Israel | 2025 | 86 min. | Arabic | English, Arabic and Hebrew Subs | Documentary
Michel owns a bookshop-café in Jaffa called Yafa. He calls upon his nephew, film producer Tony, to partner with him. Going down the rabbit hole, Tony learns about the problem of books in Arabic in Israel. Their mutual adventure to smuggle illegal books into Israel becomes an inter-generational journey of initiation. Now roused, Tony investigates why Classical Arabic is not a crucial part of the Arab educational system in Israel, and where are the Arabic books that were in Jaffa before 1948. “The Smugglers” is an absurd eye opener into the ongoing oppression of the Arabic language and culture.
Production, Script, Editing: Tony Copti, Yaniv Berman
Cinematography: Yaniv Berman
Art Design: Avi Blyer
Sound Design: Michael Goorevich
Original Score: Gad Emile Zeitune with original songs by Tamer Nafar
Supporting Funds: Makor Film Fund, Gesher Film Fund, Tsadik Development Grant, Van Lir Development Grant, MAKAN Israeli Public Broadcasting Corp