Miral (2010)

Spanning from 1947 through the early 1990s, the film follows three Palestinian women: Hind (Hiam Abbass) who opens a school for Palestinian war orphans, Nadia (Yasmine Al Massri) who comes from a history of sexual abuse by her stepfather and Fatima (Ruba Blal), a nurse who becomes radicalized into a terrorist. But these stories are merely the backstories of the film's main character Miral (Freida Pinto, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) so we can see the history that formed her circumstances. Directed by Julian Schnabel (DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY), like his previous three films, MIRAL is based on a true story. While the film is effective, it stills comes across as anti-Israel propaganda. With one exception, the Israelis come across every bit a caricature as the snarling Nazis in an American 1940s WWII movie which is too bad because it dampens the film's credibility. While the injustices against the Palestinians by Israel are wrong and a valid subject for a film, Schnabel stacks the deck. In some ways, this would make a great double bill with Preminger's EXODUS as both films come from a singular viewpoint. In her meatiest role to date, Pinto proves she's just not pretty face but has the range of an actress. With Vanessa Redgrave, Willem Dafoe, Omar Metwally and in the film's best performance, Alexander Siddig as Miral's father.