The Gatekeepers (2012)

A documentary featuring interviews with all surviving former heads of Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency whose activities and membership are closely held state secrets.

Director:

Dror Moreh

Stars:

Ami Ayalon, Avraham Shalom, Avi Dichter

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Ami Ayalon	...	Himself
Avi Dichter	...	Himself
Yuval Diskin	...	Himself
Carmi Gillon	...	Himself
Yaakov Peri	...	Himself
Avraham Shalom	...	Himself

Storyline

A documentary featuring interviews with all surviving former heads of Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency whose activities and membership are closely held state secrets.

---

Plot Keywords:

interview | jewish | terrorism | terrorist bombing | jerusalem | 

---

Genres:

Documentary | History | War

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violent content including disturbing images

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Israel France

Language:

Hebrew English

Release Date:

14 March 2013 (Singapore)

Also Known As:

Los guardianes

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$61,552, 3 February 2013, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,415,727

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mac Guff Ligne, Cinephil, Dror Moreh Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on an interview of the director in one of the film festival showing that is is supposed to be a 5-part TV series intended to utilize the rest of the interview material.

---

Goofs

In the opening scene, the coordinates on satellite or UAV video feed are either in the East Pacific or the West Pacific depending on whether one takes the longitude to be East or West respectively.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Yuval Diskin: As Head of the Shin Bet, you learn that politicians prefer binary options. They don't like having three or four options. They want you to tell them "Zero or one. Do it. Don't do it." As a commander, I find myself in situations that are different shades of gray.

---

Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Warm Bodies (2013)

User Reviews

An important film

Like it or not--and some will despise it--"The Gatekeepers" is MUST SEE for anyone concerned about Israel's future. While it is true, as one reviewer has pointed out, that excerpts from the interviews with six former heads of Shin Bet, Israel's spy agency, have been assembled and, therefore, shaped by the director, what emerges is nevertheless astounding. To be sure there are significant differences of opinion on some issues -- like the efficacy of targeted assassinations, for example--and those differences have been obscured in some reviews of this documentary. But what unites the six is a good deal more significant than what divides them. They all regard the occupation as a disaster. They are all pessimistic about the future. They have contempt for most of Israel's politicians, who, they say, are consumed by tactical considerations but have no strategy. To a man, they want peace and see it slipping away. To a man they blame settlers and extremist rabbis, together with the politicians who have enabled them. (Only Yitzhak Rabin is admired by any of the six.) Yes, it's depressing. But reality is often depressing, and this is a necessary dose of reality from men who have spent their lifetimes in Israel's service.