The Bibi Files
| The Bibi Files | |
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Official poster | |
| Directed by | Alexis Bloom |
| Produced by |
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| Cinematography | Avner Shahaf |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Will Bates |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 113 minutes |
| Country | United States |
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The Bibi Files is a 2024 American documentary film directed by Alexis Bloom. The film features leaked interrogation footage from the trial of Benjamin Netanyahu. It was screened as a work-in-progress film at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, and had its official world premiere at Doc NYC on November 14, 2024. It was later released on direct-to-consumer film platform Jolt in the United States on December 11, 2024.
Background
[edit]As part of the investigation into bribery and fraud allegations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli police recorded thousands of hours of interrogation footage from 2016 to 2018.[1][2] This footage was leaked to filmmaker Alex Gibney via Signal in early 2023.[3][4] In addition to Netanyahu, the film features video footage of his family, friends, and associates.[5][6] It also includes interviews with insiders who were willing to speak on the record about Netanyahu.[7]
While the interrogation audio had been previously published, the video footage had not been.[7] Gibney stated, "These recordings shed light on Netanyahu's character in a way that is unprecedented and extraordinary. They are powerful evidence of his venal and corrupt character and how that led us to where we are at right now."[5]
Synopsis
[edit]Benjamin Netanyahu, facing allegations of bribery and corruption, is being interrogated by Israeli police. Netanyahu is defensive, calling the interrogators' questions "delusional" and the investigation "preposterous and insane".
Insiders, including investigative journalist Raviv Drucker, believe that the 2018–2022 Israeli political crisis was a direct result of Netanyahu's efforts to avoid prosecution. They also claim that Netanyahu is using the Israel–Hamas war as an instrument to further delay his trial. Drucker is familiar with Netanyahu, having published several investigative reports on Netanyahu in the years before the documentary. Despite decades of corruption allegations, Drucker notes that Netanyahu has never faced prosecution.
Hundreds of witnesses are interrogated throughout the course of the investigation. They state that Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, had been steadily receiving expensive gifts, including jewelry, cigars, and champagne, from wealthy businesspeople, including Arnon Milchan, Sheldon Adelson, and Miriam Adelson. Hadas Klein, Milchan's former assistant, alleges that the gifts were demanded by the Netanyahus like "a supplyment [sic] line". To hide the inflow of gifts, they communicated in code and concealed items in bags and coolers. Netanyahu, however, vehemently denies soliciting any gifts.
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Sara Netanyahu is hostile and combative during her interrogation, accusing the police of trying to bring down her husband. Insiders state that Sara is controlling and heavily involved in political matters and decision-making under her husband's premiership. Household workers at Beit Aghion state that Sara created a hostile work environment, with a former housekeeper claiming that she expected the same level of luxury as the White House. Insiders speculate that Netanyahu fears his wife, regularly appeasing her wishes since his 1993 sex tape scandal.
Yair Lapid, former Minister of Finance, states that Netanyahu, at the request of Milchan, personally advocated for the extension of a tax exemption that solely benefited Milchan's financial interests. The exemption was marginal, only applying to a few individuals, and Lapid states that it was the only tax regulation that Netanyahu had ever approached him about. In addition to the tax exemption, Klein states that Netanyahu, at Milchan's request, personally contacted U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro to reinstate Milchan's U.S. visa.
In a second case in Netanyahu's trial, Nir Hefetz, Netanyahu's former spokesperson, states that Netanyahu gave Shaul Elovitch access to funds to repay a loan in exchange for favorable coverage on Elovitch's news website, Walla! News. Hefetz also states that Yair Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu's son, known for his strict right-wing views, also had influence on Walla's content. In his interrogation, Yair is uncooperative, comparing the Israeli police to the Stasi and Gestapo, and calling the investigation a "witch hunt".
After Netanyahu's indictment in November 2019, he denies the charges and refuses to resign. To maintain his political power, he begins to appeal to the far-right and religious factions, later appointing ultra-nationalists Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir to his cabinet. In January 2023, Netanyahu promotes a judicial reform plan to limit the power of the Supreme Court, sparking nine months of widespread protests across Israel. Insiders state that Netanyahu backed the reform plan in an attempt to block his trial, willingly destabilizing and undermining the security of the country in order to evade a jail sentence.
