Programs

Kibbutz Revadim: The Broken Dream

The founders of the kibbutz movement dreamed of creating a new type of community, living in harmony with land according to socialist, egalitarian principles. Young people from all over the world flocked to join them, fascinated by the idea of turning this modern utopia into reality. But as times changed, the kibbutz have aged and lost their meaning, slowly denying the principles of their creation. Why?

Founded in 1947, the Revadim kibbutz was initially established on land purchased by the Jewish National Fund. A year later, after it was razed to the ground by the Arab League, it was re-established on the land of a depopulated Palestinian village. It was a time of pioneering, of windy nights in the desert, of donkey chores. In a hurry to forget a past tainted by the Holocaust, the pioneers fashioned an ideal by ploughing a land of sharing.

This film gives a voice to the last survivors of Revadim and questions the conscience and memory of the pioneers. Populated by simple, rustic childhood friends, this kibbutz lives and tears itself apart. Revadim is a worn-out symbol that its founders, Myriam, Noémie, Avi and Eran, still hold dear. At a time when Israel is shaken by the onslaught of Hamas and the murderous escalation of its far-right government, and when hopes are high for a new awakening of reason, this film takes us back to the story of the pioneers: children of a dream that quickly soured.

PRODUCTION INFO

  • Year: January 2025
  • Duration: 52 mins
  • Production: Kraken Films
  • Director: Léa Wolber
  • Available Versions: ENG, FRA
  • Country of production: France