JAMES' JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM (Massa'ot James Be'eretz Hakodesh)
The imaginary village of Entshongweni chooses its very best to make a pilgrimage, but the young man (Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe) takes a detour in his quest for the Holy Land during "James' Journey to Jerusalem."
Documentarian Ra'anan Alexandrowicz ("The Inner Tour") makes his feature debut with a witty fable that explores modern Israeli society through the eyes of a wide-eyed outsider. In James, Alexandrowicz and his cowriter Sami Duenias demonstrate how one can justify deviations from one's calling with the very best intentions.
The fable begins with a beautifully executed montage of watercolors which portray James' idealized trip set to a glorious African spiritual. The filmmaker foreshadows his intention to pull the rug out from beneath James with a nifty opening trick shot. As James gazes upon the glowing landscape of Jerusalem with us looking over his shoulder, cinematographer Shark (Sharon) De-Mayo circles around and back to reveal that the horizon is actually a travel poster, the tourist's fantasy. That illusion is immediately shattered by a Tel Aviv immigration official who 'knows' James has only come to her country to make money. James believes he's found his savior in Shimi Shabati (Salim Daw), who tells the police he can tell by the boy's eyes that he's a 'good guy,' but Shimi takes James' passport and informs the lad he cannot continue on to Jerusalem until he's worked off the cost of his bail.
James is dumped in a ramshackle boarding house run by Feda (Gregory Tal) and put to work cleaning houses. The boy's genuine enthusiasm and goodness are noted and he becomes a favorite of Shimi's, working for both Shimi's wife Rachel (Sandra Schonwald) and his elderly father Sallah (Arieh Elias, "The Body"). Rachel's friend Re'uma (Florence Bloch) teaches him not to be a 'frayer,' paying him under the table to clean for her without Shimi's overhead costs. When James initially protests that he needs his day off to go to Jerusalem, Re'uma delivers the juiciest of justifications - 'Jerusalem has been there 3,000 years!' Sallah informs James that the workers are not the ones who succeed financially, setting up a 'kombina' (shady deal) that allows James to use him as a cover for side jobs in return for his lucky dice rolling. Soon James has become another version of Shimi, having replaced Feda in the apartment block and subcontracting Shimi's work force beneath his nose. Even the local African pastor (David Nabegamabo), who reminds James that he has strayed from his pilgrimage, uses the young man's success for the Church and its flock's financial needs. James has become quick to declare 'I am not a frayer,' but in trying not to be a financial 'loser,' he has lost his path towards spirituality.
Although the film runs at an economical 87 minutes, its screenplay is stuffed with observations, from how the idea of a place is frequently completely different from its reality to how foreign labor and innocence are exploited. Even the problems of caring for elder parents and nostalgia versus modernization are explored here. Alexandrowicz maintains his fable-like flavor throughout with Amir Dov Pick's bright production design and a musical score (Ehud Banay with Gil Smetana & Noam Halevi) that mixes Israeli music with African rhythms. Costume Design by Maya Barsky delivers James in colorful ethnic robes that gradually evolve into equally colorful mall-bought soccer shirts.
Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe is extremely charismatic as James. He makes the character so delightful that when James begins to stray we actually feel a personal betrayal. Also terrific is Arieh Elias as the manipulative old man who uses James, but with enough affection to keep Sallah in our good graces - he's a true 'character.' Hugh Masebenza offers solid counterpoint to James as his buddy from the trenches Skomboze, a ne'er do well who gets by doing as little as possible.
In "James'" brilliant conclusion, he has hit his peak, ironically his depths, all suited up to attend an outdoor party Shimi is throwing for dubious reasons James is unaware of. In a stunning shot that mirrors that opening trick, we view an ocean horizon from behind James, a reminder of both his home and his destination. James does eventually get to Jerusalem, but not the way he, or we, had envisioned.
B+
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