Disengagement

Disengagement (Désengagement) is a 2007 drama written and directed by Amos Gitai, closing out the filmmaker's "Border" trilogy as its third chapter. A co-production involving France, Italy, Israel and Germany, the picture was shot across France, Germany and Israel, with dialogue in French, English and Hebrew. Juliette Binoche headlines the cast, while Jeanne Moreau appears in a supporting part; Hiyam Abbas and Yussuf Abu Warda also feature among the performers. Opera singer Barbara Hendricks turns up in a small role, delivering an excerpt from Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. The film received its world premiere in an out-of-competition berth at the 2007 Venice Film Festival, where it was honoured with the Roberto Rossellini Award, before travelling on to screen at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. Like the earlier parts of the trilogy, it reflects Gitai's enduring interest in questions of borders, identity and separation.