An Israeli Director Who Films with the Heart
A detailed conversation between M. S. Shaiju and Shai Carmeli Pollak, director of the Israeli film The Sea, which has won several awards and was Israel’s official Oscar entry. The film poignantly portrays the prison-like, tragic lives and subtle politics of the Palestinian people through the intimate lens of a family.
The Sea found a place on many viewers’ bucket lists at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). While numerous films have addressed the Palestinian experience, The Sea stands apart as a distinct cinematic work. The story follows twelve-year-old Khalid, who is barred from a school excursion to the sea because he fails to secure permission at an Israeli police checkpoint. The director captures Khalid’s turbulent inner world and his personal sense of orphanhood with remarkable restraint and sensitivity.
From the moment Khalid decides to cross the Israeli border alone at midnight to glimpse the Mediterranean coast, the film forges an invisible bond with the audience, making the experience deeply organic. Shai Carmeli Pollak distinguishes his work by exploring human emotion beyond loud political rhetoric, allowing the film’s subtle politics to travel directly to the viewer’s heart.
Question: Is this your first time in Kerala? How has your experience been at IFFK over the last two days?
Shai Carmeli Pollak: I had heard of Kerala before, especially in connection with cinema, but this is my first visit. I really like this land and the city. What I see here is a true festival of cinema. Though I have participated in many international festivals, Kerala is a different experience altogether. It is a matter of pride and excitement for filmmakers to see thousands of people travelling 400 or 500 kilometres to stay in one city for days just to celebrate films. It is fascinating to hear ordinary people discussing the artistic, political, and aesthetic aspects of cinema.
Q: How did you enter the film industry?
Shai: I was working in the media sector, mainly in animation for children and documentaries. For me, entering cinema was a natural progression. I had always been interested in filmmaking. The Israeli Cultural Department provides funding for films with strong expressive value, and that is how I secured support for this project. To be honest, this is my first feature film. It has been widely accepted, and I am very happy about that. The film was also Israel’s official submission to the Oscars.
Q: The theme of this film is not something the Israeli government usually appreciates. Its subtle politics run counter to Israeli state interests. Isn’t Israel responsible for the denial of justice and the misery imposed on Palestinians? How, then, was such a film accepted?
Shai: I want to answer this in two ways. First, the state of Israel is not synonymous with its government; it is also its people. Israel is made up of diverse communities with roots in many lands. It is not the monolithic entity often portrayed in the media. In my case, my mother’s ancestors came from Iran, and my father’s family from Poland. Israel is a rainbow of cultures. Many Israelis do not agree with the government’s policies, including its stance on Palestine, and they actively protest against them. So it is not fair to equate ordinary citizens with government positions.
Second, I am a tax-paying Israeli citizen with certain rights. If I make a film of artistic merit, I am entitled to funding from the Cultural Department. Even if the theme runs counter to the government’s preferences, they hesitate to block such work because they claim to be democrats and understand the negative optics of censorship. That is why films like mine can still be made in Israel.
Q: You clearly attempt to expose Israeli policy in Palestine. How did you develop a perspective different from the one taught by the state? How is Palestine represented in Israeli schools?
Shai: There are roughly four different syllabi in Israel, and the portrayal of Palestine varies among them. From an early age, children are taught the importance of Israel’s existence, so many initially internalise the state narrative. There is also compulsory military service. I served on the Syrian border for three years. As I grew older, I began to read, travel, and learn beyond what the state taught me.
Because I worked in the media, I had a press ID, which allowed me to visit Gaza and the West Bank many times. I met people there—educated individuals with no job opportunities. Like Khalid’s father in the film, many Palestinians illegally cross into Israel to do menial work to support their families. I saw firsthand the gap between what I had been taught and the reality on the ground. I witnessed people being denied basic rights and freedom. That disturbed me deeply.
Q: The bakery scene is deeply moving. With very little dialogue, Khalid’s father and his former lover convey profound pain.
Shai: Yes, that scene is symbolic. The alienation Khalid feels is an extension of his father’s experience. His father lost his Israeli lover simply because he was Palestinian. Her father’s rigid discrimination separated them. I don’t believe the younger generation carries the same level of prejudice. Many do not subscribe to ethnic hatred or anti-Arab sentiment. Even Jewish youth in America increasingly question blind anti-Palestinian narratives and unconditional support for the Israeli government. There are many people in Israel who believe the government’s approach toward Palestinians is wrong and harmful to everyone involved.
