Film Description

Yoav Shamir's documentary that quietly observes what goes on at Israeli checkpoints is a good example of what we're missing on our own screens of the wealth of international public TV. This film, which took top awards at three film festivals, and is now being used by the Israeli army to correct abusive behaviors, is still not available in theaters or video stores, and hasn't shown on TV. The audience was eager to discuss after watching the film.

Over three million Palestinians live in The West Bank and Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli military authority since 1967. Israeli director Yoav Shamir documents the impact of the enforced boundaries known as “checkpoints” on the Israeli border guards drafted to monitor them and the Palestinian citizens who must pass through them daily. Shot in a
cinema verite style, a style of documentary filmmaking that stresses unbiased realism, the film shows these anonymous, one-time encounters between both sides and the lasting political, social, and cultural effects. Checkpoint gives a chilling look at the destructive impact on both societies.

"Gripping...undeniably riveting cinema!"- San Francisco Bay Guardian

Best Documentary- Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival