The siren’s luring call of power and riches blinds her victims into crashing against her jutting rocks.
In 2023, before the October Hamas attack, Israeli investigative police tapes incriminating Bibi Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, were secretly handed to Alex Gibney, a famed American exposé journalist and filmmaker. What should he do with them?
Soon after the secret delivery, Hamas attacked Israeli citizens in Gaza and the region fell into a tailspin. However, the case against Netanyahu plodded on.
At first glance, accepting gifts of champagne and cigars seems innocent. A friend giving a friend appreciated gifts. But what if the cases of champagne and cigars were numerous and amounted to a fortune? And what if Netanyahu responded with state gifts like contracts and political interventions? What if the gifts did not end with champagne and cigars but were met with requests for luxurious diamond jewelry?
Netanyahu is finally scheduled for trial beginning in December of this year. After the investigation that started in December of 2016, he was indicted in November of 2019 for breach of trust, accepting bribes, and fraud. The prosecution had 333 witnesses and rested its case in July 2024. Netanyahu’s defense is scheduled to begin in December 2024.
So far, despite evidence to the contrary, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, deny misdeeds and alternately blame the press and political enemies for the bruhaha.
While Netanyahu will be on trial for corruption, one of the early sinister assertions in the film is that he prolonged the Gaza War because it became another instrument to stay in power and avoid his trial.
“The Bibi Files” gives insights into Netanyahu’s history, including the murder of his brother during a successful hostage raid in Entebbe, Uganda. It also expounds on his character and intractable position against the Palestinians, revealing information about how his policies continually baited the Palestinians into a deeply conflicted situation ripe for war.
In 2023, when the investigative tapes were handed to Alex Gibney, he contacted Alexis Bloom and the documentary was begun.
Alexis Bloom, born in South Africa to a Jewish father, has directed exposes on Wikileaks and Roger Ailes. She’s an up-and-coming uncompromising documentarian. Teamed with Gibney, who won a 2007 Academy Award for “Taxi to the Dark Side” revealing grossly inhumane US tactics in Afghanistan, a strong production ensemble was established that includes Lyn David Lear (wife of deceased Norman Lear).
Banned in Israel, expect this film to be on the Oscar Long List. It comprises footage of those closest to Netanyahu.
The publicity promo for “The Bibi Files” begins with: “Despotic power is always accompanied by corruption of morality.”– Lord Acton.
10/10
Credits
Director: Alexis Bloom
Producers: Alexis Bloom, Alex Gibney, Raviv Drucker, Kara Elverson and Davide Rahtz
Executive Produced by: Lyn David Lear, Jim Swartz, Erin Edeiken and Richard Perello
Cinematography: Avner Shahaf
Editors: Andy Grieve, Halil Efrat and Graeme Butler
Music: Will Bates
Initial release: Nov. 14, 2024 at Doc NYC
Wide Release: Dec. 11, 2024 at IFC
Website and how to view: https://www.jolt.film/watch/the-bibi-files
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