The Soldier’s Opinion (JMT Films) is a cultural and psychological history of the inner lives of Israeli soldiers and the censors ordered to document their morale in letters home across five decades of war and occupation. Viewers are privy to surprising responses to violence and to outbursts of racism as the soldiers (and their censors) struggle with difference, moral doubt, and feelings of shame. The film offers insights into Israeli society, Zionism, war, military cultures, and settler cultures.

Mark D. Steinberg, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Assaf Bannitt, writer and director; and Shay Hazkani, writer, will introduce the film and lead a discussion afterward.