Footage from the October 7 attacks is shown, and insiders believe Netanyahu to be responsible for the attacks, having empowered Hamas in Gaza for years to weaken the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and believing that "we control the height of the flames". He quotes The Godfather Part II to the interrogators, stating, "Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer." Insiders believe that the anti-Arab far-right has an incentive to prolong the Israel–Hamas war in order to achieve their goals in Gaza and Southern Lebanon, rather than prioritizing the hostage crisis and reaching a ceasefire. In turn, Netanyahu repeatedly requests his corruption trial to be delayed, citing the ongoing war.
Production
[edit]After receiving over 1,000 hours of leaked trial interrogation footage, Gibney approached director Alexis Bloom to make a documentary film together;[3] they had been working on the film prior to the October 7 attacks in 2023.[1][7] Bloom noted that she interviewed many individuals, including former chiefs of staff, heads of Shin Bet, and other senior officials, who were willing to speak with her about Netanyahu, but only off the record. One compared Netanyahu's premiership to the Netflix television series House of Cards.[7] Bloom stated, "Honestly, these stories about Netanyahu are fairly well known in Israel. So many Israelis along the way have said to me, 'You need to get this out to the wider world'."[8]
Release
[edit]On September 2, 2024, the film was added to the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) lineup as a work-in progress film, three weeks after the full festival schedule had been released.[5][9] Goodfellas acquired the sales rights on September 6, and it was screened at TIFF on September 9 and 10.[10][11] It was also screened at the 2024 Woodstock Film Festival.[12]
On October 29, 2024, the film was acquired for distribution by September Film in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg; Dulac Distribution in France; Against Gravity in Poland; Filmin in Spain; Dogwoof in the United Kingdom; Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand; PT Falcon in Indonesia; and Teleview in the Middle East and Turkey.[13]
The film had its official world premiere at Doc NYC on November 14, 2024.[13][14] The following day, on November 15, it began a limited theatrical run at the Laemmle Monica Center in Santa Monica, California.[15][16] It was made available to stream on direct-to-consumer film platform Jolt in the United States on December 11, 2024.[17][18]
The film is banned in Israel due to privacy laws.[19][20] Regarding its distribution, Gibney stated, "There's a legal restriction at the moment in Israel, by agreement with the source. Everywhere else in the world, there's no restriction. So, we plan to distribute it as widely as possible and still stay within the bounds of our promise, or my promise, to the source."[8] Despite its legal status, it has been widely pirated and distributed in Israel.[3][21]
Netanyahu response
[edit]On September 8, 2024, one day before the film's TIFF screening, lawyers representing Netanyahu petitioned the Jerusalem District Court for an injunction against Raviv Drucker, one of the film's producers, for publishing footage from a police interrogation without the court's permission.[1][22] Judge Oded Shaham denied the request on September 9, and the film was screened at TIFF later that day.[23][24] On September 17, 2024, lawyers representing Netanyahu petitioned Israel's Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, and Police Commissioner, Daniel Levy, to open an investigation into Drucker. They also requested a gag order to be placed on the leaked trial footage.[25]
Reception
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.40/10.[26] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 73 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[27]
Reviewing the film after its TIFF screening, Jason Gorber of Collider rated the film 7 out of 10, calling it a "timely documentary [that] showcases the worst of political power" and "a powerful presentation of the facts without ever devolving into being a mere polemic." He noted the film's lack of new information for most Israeli people, but wrote that "seeing Bibi, his wife, his [son] and others raging against the investigation rather than simply perusing transcripts is a more powerful medium" than simply reading the transcripts of the interrogation. He commented that the film's score felt overwhelming at times and that some of its edits "[got] in the way of the simple facts of the matter being discussed," but commended the film for combining multiple storylines "into a coherent whole."[28] Ofer Matan of Haaretz called the connection between Netanyahu's trial and the Israel-Hamas war "perhaps the film's greatest achievement." He further wrote, "This connection is almost intuitive for Israelis who oppose Netanyahu and protest against him and his government, but it's not obvious, or sometimes even known, to international audiences, including Jewish ones."[29]
