JAMES' JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM
Directed by: Ra'anan Alexandrowicz.
Produced by: Amir Harel.
Written by: Ra'anan Alexandrowicz & Sami Duenias.
Director of Photography: Shark (Sharon) De-Mayo.
Edited by: Ron Goldman.
Music by: Ehud Banay with Gil Smetana & Noam Halevi.
Released by: Zeitgeist.
Country of Origin: Israel. 87 min. Not Rated.
With: Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe, Arie Elias & Salim Daw.
Special Features: Director’s statement. U.S. trailer. Original music video for “Jerusalem” performed by Marry Kusi & Kate Asner. English subtitles.

Fresh from a South African village, James (Shibe) arrives in the land described in the film's opening choral anthem as, "Zion, where the heart of the world is...the place where our dreams lie." Despite his infectious smile, James fails to convince the interrogating immigration officer that he has, in fact, come to Israel for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and not to make money. Waiting to be deported, he is suddenly plucked out of his prison cell by Shimi (Daw), handpicked because "he looks like a good boy." Shimi posts the young man's bail and confiscates his passport. James becomes his indentured servant, forced to do menial labor and share an overcrowded dormitory with other illegal aliens.

What follows is a somewhat predictable tale of a hopeful bumpkin corrupted by a capitalist society. But unlike other takes on illegal aliens, such as last year's grim Bolivia or Lilya 4-Ever, James' Journey to Jerusalem is lucidly told, with not only more complex characters, but also a refreshing sense of humor. It's hard to tell whether the lust in Israeli women's eyes is because of James' charm or that he can offer his housecleaning services at a bargain rate. And the endearing friendship between James and the frail Salah (Elias), Shimi's stubborn father whose garden James tends, is not without thorns. Knowing full well his power over the African immigrant, Salah doesn't think twice about lording over him, deliberately knocking over the backgammon set for James to pick up and calling James "blackie."

Indeed, director Alexandrowicz has painted a satiric picture of an insatiably greedy Israeli society. It's not the land of milk and honey here, but graft and bribery. After James has become his own entrepreneur, dressed in new threads, even his paternal minister hits him up for money, confiding to James that "sometimes when you think about money, you think about the Lord." It is almost a relief that James is flesh and blood after all when he gets a cell phone and begins barking orders to other immigrant workers.

However, not all of the cast match Shibe's subtlety and assuredness, and it does seem implausible that James' boss, Shimi, wouldn't notice James' newfound wealth. Regardless, this is a beguiling film, greatly aided by an exuberant soundtrack. Shibe has invested so much importance in his character's pilgrimage, it's almost as if his life depended on it. You can't help but be invested in his journey. Kent Turner
March 8, 2004

DVD Extras: There is not much in the way of extras – a shame for such a remarkably moving, genuinely witty film. The “director’s statement” consists of a brief note by Alexandrowicz found in the included booklet. Though it sheds light on how the director was inspired by a real-life story to make his first feature, it does not provide much background on how Shibe, the hero of the film blessed with movie-star good looks, was cast. In addition, Alexandrowicz does not mention to what extent the film was driven by the issue of race. Finally, the film’s plot has the feel of melodrama, owing much to Dickens’ Oliver Twist, for example. It is not possible to tell from his comments whether the director is conscious of this. Reymond Levy
October 5, 2004