Port Washington, NY –Slipping through the predawn darkness, over highways, through traffic and across the border, Palestinian construction workers arrive clandestinely in Israel every day in search of work. With raw, handheld images, their daily struggles have been captured in Israeli director Ido Haar’s acclaimed and poignant documentary, 9 STAR HOTEL. An official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival and winner of the Best Documentary Award at the Jerusalem International Film Festival, this powerful and compelling 2007 theatrical release from KOCH Lorber Films arrives on DVD February 5 for $26.98 SRP
Port Washington, NY –Slipping through the predawn darkness, over highways, through traffic and across the border, Palestinian construction workers arrive clandestinely in Israel every day in search of work. With raw, handheld images, their daily struggles have been captured in Israeli director Ido Haar’s acclaimed and poignant documentary, 9 STAR HOTEL. An official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival and winner of the Best Documentary Award at the Jerusalem International Film Festival, this powerful and compelling 2007 theatrical release from KOCH Lorber Films arrives on DVD February 5 for $26.98 SRP
In Israel’s occupied territories, behind the Separation Fence, thousands of Palestinians work illegally as construction workers, scraping together a simple and meager existence. During the day, they toil to build luxury Israeli apartment complexes. But at night, in stark contrast, they return to nearly invisible shanty communities, where they retire to improvised huts and claustrophobic sleeping cubicles. Barely surviving on the land where their ancestors were born, these Palestinians must daily avoid capture from Border Patrol, hurriedly dashing across traveled highways and camping in the hills to avoid detection.
Filmmaker Ido Haar gained the trust of some of these marginalized Palestinians and was invited to chronicle the lives of Ahmed and Muhammad, one a collector of found objects, the other a philosopher. Together, they share food, belongings and stories, all while living under the constant threat of being discovered by Israeli police. Although their own “hotel” wouldn’t rate a single star – it’s one that shines brightly, filled with friendship, nostalgia and the uncompromising urge to survive.
9 STAR HOTEL, in Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles, also includes an exclusive Tribeca Film Festival interview with director Haar and the original theatrical trailer.
About KOCH Lorber Films
Dedicated to providing the best in award-winning, classic and contemporary international cinema, documentary features and cultural programming, KOCH Lorber Films is a market leader for high quality releases to both wide and specialized audiences through theatrical, television and home video distribution. KOCH Lorber Films DVD releases include: the classic films La Dolce Vita, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Tous les Matins du Monde and Un Coeur en Hiver and recent theatrical and festival hits such as Intimacy, The Five Obstructions, Save the Green Planet, The Syrian Bride and Changing Times. Visit KOCH Lorber Films online at www.kochlorberfilms.com.
