“Bethlehem” was Israel’s official submission to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It is also the winner of six Ophir Awards (Israel’s equivalent of the Oscars), including Best Picture.
“Bethlehem” tells the story of the complex relationship between Razi, an Israeli Secret Service officer, and his teenage Palestinian informant Sanfur.
Sanfur is the younger brother of Ibrahim, a highly wanted Palestinian militant. Razi, determined to capture or assassinate Ibrahim, recruited Sanfur when he was just 15, investing all his energy in the kid and developing a very intimate, almost fatherly relationship with him. Sanfur, who has always lived in his brother's shadow, thrives on Razi's attention. Now 17, he struggles to navigate between Razi’s demands and his loyalty to his brother, living a double life and lying to both.
When the Israeli Secret Service discovers how deeply involved Sanfur is in his brother’s activities, Razi is accused of crossing professional lines and is ordered to sacrifice Sanfur in an upcoming attempt to assassinate Ibrahim. As preparations for the military strike are underway both Razi and Sanfur are forced to make choices that will irreversibly change their lives.
Co-written by Israeli director Yuval Adler, and Ali Waked — an Arab journalist who spent years in the West Bank — and based on extensive research, “Bethlehem” transcends perspectives, revealing the impossible situations and moral dilemmas associated with the fascinating world of human intelligence.