Upon the film's official premiere at Doc NYC, Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter called it "a revealing look at the machinations of power" that "paints a damning portrait of arrogance." He noted that critics of Netanyahu would likely be disappointed by the film's lack of new information, but wrote, "Nonetheless, they'll find much to feast on." In addition to the "juicy" interrogation footage of Sara and Yair Netanyahu, Scheck noted the film's inclusion of "incisive and frequently damning commentary" from Nir Hefetz, Ehud Olmert, and Ami Ayalon. He called the testimony of Gili Schwartz, a survivor of the Be'eri massacre, "moving" and "a welcome positive note from a film in which there's plenty of ugliness on display."[30]
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film four stars out of five, calling the leaked interrogation footage "extraordinary" and writing, "The film's real power is in the accumulated testimony from others about the Netanyahus' entitlement and paranoia."[31] Tara Brady of The Irish Times also rated the film four stars out of five, calling it a "scathing portrait of Binyamin Netanyahu's alleged history of backhanders."[32] Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times wrote that the film "takes a thorough, methodical approach to laying out the case against Netanyahu, even if few of its arguments are new." He called the statements of Drucker and Uzi Beller, Netanyahu's childhood friend, "the most potent", but felt that the film's characterization of Sara Netanyahu as "a kind of Lady Macbeth figure" could create excuses for Netanyahu and distance him from accountability.[33]
Accolades
[edit]On December 17, 2024, it was announced that The Bibi Files had been shortlisted for Best Documentary Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.[34]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Stern, Itay (September 11, 2024). "'The Bibi Files.' Benjamin Netanyahu fails to block documentary from screening". NPR. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
- ^ Borger, Julian (December 2, 2024). "'The whole foundation is rocking': inside the explosive film about the investigation of Benjamin Netanyahu". The Guardian. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c Serhan, Yasmeen (December 10, 2024). "A documentary made from leaked police interviews with Netanyahu". Time. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ Wetherall, Greg (December 10, 2024). "How Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption interrogation tapes became The Bibi Files". Financial Times. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c Morfoot, Addie (September 2, 2024). "Alexis Bloom Doc Featuring Never-Before-Seen Police Interrogation Footage of Benjamin Netanyahu to Screen at TIFF (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ Lee, Benjamin (September 5, 2024). "From Hard Truths to Nightbitch: 10 films to look out for at Toronto film festival 2024". The Guardian. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Simonpillai, Radheyan (September 10, 2024). "'I've never seen the depth of moral corruption': controversial Netanyahu doc screens at Toronto". The Guardian. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ a b Jacinto, Leela (September 10, 2024). "'The Bibi Files': Documentary reveals the police interrogations behind Netanyahu's graft trial". France 24. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (August 13, 2024). "TIFF 2024 Announces Additional Films: Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' Set for Gala". IndieWire. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (September 6, 2024). "Goodfellas Boards Sales On Benjamin Netanyahu Exposé 'The Bibi Files' – Toronto". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 15, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ Kay, Jeremy (September 10, 2024). "Benjamin Netanyahu doc 'The Bibi Files' screening again in TIFF despite Israeli government efforts to block". Screen Daily. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ Carey, Matthew (September 16, 2024). "25th Woodstock Film Festival Announces Lineup Featuring 'Anora,' 'Blitz,' Paul Shrader Tribute, 'The Bibi Files,' World, U.S. Premieres & More". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 19, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
