Script and concept: Jacques Bacry, Ibtisam Mara’ana
Producers: Jacques Bacry, Avi Bohbot
Languages: French, English, Hebrew, Arabic
Length: 90 Min
35mm
Production Status: In Development
A desperate Palestinian woman visits a charity clinic in East Jerusalem with a desire to become sterile. There she forms an impossible friendship with her gynecologist; a Jewish woman who has just abandoned her uppermiddle-class life in America. Will their friendship prove true enough to withstand espionage, manipulative secret agents, abusive husbands, politics and terrorism?
SYNOPSIS
MIRIAM WEISS (37, American) lost and confused, arrives in Israel with the hope of starting over. As Ben Gurion Airport security agents interrogate her, we learn that she has just left her very comfortable upper-middle class life in New York to volunteer at a free women’s clinic in East Jerusalem. She is running away from something, which left mysterious to the audience.
Miriam’s first day on the job is absolute chaos and leaves her unsure if her background as a gynecologist is enough qualification to deal with the cultural and personal issues that come with her new patients. The language and cultural gap inside and outside the office quickly takes a toll on Miriam. It does not take her long before she wants to give up. Before she can quit however, in walks LEILA BACHIR (35, Palestinian); a stunningly beautiful woman from East Jerusalem and mother of three. She is a new to the clinic and will forever change Miriam’s life.
Leila has come to this clinic, despite her husband’s hate of Israelis, because she wants to have a operation to become sterile. She explains to Miriam that her husband demands another child, but that money is tight, and she thinks it would be irresponsible to bring another child into her family. Noticing by her dress that Leila comes from wealth, Miriam senses that there is more to this issue than what Leila is telling her. An unspoken bond begins to form between doctor and patient and Miriam’s sense of purpose is renewed. She decides to stay and do everything in her power to help Leila.
At home, tensions increase between Leila and her husband, SAMIR, who has been selected by “Al Quds” to aid in a terrorist plot because of his financial success from doing business with the Israelis. If he does not comply, they threaten to make a martyr out of Leila and Samir’s oldest son: Ali. Leila becomes more determined to have the operation and continues to lie to her husband, convincing him that she is seeing Jewish doctors because they are the only ones who can help her become more fertile.
When Leila and Miriam meet again, Miriam discovers that Leila is pregnant. Leila becomes hysterical and Miriam calms her by revealing a secret she has never told anyone before; that she has once had an abortion. Overcoming her inherited mistrust of Jews, Leila realizes that Miriam is much like herself. She begins to believe that Miriam is truly there to help her and begins to fully trust a Jew for the first time in her life. She too reveals her secret; that she has become disillusioned by the fanaticism and violence that surrounds her. She does not want to bring another child into such a cruel world and risk having him or her become merely another suicide bomber.
A date is set for the abortion to be performed by a colleague of Miriam’s. However, the operation must take place in Tel Aviv, so Leila must make up a lie to convince her husband to let her travel into Israel proper.
Miriam meets DORON; a very handsome and charismatic Israeli man,when he rescues her purse from a pocket thief. Despite her reservations about getting into a relationship, she falls very quickly for Doron. His rugged Israeli charm is new and exciting for Miriam. He wants to know all about her, her past life, and her life here – this care and wonder entrances her. Through this relationship, it is revealed that Miriam came to Israel was running away from a dead-end life. She felt unchallenged by her work and unloved. The only man she ever loved, an older married colleague, abandoned her when she told him she was pregnant with his child.
Doron’s role in her life is not based on love however. He lies to Miriam about being a student and working as a tour guide in the Old City. In reality, he is a Shabak (ISA) intelligence agent and she is his mark. He has is only courting Miriam in an effort to get information on Leila and her family’s involvement in terrorist activities.
On the day of the abortion, Leila travels into Tel Aviv under the guise of needing “fertility treatments.” Her husband cunningly orders her to take a camera to take pictures for him to use later in the planning of a terrorist attack. Doron has slyly arranged for a driver to take them from the clinic to Tel Aviv to keep a close eye on Leila. The appointment upsets Leila when she learns that her body is not currently fit for an abortion at the moment. In light of the troubling news, Miriam decides to raise Leila’s spirits and have a day at the mall. It is an eye-opening day for both of them. Miriam becomes aware of the discriminatory behavior Leila and other Palestinians face on a daily basis. Meanwhile, Leila discovers her inner femininity by reminiscing over her forgotten dreams. This event filled afternoon quickly cements their improbable friendship.
However, their wonderful bonding time is ruined when Leila and Miriam are arrested for taking souvenir pictures in a secure area. The police reveal to Miriam in a private interrogation that Leila was a conspirator in a terrorist attack from 15 years ago. They show her that Leila is responsible for an attack that killed many children. Miriam refuses to believe them, convinced that their story is rubbish.
When Miriam finally gets home, she discovers Doron’s secret. She realizes that he has been spying on her and he reveals his true career to her. He begs Miriam to understand that he really cares for her and is only doing this job to protect her. Betrayed by a man she loves and she angrily kicks him out. What started out as such a great day has left Miriam torn and confused. She is unsure of whom to trust and feels used by everyone in her new life.
After a dramatic confrontation with her husband, Leila decides that the only person who really cares about her well-being is Miriam. In order to stop her husband’s soon to come terrorist attack, she seeks out Miriam to tell her everything. Miriam is cold and distant and treats Leila with suspicion. In an effort to prove her loyalty to their friendship, Leila admits everything to Miriam about her past and how she was forced into cooperation. She reveals to Miriam that her husband is hiding explosives in their house.
Having no one else to turn to, Miriam bitterly tells Doron what she has found out and Samir is subsequently arrested. However, the terrorist plot is still in motion. Feeling truely betrayed, she ignores Leila’s calls and buys a plane ticket home. On the day she finishes packing her office, Leila bursts through the door. Leila explains that her oldest son, Ali is missing. Miriam’s instinctual love for Leila kicks in and they go to Leila’s house finding DVD from “Al Quds” featuring Ali. It is a martyr recording of Ali explaining the suicide attack he was about to commit.
Leila breaks down but Miriam insists that it is not too late. They use clues from the recording to figure out where Ali might be and split up to find him. Miriam gets to him first, and tries to reason with him. Ali cries and begs Miriam to take care of his mother. He opens his jacket and reveals the bomb strapped to his chest. The Israeli Defense Force is already already there however. All around are Israeli sharp shooters ready to gun down Ali. The IDF clears the area and an agent carries Miriam against her will to safety. Another agent calls out to Ali in Arabic, telling him that they can help him will help him. It falls on deaf ears as Ali is engulfed in the flames from his bomb.
Festival in Jaffa – Maurice played his classical world music pieces at the ‘Blue’ Festival in Jaffa, where both Arabs and Jews were in attendance. When he started playing Arabic songs, the Arabs congregated to listen. Soon after, the Israelis joined them in dancing and clapping. Maurice is suddenly back at his roots, having again united cultures through his music.
