HOLY LANDS

France/Belgium, 2017, 100 minutes, Colour.
James Caan, Tom Hollander, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rosanna Arquette, Efrat Dor, Patrick Bruel.
Directed by Amanda’s Sthers.

Holy Lands is based on a novel by the writer-director of this film, Amanda Sthers. The novel is a series of letters. The film version gives the writer the opportunity to open out the narrative and explore the different characters.

The title has biblical overtones and some of it is set in Israel.

The central character is Harry, played by James Caan, a retired cardiologist moving to Israel and deciding to raise pigs. He is culturally Jewish but not at all religious. He sees no difficulty in his pig farm and is particularly fond of a pet piglet. He is opposed by his neighbour, a strict rabbi, played by Tom Hollander. While there are initial clashes, gradually there is some understanding between the two, conversations, help against a fanatical priest who wants to defy the pig farmer and makes claims on his land. In this way, the screenplay affirms both the cultural Jew as well as the religious Jew.

Harry has a daughter in her mid-30s, continually financed by her parents, challenged to get a job. She is pregnant, travels to America to see her mother and then to Israel to see her father – and a particularly strong sequence where she tries to take photos of Israel and Palestine and is abruptly challenged by the military authorities. She is played by Israeli actress, Efrat Dor.

Harry’s former wife, Monica, Rosanna Arquette, lives in New York and has terminal cancer. She is being treated by longtime friend who loves her, Patrick Bruel. But, also in New York, is the couple’s son, David, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, a gay playwright with a partner, rehearsing and directing and avant-guard performance in dance, Origins. His mother supports him, has an angry attack on a theatre reviewer who slept beside her during the performance and gives a hostile review. But, the son is unable to bond strongly with his mother, unable to face the challenge her illness, challenged by his partner to go to see her, but refusing.

There is a pervading sadness throughout the film, initial love, the breaking of bonds, and a seeming impossibility of reconciliation.

1. The title? Israel? Biblical tones?

2. The writer-director, adapting her novel, a novel of letters, dramatising these in the narrative?

3. The theme of family, love, bonds, breaking of bonds, the consequences?

4. Harry’s story, cardiology, retiring, the breakup of his marriage, his relationship with his children? Bonds, breaks? His daughter, her being spoiled, financial support? David, gay playwright, breaking with him? Settling in Israel, the irony of his raising pigs, defying the neighbours? Defying the religious culture? His own cultural traditions, less religious? His age, clash with the rabbi, the arguments and defiance?

5. Moshe as a rabbi, Orthodox, his dress, religious practices, his family, the arguments with Harry, their discussions, sharing, modifying his views, inviting Harry to Sabbath, the meals, the encounter with the fanatical priest and his followers, defying them?

6. The incorporation of letters? Harry and his range of letters, Annabelle, phone calls, Monica? News of her illness, support?

7. Monica, her life, alone, separated from Harry, the phone calls, her exasperation? Supportive of Annabelle, financial? The daughter’s visit? David, his writing, directing, going to watch the play, sitting next to the sleeping critic, later going to confront him and pouring the drink over him? Then an apology? Her relationship with Michel, his diagnosis, the time limit, his love for her? Her letters? Her coping, her death?

8. David, gay, his partner, the play, Origins, modern and stylised, rehearsals, performance? His direction? The reviewer and his negative attitude? The break with his father, his father’s negative attitudes? His mother, her doing his washing, the break from her, not seeing her, the control of his emotions, his partner defying him to see his mother, his refusal? Her death?

9. Annabelle, pregnant, irresponsible with jobs, the challenge, visiting her mother, going to Israel, her father, taking photos, the confrontation with the military?

10. Fanatical priest, not in league with the local church, his band of followers, the hostility and defiance, confronting Harry, Moshe helping him to confront them?

11. Family, an imperfect world, possibilities for reconciliation? Or not?