Rafi Adar

The Smile of the Lamb

This Israeli-made film is set along the battle-torn West Bank. Military governor Makram Khouri tries to flush out some fugitive PLO activists by hanging the rotting, stinking carcass of a dead donkey in a village square. Israeli doctor Rami Danon forgets his animosity towards the PLO and, out of compassion, cuts the carcass down. For disobeying Khouri's orders, Danon becomes as much a fugitive as the Palestinians. While in hiding, Danon befriends Arab hermit Tuncel Kurtiz, whose adopted son is a member of the PLO.

When Night Falls

Giora (Assi Dayan) runs a bar and dreams of opening a restaurant. He has made a mess of his life — his marriage is in trouble, since he is pathologically cheating on his wife; his parents (Yosef Millo and Orna Porat) have separated; and his father arrives for an extended visit from Nahariya. Giora spends time with his army buddies, recalling their experiences during the War in Lebanon. His father is undergoing a major life crisis and finds both the loneliness of the city and his son's lifestyle unappealing. As a non-Jew in a Jewish society, he feels estranged, an outsider who has never been able to adapt, and contemplates suicide. Eventually, Giora's parents decide to attempt a reconciliation, until tragedy strikes.