young man who unintentionally deserts during a mission in the Gaza Strip. A naive eighteen-year-old young man with an innocent face sets out to find his lover and parents living in Tel Aviv, experiencing a day of confusion and fervor. Viewers unfamiliar with the current political climate in Israel and the Middle East may find themselves experiencing the same bewilderment as the film’s protagonist. The situation in Gaza, where bodies of Arabs are scattered everywhere, is contrasted with that of Tel Aviv, where citizens condemn Arab terrorism. Even as a soldier carrying a gun walks through the streets, the news continuously reports the false information that he has been kidnapped by the enemy. In a situation where right and wrong are unclear, the film dares to examine a complex political situation with relentless honesty. The music that races alongside the characters is fantastic. The performance, unfolding like an improvisation to the beat of breathless drums, pulsates with the rhythm of the characters’ hearts. (LEE Yong Cheol)