- ^ a b Goodfellow, Melanie (October 29, 2024). "Benjamin Netanyahu Doc 'The Bibi Files' Secures Release In Multiple Territories As Goodfellas Posts Deals". Deadline. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Carey, Matthew (October 18, 2024). "'Will & Harper,' 'No Other Land,' 'Frida,' 'Queendom,' 'The Bibi Files' & More Make DOC NYC Shortlist Of Year's Best Documentaries". Deadline. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ Carey, Matthew (November 11, 2024). "'The Bibi Files' Trailer: Leaked Videos Show Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Grilled By Police On Corruption Allegations". Deadline. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ Goldsmith, Jill (November 15, 2024). "Sideshow/Janus Films Debuts Payal Kapadia's Acclaimed Cannes Grand Prix Winner 'All We Imagine As Light' – Specialty Preview". Deadline. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Morfoot, Addie (October 21, 2024). "'The Bibi Files' – the Docu That Benjamin Netanyahu Doesn't Want You to See – to Launch on Jolt (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ Kilkenny, Katie (October 24, 2024). "'The Bibi Files' to Distribute on Jolt: "A Lot of the Major Outlets Just Were Nervous"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Edelson, Daniel (November 12, 2024). "The Bibi Files to air around the world: 'Netanyahu is the architect of chaos'". Ynet. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Liebman, Lisa (November 15, 2024). "The Bombshell Documentary Benjamin Netanyahu Doesn't Want You to See". Vanity Fair. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Noveck, Jocelyn (December 13, 2024). "'The Bibi Files,' with leaked Netanyahu footage, can't be seen in Israel. Israelis are finding ways". AP News. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
- ^ Assaly, Richie (September 9, 2024). "Israeli court rejects Netanyahu's request to block screening of TIFF documentary". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ Zeitchik, Steven (September 10, 2024). "TIFF: Anti-Netanyahu Film Premiere Goes Forward in Toronto After Court Motion Fails". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ Carey, Matthew (September 10, 2024). "Explosive Documentary Critical Of Benjamin Netanyahu Premieres In Toronto After Attempt To Block It Fails; Film Contains Leaked Footage Of Israeli Leader's Police Interrogation". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ Breuer, Eliav (September 17, 2024). "Netanyahu demands criminal investigation into 'Bibi Files' leak". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on September 25, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ "The Bibi Files". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^ "The Bibi Files". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^ Gorber, Jason (September 22, 2024). "'The Bibi Files' Review: Timely Documentary Showcases the Worst of Political Power | TIFF 2024". Collider. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
- ^ Matan, Ofer (September 15, 2024). "'Bullshit!' 'Liars!': 'The Bibi Files' Exposes the Netanyahus' Attempts to Turn Israel Into a Banana Republic". Haaretz. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ Scheck, Frank (November 15, 2024). "'The Bibi Files' Review: Alex Gibney-Produced Benjamin Netanyahu Doc Paints a Damning Portrait of Arrogance". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (December 11, 2024). "The Bibi Files review – tapes and testimony expose paranoia and petulance of Netanyahu family". The Guardian. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ Brady, Tara (December 11, 2024). "The Bibi Files: Scathing portrait of Binyamin Netanyahu's alleged history of backhanders". The Irish Times. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ Kenigsberg, Ben (December 11, 2024). "'The Bibi Files' Review: The Case Against Netanyahu". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ Davis, Clayton (December 17, 2024). "Oscars Shortlist Announced in 10 Categories: 'Emilia Pérez' and 'Wicked' Lead the Charge". Variety. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
External links
[edit]
The Bibi Files ReviewsAll Critics
Top Critics
All Audience
Verified Audience
Wendy IdeObserver (UK)
TOP CRITICFresh score.
Essential viewing.
Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 16, 2024
Jennie KermodeEye for FilmFresh score.
Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 16, 2024
Peter BradshawGuardian
TOP CRITICFresh score.
The film’s real power is in the accumulated testimony from others about the Netanyahus’ entitlement and paranoia.
Ben KenigsbergNew York Times
TOP CRITICFresh score.
Full Review | Dec 13, 2024
Tara BradyIrish Times
TOP CRITICFresh score.
The brown-envelope claims may not seem important compared with the deaths of 45,000 Palestinians over the past year. As several commentators note, systemic corruption of the type alleged here creates a need for the fog of permanent warfare.
Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 12, 2024
Stephen SilverThe SS Ben HechtFresh score.
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