Beyond the Walls is a 1984 Israeli film directed by Uri Barbash

Uri Barbash

Uri Barbash is an Israeli film director. His film co-wrote with Eran Preis, Beyond the Walls was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film...

 co-wrote with Eran Preis

Eran Preis

Eran Preis is an Israeli-American director, screenwriter, playwright, and producer. Beyond the Walls, a film he co-wrote in 1984, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He has taught screenwriting and International Cinema for decades.-Biography:Eran Preis born in...

. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...

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Plot

The story takes place in the high-security block of the central Israel Prison Service

Israel Prison Service

The Israel Prison Service , commonly known in Israel by its acronym Shabas , is the prison service of Israel. It is responsible for maintaining civilian prisons in Israel, as well as detention centers for security prisoners. It is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Security...

 jail. Uri and Issam are the leaders of the Israeli and Palestinian prisoner groups, respectively. After a musical performance in the prison, a row breaks out between Hoffman, a Jewish inmate, and a Palestinian. When Hoffman is killed, the security officer initiates a fight between the sides, pinning the blame for the murder on Issam's cell. Doron, the only Jewish prisoner in the Arab cell, is asked to sign a document implicating Issam in the crime, but refuses and commits suicide. He leaves a note saying that his cell was not responsible for the crime. As a result, Uri and Issam begin a general hunger strike, and make personal sacrifices in order not to break it.

Characters

• Uri (Arnon Zadok) is serving his second sentence for armed robbery, and has been a criminal from a young age. He is the leader of all Jewish prisoners in his cellblock.
• Issam (Muhammad Bakri) is a Fatah
  Fatah
  Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
  
   terrorist who turns moderate in prison. He is the leader of the Palestinian cell.
• Asaf (Asi Dayan) is a former IDF
  Israel Defense Forces
  The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
  
   officer sentenced for contacting a PLO
  Palestine Liberation Organization
  The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
  
   agent in Europe. He is initially disliked and distrusted by both sides, but normanizes his relations with Uri.
• "The Songbird" (Boaz Sharabi
  Boaz Sharabi
  Boaz Sharabi is an Israeli singer-songwriter, composer, guitarist, crooner, pianist, actor, tenor, chazan and lyricist, well-known for such integral Israeli classics as Latet, Halevai, At Li Laila, Pamela, Lashir Itach, Kol Od, Mi Yada Shekach Yihiyeh, K'Shetavo , Im At Adain Ohevet Oti and Etzli...
  
  ) is a talented singer and musician from Uri's cell, and the first prisoner to participate in a national music festival in Israel.