Gethin Van Haanrath Absolutely brilliant documentary which would likely end up in my top 10 documentary films of all time. The best of these documentaries I find are ones where the camera is simply pointed and amazing things begin to happen. This is the complete opposite of editorial documentaries which take an issue and tell us what to think about it. Those movies can at times be quite good as well (Food Inc., Supersize Me) but I don't think they compare to documentaries like "Promises" and "Harlan County USA" Promises is about Palestinian and Israeli children. Surprise, surprise, they're not all that different. They like sports, their friends, some of their subjects in school. They're also both exposed to a huge amount of propaganda.The brilliant part of the documentary is when the filmmaker suggests two of the Israeli boys meet one of the Palestinian boys. They all share a love for sports so it makes perfect sense. When it happens the filmmaker just runs the camera and the boys act like boys. It's amazing because the boys realize everything they've been told by their parents, the government and their religious leaders is bullshit.The updates aren't as promising and it's suggested that it's up to the next generation to bring peace to this region. But I think it also shows that despite this experience these boys have, some of them fall into old habits anyway. The twins in the movie end up joining the Israeli military.I think it suggests that it takes extremely strong people in these climates to overcome the kind of propaganda they're facing from the time they're born. To oppose Palestine or Israel if you lived there would essentially make you and outcast.

Mariana First of all, to the people who had the idea: Congratulations. What an honest, human and original look at the israeli/palestinian issue. I mean, we see these kids who could easily grow, given their influences and environment, to know only hatred. But they do have one thing going for them: they were given this amazing opportunity to get to know the other side, and understand that despite this huge wall of disagreement separating them, they were very much alike. It makes you believe there's hope for a solution, if the two sides can put themselves in each other's shoes, and understand that life is always precious. I think "Promises" should be shown in schools everywhere. It's a great way to get kids (and grown-ups) to relate and to be more sensitive to what's happening half way around the world. I was stuck to my seat throughout the whole thing. It really moved me. Next time it's on I'll try to get my family to watch with me. I strongly recommend it.

philo_lund42 A lot of people liked this film. Heck, I even like this film. I laughed, I cried...BUT...This isn't a Hollywood film about fictional characters in a fictional situation. It's a documentary about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. So I have some very serious problems with the overall approach of the film.First of all, the main scenes in this film are built on the manipulation of reality by the filmmakers. In the two crucial scenes in the film, in which Palestinians are brought out of the West Bank to visit the remains of their village and Israeli children are brought into the West Bank to play with Palestinian children, the action is able to take place ONLY because the film's producers intervened and set up the situations.Now, to their credit, the directors don't hide the fact that they are manipulating reality. But just the fact that they do, and that this is what the entire crux of the film is based around, leaves me feeling a little empty. After all, wouldn't it be more to the point to show that, in fact, if you are Palestinian living in the West Bank you will NEVER be able to go visit the remains of your village in what is now Israel, and if you are Israeli you will NEVER go to a Palestinian refugee camp to find out what the "enemy" is actually like in person? I realize that these scenes are constructed to make a point. But I prefer documentaries that rely on the way things are, rather than the way things could/should be.And in creating this alternative to actual reality, the filmmakers have managed to gloss over the actual point that they SHOULD be making in a film about the Palestinian / Israeli conflict -- which is that the Israeli military occupation itself is at the root of this trouble, and that lifting it is the key to peace. Instead, a starry-eyed illusion is created in which, if we could all just meet each other and get along, then all the problems would be solved and the divisions mended. True enough, perhaps -- but where is the concrete truth, the actual root of separation? For all its lovely tearfulness, this film serves mostly to leave us feeling warm and sad, rather than address the actual issues that need to be addressed for this conflict to end.

junior-17 7 children, 7 hates, 7 different lives, 7 possibilities, 1 meeting and 1 million chances to peace. "Promises" is a shiny and wonderful documentary about the conflicts between Israel and Palestine showed by children. It's extraordinary to see them talking about the conflicts: they repeat their parents' opinion until the director B.Z. suggests a meeting. Some agree; others no. And the great moment of "Promises" is their meeting, when they're just kids: playing, eating, laughing, talking, crying... That meeting waves to peace. It seems to be the solution adults don't want to see. "Promises" is great, one of the best movies I've ever seen in my whole life. 10/10.