LEBANON (Israel/Germany 2009) ***
Directed by Samuel Maoz

Writer/director Samuel Maoz based LEBANON on his true adventures of his days during the Lebanon war.  The film follows four soldiers during the 1st day of the war.  They are soldiers in the tank division. 

During the First Lebanon War in June, 1982, A lone tank is dispatched to search a hostile town that has already been bombarded by the Israeli Air Force. What seems to be a simple mission gradually spins out of control. Shmuel the gunner, Assi the commander, Herzl the loader and Yigal the driver are the tank’s crew, four 20-something boys who have never fought in a war and are now operating a killing machine. Though trying to remain brave, the boys are pushed to their mental limits as they struggle to survive in a situation they cannot contain, and try not to lose their humanity in the chaos of war.

Civilians are killed by accident; their tank is hit while they get lost on the way.  Maoz’s film is understandably claustrophobic with most of the scenes shot from the tank gunner’s point of view.  The film lacks a strong narrative of any idea to tie the events together.  The result is a film that though riveting fails to keep attention after a while.  But LEBANON was garnished the Venice Film Festival most prestigious prize for Best Picture.  To his credit, Maoz’s film contains many remarkable closed shots of confined spaces.