Film: The Bibi Files

Well, the plan was to come back to London on Sunday night. Didn't quite work out like that, though - snow fell all that day, and word throughout the day had it that the road was treacherous - even that there'd been a crash on it. So I reluctantly decided it was too dangerous to go to the airport. 

Just as well, considering - half an hour before the flight was due to take off - the airline messaged me to say it was cancelled! Glad, then, that I didn't risk life and limb trying to get there.. they automatically booked me onto a flight for today (!), but I booked my own flight for yesterday afternoon - half the price of the evening one (and already expensive enough), but also, I didn't want to leave it too late, with the weather. So they're refunding me for the original flight, at least - doesn't compensate for the expensive replacement, but never mind. Sure enough, I just got off between snow showers - as it was, we were delayed two hours! But I got here. Slept most of the way, and woke to the most beautiful, sparkly display I've seen all Christmas:

Ahh, but it's good to be back. Now, as I say, these past two days, I was thinking film - yesterday, I booked for Her Story, as it was selling out - it's a decent-looking comedy. Showing in the Odeon Luxe Haymarket - early enough though. But of course, I didn't make that - perhaps another day.

For today, I booked for The Bibi Files - a documentary about the corruption case against Netanyahu, and showing in the Curzon Bloomsbury. Another of my free tickets, yay! Took off in decent time - and with the bitter cold, I was so glad the bus wasn't long in coming. Made it just in time - ordered a wine at the bar, and noticed that he quoted the price without asking me whether I had membership (which gives me a 10% discount on food and drink)! Never mind, I'd managed to resurrect my code by the time he returned with it - and why that app keeps signing me out is a mystery to me. But anyway, I made the screen just in time. Where my row turned out to be the popular one - as my seat was free, but piled high with coats, I took one near the outside, figuring I could move if anyone complained. A guy subsequently arrived, and kind of gave me a look, I thought - but didn't say anything, and sat on the aisle. I was probably in his seat. And another lady, who came a little late and sat on my other side, explained that that wasn't her seat either, but someone was in hers.. ah yes, one of those showings..

I wasn't expecting this to be as good as it is. I have never seen a more powerful, more damning, or more moving, documentary. Based on police interrogation videos - apparently smuggled out on Signal - it shows Netanyahu, his wife, their son, and sundry associates being interviewed. Also included are private interviews with people such as the son's bodyguard and Netanyahu's PA. And honestly, this is the fun part, as we get to see them hang themselves! Sara Netanyahu comes across as a screaming harridan, with a taste for champagne and gaudy jewellery, demanding fawning obsequiousness from everyone - their son, Yair, is breathtakingly right-wing. Netanyahu himself, as testified to by his friends, is terrified of Sara, and does whatever the two of them tell him. As for his own interviews, as one of the policemen remarks, he answers 95% of questions with "I don't remember". Curious, for someone described by one of his longterm associates as having an incredible memory for facts, figures, and people..

Brace yourself though. The film moves from there, to the anti-Netanyahu protests, to a description of his attempts to muzzle the Supreme Court. And then they have actual footage of October 7 - and of the subsequent bombing of Gaza: and it's some of the most harrowing footage you'll see. I wasn't the only one in tears. The essential thesis, of course, is that Netanyahu is prolonging the war so as to defer his court case - and interviewees confirm this. And his current political allies are the worst of the right-wingers in the Knesset - for example, they have a clip showing Itamar Ben-Gvir, as a young man, supporting the assassination of Rabin after he signed the Oslo Accords with Arafat - Ben-Gvir was once convicted of incitement to racism and support of a terror organisation. He's now security minister.  

Take-away moments for me, from the film:

• The reminder that 20% of the population of Israel is Arab - an Arab member of the Knesset, interviewed for the film, sadly remarks that each day going to work is a sad one.
• The revelation that Netanyahu actually funded Hamas, via Qatar! He wanted them to keep control on Gaza. I never knew..
• The searing interview with the clear-faced, 20-year-old inhabitant of Kibbutz Be'eri, who describes how 90 people personally known to her were murdered by Hamas, but now she sees the same thing happening to the people she describes as her neighbours, in Gaza. As she says, this strategy of war on Hamas isn't a "solution" - it's just a massacre.

Seriously, I've never seen such a hard-hitting documentary. Netanyahu apparently went to court to try to block its distribution. And a titter was raised from the audience in my cinema whenever an interviewee remarked that they'd be destroyed if this ever got out..!

Should be required viewing. Go see.

Afterwards, to GBK - first time in a couple of months - where I would have ordered online, but for some reason, the site didn't offer wine by the glass! So, back to the counter again. And for once, I asked for them not to include the tomato, rather than fishing it out. And despite the chicken coating being burnt, it tasted fantastic! Damned messy though - I decided to eat with my hands, and went through three napkins, having to fetch the last myself from the adjacent serving area.. Happily, I didn't have to use the toilets - they're disgusting here, and despite the queue, I'd gone in the cinema. But my, they do great burgers..

A cold trip back home again, especially waiting to change buses. Tomorrow, back with Movie Roadhouse London / The Hideout for their New Year's Social! In the BFI Riverfront Bar as usual - now, someone said there's a good food pub around the area somewhere; I don't remember where, but I've booked The Mulberry Bush, and we shall see!

And on Thursday, I booked with CT for a play called 10 Nights, at Riverside Studios. But a colleague is leaving that day, and has booked the All Bar One by the office for leaving drinks - so I'll do that instead. I loved working with him, he'll be missed - and I'm just as happy not to have to traipse all the way to Hammersmith..