The Viewing Booth
The Viewing Booth is a 2019 documentary film directed, co-produced and co-edited by Ra'anan Alexandrowicz.[1] An international co-production of Israel and the United States, the film features a Jewish American college student named Maia Levy. Levy, a staunch supporter of Israel, is shown videos depicting Palestinian life under Israeli military rule in the West Bank, causing her to contemplate her worldview and her beliefs about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[1]
| The Viewing Booth | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg.webp) Promotional release poster | |
| Directed by | Ra'anan Alexandrowicz |
| Produced by | Ra'anan Alexandrowicz Liran Atzmor |
| Starring | Maia Levy |
| Cinematography | Zachery Reese |
| Edited by | Neta Dvorkis Ra'anan Alexandrowicz |
Production company | Atzmor Productions |
| Distributed by | Roco Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 70 minutes |
| Countries | Israel United States |
| Languages | English Arabic Hebrew |
Production
In 2017, director Ra'anan Alexandrowicz put out an open call at Temple University for participants in what would become The Viewing Booth.[2] Seven people responded, along with Jewish American student Maia Levy, who texted Alexandrowicz that she was interested in participating.[2] One of the original respondents was unable to participate, and so Levy took their place.[2] Alexandrowicz stated that "Maia's politics are radically different from mine. At the same time, she's a curious and critical viewer. She doesn't shy away from images uncomfortable for her. In a nutshell, she is my ideal viewer."[2]
Release
The Viewing Booth screened at Docaviv in Tel Aviv, Israel, in May 2019, as part of the festival's Israeli Competition.[3][4][5] It later screened at the Berlin International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, in 2020,[1] as well as at Doc NYC in New York City from November 11 to November 19, 2020.[2]
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 73% based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10.[6]
Tomris Laffly of Variety noted how "Alexandrowicz manages to zero in on the real-time emotional battle that unfolds on Maia's face" as she watches the videos presented to her.[7] Laffly concluded: "One wonders whether The Viewing Booth could have gained something from featuring additional subjects — a broader perspective from a variety of voices, [...] These considerations aside, The Viewing Booth proves to be at its most absorbing when it resembles a cinematic infinity mirror of sorts."[7] Joseph Fahim of Middle East Eye called the film "a fascinating, trailblazing experiment that investigates how we see and decode images, while simultaneously interrogating their veracity - or rather, in this post-structuralist world, if the image has any veracity."
References
- "Berlinale | Archive - The Viewing Booth". Berlin International Film Festival. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- Fahim, Joseph (November 2, 2020). "'The Viewing Booth': Can Palestinian videos change the mind of pro-Israel student?". Middle East Eye. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- "Israeli Competition – Docaviv 2019". Docaviv. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- "The Viewing Booth – Docaviv 2019". Docaviv. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- Dalton, Ben (April 1, 2019). "Docaviv 2019 announces 15 titles for Israeli Competition". Screen Daily. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- "The Viewing Booth (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- Laffly, Tomris (June 9, 2020). "'The Viewing Booth': Film Review". Variety. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
External links
Further reading
- Anderman, Nirit (December 5, 2020). "What Happens When a 'pro-Israeli' American Student Watches Videos of Soldiers in the West Bank". Haaretz. Retrieved January 14, 2021.