The Loners (2009 film)

The Loners (original Hebrew title: HaBodedim) is a 2009 Israeli drama film directed by Renen Schorr starring Sasha Avshalom Agrounov and Anton Ostrovsky.

The Loners
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Renen Schorr
Screenplay by	Guy Meirson Renen Schorr Moshe Zonder
Based on	True events that took place in 1997
Produced by	Assaf Amir
Starring	Sasha Avshalom Agarounov [he] Anton Ostrovsky Rotem Zussman [fr; he] Tzahi Grad Henry David
Cinematography	David Gurfinkel
Edited by	Einat Glaser-Zarhin
Music by	Shem-Tov Levy
Production companies	EZ Films Norma Productions
Distributed by	EZ Films (worldwide) Norma Productions (Israel)
Release date	June 7, 2009 (2009-06-07) (Cinema South Film Festival Sderot)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	Israel
Languages	Hebrew Russian

The film describes the takeover of a cell block in Prison Six by two inmates, both new immigrants from Russia, soldiers from the Golani Brigade, who were sent to prison for selling weapons to Hamas, and who were demanding a retrial.

Background

The original screenplay was inspired by true events. In 1997, there was a rebellion in Prison Six, during which a number of inmates took over the dining room and captured several prison instructors and sergeants.

Plot

Bluchin, a fighter of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Golani Brigade, receives a notice that he is accepted for officers' training. He goes out to celebrate with his friend Glory. The two soldiers are new immigrants of Russian origin, with no relatives in Israel. Some time later, two men are arrested, charged and convicted of selling weapons to Hamas, which were used to carry out an attack in Hadera, which killed five civilians.

The two fighters, who are perceived as traitors, do not want to lose their honor as fighters in the IDF, and request a retrial. But the military system is not interested and decides to release them from the army and transfer them to a civil prison to continue serving their sentences. This causes them to take over a cell block, take as hostages three of the prison's personnel and request a retrial.

During these events, they confide in one of the prison staff, a woman soldier named Ilanit, that Bluchin did not sell any weapons, but had forgotten his personal weapon at a whore that he visited when they celebrated. To help him, Glory stole a weapon from the unit's arsenal and handed it to Bluchin, so the fact that he has lost his own weapon woulds not be known.

Cast

• Sasha Avshalom Agarounov [he] as Glory
• Anton Ostrovsky as Bluchin
• Rotem Zussman [fr; he] as Ilanit
• Tzahi Grad as General Ben Aroya
• Henry David [he] as Sergeant Galperin

Awards

• Actor Sasha Agrounov received an Ophir Award for best actor in a lead role.
• The movie received 10 more nominations for the Ophir Award, in art direction, cinematography, direction, editing, music, screenplay, sound, best supporting actor, best supporting actress and best film.
• The movie was nominated for best film at the Jerusalem Film Festival.

See also

• Late Summer Blues - Schorr's previous feature film.

External links

• The Loners at IMDb