Strangers (2007)



An Israeli movie set during the 2006 FIFA World Cup is taking place in Berlin. Rana, is a Palestinian living in Paris and Eyal, is an Israeli who grew up on a kibbutz. They sit across from each other on a subway and when she gets up to go, Rana picks up Eyal's backpack by mistake. They agree to meet in an hour, but first they look through each other's stuff.

When they meet, they like each other, and find out both are there to see the Finals. They go off together to try to find a place to stay the night. They hit it off as they talk about poetry, and they find a place to spend the night. They find a soccer ball and kick it around the empty apartment and then out to the street.

Eyal talks to his father and finds out two Israeli soldiers habe been kidnapped by the Hezbollah in Lebanon. They talk about the Israeli-Palestinian situation and then they decide they won't find a solution to the problem, so they have more wine an
Eyal: "The Palestinians, I blame them that Israel doesn't have a good football team, because all the good people.."
Rana: "Yeah?"
Eyal: "They go to be pilots, and they go to be tank men, and the Palestinians they go to be terrorists. If there ws peace, they'd go to be football players.",br> Rana: "Yeah you're right"
Eyal: "And in the Finals it would be Palestine against Israel, maybe."
Rana: "Yes. So the Israeli team, they are bad? That's what you say?"<.br> Eyal: "Yeah, they're... They're very bad. they play like Arabs."

They watch the game on a big screen in a big crowd, but it is like they are by themselves. They hug, they kiss. Later Rana gets a phone call. She must go back to Paris tomorrow. At the airport Rana asks Eyal not to call her - it will no work between them. Eyal head back to the stadium to watch the game. Italy defeats France on penalty kicks to win the World Cup.

Eyal calls Rana but gets her answering machine. The Lebanon War breaks out back in Israel. When Rana gets back home we see that the had a son, Rashid, with asthma, who was staying with a babysitter. She has a boyfriend, but she doesn't want to be with him. Eyal heads to France to find her. When he does she is not happy. he tells her to call him if she wants to.

After an ashtma attack, Rana rushes to the hospital with her son. They ask for her information, but she doesn't have it : she is illegal. The police come for her. Rana needs someone to watch her son, and she calls Eyal. Eyal comes and picks Rashid up from the hospital. Later, Rashid runs away, and Eyal catches him. When he has an asthma attack Eyal takes care of him and they start to get along.

Eyal returns Rashid to Rana, and Rana explains to him about her situation. She explains that Rashid is the result of a relation with a married man. When she decided to keep the baby, Palestine became dangerous for her.

Meanwhile back in Israel the bombings have continued and Eyal calls his dad in Israel, and Rana called her Palestinian friends. Eyal and Rana talked about everything, but not the bombings. When they meet her friends, they talk about the Israelis and Eyal gets up and leaves, and Rana apologizes. Then Eyal gets a phone call, he has been drafted again. He must return to Israel tomorrow. he says he will be back when it is over.

A movie about how when it comes to a personal level, people will get along regardless of race or country. More of a love story, than a soccer story, but it was very well done.






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