Cinema
Cup Final
גמר גביע
Eran Riklis · 1991
Synopsis
June 1982. Cohen, a small Israeli shopkeeper, had prepared everything to go and see the football World Cup in Spain, tickets included, when his call-up order sends him into the Lebanon war. His armoured vehicle is ambushed; the only survivors, he and Lieutenant Galili are taken prisoner by a Palestinian unit commanded by Ziad, which is making its way to Beirut. At first hostile, relations between the prisoner and his captors change when they discover a shared passion for football, and for the Italian team.
Context
Moshe Ivgi plays Cohen, and Mohammad Bakri plays Ziad, the unit's commander. The narrative holds the war and the tournament together: the Israeli army enters Lebanon just as Spain hosts the World Cup, and Paolo Rossi's Italy advances towards the final. On its release, the film was shown at Venice, Moscow and Valencia, where Moshe Ivgi received a prize, then in Berlin in February 1992. The American press praised the performances of the two leading actors, and the Washington Post saw in it a great film without pretension.
Who it is for
About an hour and a half, in Hebrew and Arabic. It is better to know that the invasion of Lebanon began on 6 June 1982, a week before the opening of the tournament.
Prizes and reception
Shown at four festivals, including Venice and Berlin; best actor award for Moshe Ivgi at Valencia; warm reception from American critics.
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