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Joseph Cedar’s Oscar-nominated film from Israel explores the defense of a remote outpost from a soldier’s point-of-view/By R.M. Crossin
Imagine defending a military outpost for 18 years from enemy troops who want to destroy it and then, one day, receiving orders to blow it up. The absurdity of this situation and of war in general is explored in Israel’s Oscar-nominated Best Foreign Language Film from 2007. Beaufort is adapted from a novel by Ron Leshem (who also co-wrote the screenplay with the director), which was based on true events. The film takes place in the year 2000, in the last days of Israel’s 18-year-long first war with Lebanon. Joseph Cedar, the director, himself was a veteran in the first Lebanon war. His personal experience in the conflict helps lend the film an extra layer of authenticity. Beaufort takes its title from the ancient 12th-century Crusader mountaintop fortress inside the Lebanese border and next to the outpost where the Israeli troops are hunkered down.
Although Beaufort is a war film, it also eschews some of the standard elements of the genre, most obviously it never shows the viewer the faces of the enemy soldiers. Not once do we see any of the Hezbollah fighters who are bombarding the Israeli outpost with sporadic mortar attacks. This allows the camera to focus on the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) soldiers and their reactions to the situation they find themselves in. In essence it becomes a much more personal film with war serving as the backdrop. The soldiers’ superiors are only seen on-screen once, although we often hear their voices relaying commands and giving orders over the radio, further emphasizing the soldiers’ sense of isolation. The narrow tunnels inside the maze-like outpost help contribute to the sense of claustrophobia. The film’s pace perfectly captures the long stretches of inactivity that the soldiers face as they guard the outpost and wait for supply trucks between random bursts of chaos and violence. The minimalist / ambient score by Ishai Adar complements the often haunting mood and tone of the film.
At the heart of the film is 22-year-old Israeli commanding officer Liraz Liberti (portrayed by Oshri Cohen), who is aware that he and his troops will soon be abandoning the outpost but is determined to hold it until that time. Cohen does an admirable job of conveying the heavy burden of responsibility that Liraz bears. As the casualties mount, Liraz becomes more and more affected and cracks begin to show in his and his troops’ resolve. His beliefs are tested and he is torn between following orders that at times do not make practical sense and protecting his men from needless harm. Liraz is constantly trying to stay one step ahead of the Hezbollah attacks by rebuilding the defensive concrete walls that are repeatedly blown up and has to resort to tricks like using mannequins as guards so he can keep his troops well-rested and alert. Cedar is particularly successful in slowly building the tension as Ziv (Ohad Knoller), a bomb disposal expert, is sent to the outpost from headquarters to diffuse a nearby bomb preventing supply trucks from delivering much-needed supplies. The act culminates in a scene in which the initially hesitant Ziv dons the heavy armor meant to protect him before slowly and cautiously making his way towards the bomb. In the aftermath, some of the soldiers begin to question their mission and openly defy Liraz’s command. Despite the dark tone, some genuine moments of humor occasionally lighten the mood and provide a release valve for the soldiers and the viewer. At one point, Ziv asks another IDF soldier what he does all day. The soldier responds, “Guard the mountain. So it doesn’t escape.”
As news of the withdrawal reaches the Hezbollah, they begin to increase the frequency and intensity of their attacks to make it look as though they have forced the IDF to retreat. The last act of the film has Liraz carrying out orders to blow up the bunker before abandoning it – something Hezbollah has been trying to do all along. Cedar lets viewers make up their own minds about whether defending the outpost was worth the lives of all the soldiers who died trying to defend it. Beaufort castle is a powerful symbol – it has remained intact for centuries and has stood witness to soldiers dying in countless wars and conflicts over little more than a piece of land.
Beaufort will be released on DVD on September 30.
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