Watch Atash online, or on DVD (2004)

Atash details

Formats:	15 DVD, LOVEFiLM Instant
Starring:	Jamila Abu Hussein, Hussein Yassin Mahajne, Roba Blal, Ahamed Abed Elrani, Amal Bweerat
Director:	Tawfik Abu Wael
Genres:	Drama - General, World Cinema - Danish
Studio:	AXIOM FILMS INTERNATIONAL LTD
Original title	Thirst

Title	Runtime	Certificate
Atash	1hr 44 mins	15

LOVEFiLM Instant Information

Run time:	1 hour 44 minutes
Rental release:	To be confirmed

Name	Discs
Atash	15 Feature

DVD Information

Run time:	1 hour 49 minutes
Rental release:	24 Jul 2006
Main languages:	Arabic
Subtitles:	English

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Most helpful review Atash

Unbelievable story, beautiful cinematography

By TristanWhite (307 reviews) from London, UK , 26 Mar 2008

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS Show review anywayHide

[Highly rated reviewer]

This is a strange one. I love Middle Eastern cinema, but although this is a film about poor Palestinians trying to eke out an existence, a lot of it doesn't ring true. When I saw (afterwards) that it had won numerous Israeli awards (while Paradise Now, a far better film and winner of far more international awards such as the Globes, as well as an Oscar nomination, got no Israeli awards), the penny dropped: this is an Israeli film, showing Palestinians who are poor are wretched because of their own stubbornness, and constantly their own enemies. Basically, this is Israeli propaganda.

Consider the plot: a family are shunned by their own because their daughter was molested by another villager when she was younger (through no fault of her own), which brings shame on the family. The family, led by a brutal patriarch figure, retire to an abandoned army outpost in Israel, where they chop down and steal trees to eke out an existence by selling charcoal. The father is paranoid that the army will cut off his water supply or attack them but of course this doesn't happen, even though fires are burning all night, and they are living in this abandoned Israeli army base, they are left alone (yeah, right). The father is seen as ignorant, refusing an education to his eager-to-learn son, showing brutality towards the female members of his family - even locking his daughter up like an animal at one point. In the meantime, the only danger to the family is, constantly, the patriarch, as they have enough money to move to the town were (a) dad not so stubborn about a water pipe, and (b) son not so spineless. In the end, we see that the cycle will go one, and nothing will change: the son will become the father.

Clearly, this is a film to show the Palestinians in a bad light. The Israelis are completely absent in the film, but are conspicuous by their absence. It is also completely ludicrous.

If you want to see a more accurate depiction (very accurate, in fact, as it's based on a true story), see 'Private', an amazing film based on a true story. There is sadly nothing true or believable about this piece of propaganda.

Why 2 stars instead of 1? The acting and the cinematography are good. The film could have been edited quite substantially, but such pace is common in Middle Eastern cinema, and I quite like the leisurely speed. Normally. With 'Atash', however, I couldn't wait for it to be over.
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One to slake your thirst for thoughtful cinema

By MichaelKenward (28 reviews) from Staplefield, Sussex , 06 Dec 2011

How anyone can describe Atash as boring is beyond me. Maybe you have to be interested in people.

The people here are outcasts, charcoal burners working 'confiscated' land in occupied Palestine. They are within walking distance of a large town, but have to 'steal' water by installing their own pipeline.

The son goes to school on a donkey. One of his sisters broke the moral code some time in the past. The father thinks of nothing but honour and maintaining the family's land and outdated way of life.

The 'action' is in the interplay between the individuals and how their relationships develop, especially that of the young son, whose attempts to continue his education are frustrated by the father's hard-line attitudes.

It is only when you watch the interview with the director that you realise that these are amateurs acting.

You don't really need the director to point out that the title, it means thirst, operates at many different levels.

A fine film. What became of the director?
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Absolute Rubbish

By MD01 (6 reviews) from London , 12 May 2011

The most boring and pointless film that ever existed. The dialogue in the whole film can be counted in one hand. There is no story line, the acting was completely rubbish and the whole movie was a pain to watch.

If you are thinking of renting this movie, then please paint your walls and watch them dry, believe me you will get more pleasure out of that!
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A waste of my life

By a customer , 17 Sep 2010

There is no real way to describe how boring, mundane and pointless this movie is. Any hint of a good developing storyline is quickly extinguished within the first 30 minutes (it takes that long to describe something which could be covered in three sentences) and, frankly, is a poor representation of what a movie should be... this is rubbish and i strongly urge you to click on another title and don't give this movie one more second of your life. If i could rate this a negative number i would...
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Interesting Film

By a customer from Leeds , 06 Mar 2010

I have to admit I did not expect much from this film. Yet I thoroughly enjoyed it. I took you right into the heart of a far away family whose circumstances couldn't be any further away from that of peoples in the west.

Despite adversity, the family not only survived but were somehow stronger for it. Possibly thanks to the autocratic stubborn father who keeps the family in their barrenness.

I have no intent to spoil this film. But I challenge you to give it a go. Don't give up on it. It makes you think how we take so much for granted yet are seeking something else.
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Unbelievable story, beautiful cinematography

By TristanWhite (307 reviews) from London, UK , 26 Mar 2008

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS Show review anywayHide

This is a strange one. I love Middle Eastern cinema, but although this is a film about poor Palestinians trying to eke out an existence, a lot of it doesn't ring true. When I saw (afterwards) that it had won numerous Israeli awards (while Paradise Now, a far better film and winner of far more international awards such as the Globes, as well as an Oscar nomination, got no Israeli awards), the penny dropped: this is an Israeli film, showing Palestinians who are poor are wretched because of their own stubbornness, and constantly their own enemies. Basically, this is Israeli propaganda.

Consider the plot: a family are shunned by their own because their daughter was molested by another villager when she was younger (through no fault of her own), which brings shame on the family. The family, led by a brutal patriarch figure, retire to an abandoned army outpost in Israel, where they chop down and steal trees to eke out an existence by selling charcoal. The father is paranoid that the army will cut off his water supply or attack them but of course this doesn't happen, even though fires are burning all night, and they are living in this abandoned Israeli army base, they are left alone (yeah, right). The father is seen as ignorant, refusing an education to his eager-to-learn son, showing brutality towards the female members of his family - even locking his daughter up like an animal at one point. In the meantime, the only danger to the family is, constantly, the patriarch, as they have enough money to move to the town were (a) dad not so stubborn about a water pipe, and (b) son not so spineless. In the end, we see that the cycle will go one, and nothing will change: the son will become the father.

Clearly, this is a film to show the Palestinians in a bad light. The Israelis are completely absent in the film, but are conspicuous by their absence. It is also completely ludicrous.

If you want to see a more accurate depiction (very accurate, in fact, as it's based on a true story), see 'Private', an amazing film based on a true story. There is sadly nothing true or believable about this piece of propaganda.

Why 2 stars instead of 1? The acting and the cinematography are good. The film could have been edited quite substantially, but such pace is common in Middle Eastern cinema, and I quite like the leisurely speed. Normally. With 'Atash', however, I couldn't wait for it to be over.
- Was this review helpful to you?
- (7) Yes |
- No (0)
Report this review