The 2026 Ajijic Jewish Film Festival continues Sunday, February 15, with another British film, “Shoshana.”
Shoshana Borochov is the daughter of a Russian Jewish socialist who believed that Arabs and Jews could create a new state together in Palestine. That dream is still on her mind in 1938, when the story proper begins (the film opens with a prologue that briskly recaps the previous 40 years ).
But life in Tel Aviv is complicated, especially for Shoshana, who is romantically involved with a British police officer, Tom Wilkin.
Whether the couple’s relationship can survive or whether their personal lives and public convictions will prove irreconcilable is the story of this film. Shoshana and Tom were real people, but the film is fiction, albeit historical fiction.
One review at IMDb said, “One of the most genius things the makers have achieved is that they haven’t taken any sides, be it the British, the Jews or the Arabs. Each faction is depicted in contrasting ways, and none can be seen as a hero or a villain. Considering the super-sensitivity of this topic right now, not taking sides could be considered as an advantage for this movie.”
Another IMDb review stated: “This is very British. Low-key thriller, clinical and cerebral. Anyone wanting insight on the Israeli-Arab conflict will be disappointed. Arabs are almost entirely absent in this. But on early Israeli terrorism, this is a good historical drama that is surprisingly honest. It shows Stern Gang and Irgun terrorism in a matter-of-fact way, as calculated, dedicated, and brutal. English colonialists are shown also as they were, often clueless and incompetent and hiding state-sanctioned murder behind a facade of civility and polish.”
Interestingly, Shoshana had its premiere (as did our earlier presentation: “The Road Between Us — The Ultimate Rescue”) at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023, just before the Hamas-led attack on Israel.
Viewers will likely see some parallels in the Stern Gang (an offshoot of the Jewish defence force Hagana), which was seen by the British as a terrorist organization.
This film will undoubtedly spark another lively discussion during Rosalie’s Talk-Back.
Shown at Cine + Lago in Plaza Bugambilias, Sunday, February 15, 1:30 p.m. Tickets available at the box office.
Cast: Irina Starshenbaum, Douglas Booth and Herry Melling. Directed by Michael Winterbottom, Britain, 2023, runtime 2:01.