Women Soldiers: To see if I'm smiling (2007)
Israel is the only country in the world where 18-year-old girls are drafted for compulsory military service. In To See If I'm Smiling, a few of them describe their experiences during their two years in the army. All of these young women were stationed in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, places where the conflict is intense. Although they were not directly involved in armed operations, they were in positions that provided a unique perspective on the tense relationship between Israel and the Palestinian population. For the first time, they speak openly about their experiences, in interviews that are complemented with both archive footage and personal material. Their two years of service left an indelible impression on each of them. They explain what it was like to hold their own as the only female soldier among men, but they also talk about their moral dilemmas and doubts regarding the way the Palestinians are treated at the checkpoints. Ultimately, they touch on the inevitable numbness that people end up feeling, and the fading boundary between what they could once so clearly distinguish as good or evil.
Primary Title
- Women Soldiers: To see if I'm smiling
Date Broadcast
- Saturday 7 March 2015
Release Year
- 2007
Start Time
- 14 : 10
Finish Time
- 15 : 00
Duration
- 50:00
Channel
- BBC World News
Broadcaster
- British Broadcasting Corporation
Programme Description
- Israel is the only country in the world where 18-year-old girls are drafted for compulsory military service. In To See If I'm Smiling, a few of them describe their experiences during their two years in the army. All of these young women were stationed in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, places where the conflict is intense. Although they were not directly involved in armed operations, they were in positions that provided a unique perspective on the tense relationship between Israel and the Palestinian population. For the first time, they speak openly about their experiences, in interviews that are complemented with both archive footage and personal material. Their two years of service left an indelible impression on each of them. They explain what it was like to hold their own as the only female soldier among men, but they also talk about their moral dilemmas and doubts regarding the way the Palestinians are treated at the checkpoints. Ultimately, they touch on the inevitable numbness that people end up feeling, and the fading boundary between what they could once so clearly distinguish as good or evil.
Classification
- Unknown
Owning Collection
- Television Vault
Broadcast Platform
- Television
Languages
- Hebrew
Captioning Languages
- English
Captions
Live Broadcast
- No
Rights Statement
- Made for the University of Auckland's educational use as permitted by the Screenrights Licensing Agreement.
Subjects
- Women soldiers--Israel
- Israel--Armed Forces
- Women--Israel
- Documentary films--Israel
Genres
- Documentary
Contributors
- Tamar Yarom (Director)
- Tamar Yarom (Writer)
- Tamar Yarom (Producer)
- Channel 8 (Production Unit)
- Noga Communications (Production Unit)
- The Why Foundation (Funder)
Subjects
- Women soldiers--Israel
- Israel--Armed Forces
- Women--Israel
- Documentary films--Israel