Q: Did you face protests, censorship, or obstacles during the film’s screenings?
Shai: Honestly, the Israeli government does not like my film. But they do not block it, because they want to avoid accusations of censorship. The film has been screened in many countries without major issues. In some places, viewers said it was emotionally overwhelming. Apart from a few isolated incidents, the film has not faced serious boycotts. Instead, it has generated concern, dialogue, and empathy. I believe I simply made a film about a family—their relationships and environment—without bias.
Q: Many Arabs live within Israel. What is their political and social condition?
Shai: Most live in villages. Officially, they are Israeli citizens—those who remained when Israel was formed in 1948. While many fled, some stayed, and Israel promised them citizenship. But even today, that citizenship does not translate into equality. Their areas lack proper infrastructure, quality schools, and hospitals. They receive a disproportionately small share of the national budget. Policing is inadequate, crime rates are rising, and they are often denied permission to build new houses. Ancestral lands were declared government property because formal title transfers were not recorded. If someone builds on their own land, the house can be demolished. Meanwhile, large Jewish settlements continue to expand. Despite having voting rights, Arab citizens of Israel live under systemic discrimination.
Q: Your film is set in the West Bank rather than Gaza. What is life like there, behind the wall?
Shai: The human rights situation is severe. Although the West Bank was handed over to the Palestinian Authority under the Oslo Accords, the Israeli military controls almost everything. Israel issues colour-coded identity cards that immediately indicate where a person is from. Unemployment is extremely high. Many educated people cannot find work without permits to cross the wall. Those denied permits often cross illegally, risking their lives to work as construction or cleaning workers in Israeli cities.
Q: Why did you choose family, childhood, and the sea as central themes?
Shai: The sea symbolises freedom. The Mediterranean coastline is among the most beautiful in the world, yet Palestinians are denied access to it without permits. Children are the greatest victims of this conflict; they lose their childhoods. Even their smallest dreams involve enormous risks. I deliberately chose a child’s perspective. Home and family should be a refuge, but in many Palestinian homes, hope is steadily eroding. These realities are things I witnessed firsthand when I visited Palestinian areas during the Second Intifada, nearly twenty years ago. I even participated in protests then. Those experiences shaped my characters and story.
Q: How are artists and poets who speak for Palestinians treated within Israel?
Shai: My views are shaped by what I have seen—the suffering of Palestinians, the deaths, the terrified children. At the same time, many people came to Israel seeking a peaceful life, believing in the idea of a “Promised Land.” Not all of them are Zionists. My own ancestors are an example. While the government promotes Zionist ideology, ordinary people are capable of empathy and critical thought.
It is true that fear exists; some Israelis see Arabs as enemies and perceive Hamas as a kind of “Lucifer.” Yet artists like me are still accepted. Muhammad Gazawi, who played Khalid, won the Ophir Award for Best Actor. Ultimately, the problem is not the people—it is the politics.
Q: The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is among the world’s most complex and long-standing disputes. Do you see a solution?
Shai: I believe the solution lies in a transformation of human consciousness. That change is slow, but it is happening. The United States sustains Israel, and the Jewish community in America plays a major role in that relationship. However, younger generations—both in Israel and the US—are increasingly questioning entrenched narratives and government policies on Palestine. When this awareness translates into political action, a lasting solution can emerge.
Q: The film’s language is Arabic. Do you speak Arabic?
Shai: Yes. Arabic is taught in Israeli schools, but mainly as a written, formal language. I learned to speak it by living and interacting with Palestinians. The state has strategic reasons for teaching Arabic, since Israel is surrounded by Arab nations. Soldiers are trained to understand spoken Arabic in order to monitor Palestinian conversations.
Q: What about your family and your future plans?
Shai: My wife is Iranian, and we have a daughter who wants to become an actress. I have worked as an activist, and in documentaries and television. I want to continue making films that align with my convictions while maintaining artistic excellence.
Q: Do you have a message for the people of Kerala?
Shai: Yes. I was deeply moved by the solidarity people in Kerala show toward Palestinians. I understand this is rooted in your political consciousness. I believe the warmth my film receives here comes from people whose consciences stand firmly for justice. I respect the people of Kerala greatly. Your support for the oppressed people of Palestine is invaluable. Please continue it. Let us hope that one day, justice long denied will finally be delivered.
