Reflective on themes of war, economic inequality, and social breakdown, Amos Gitai’s most recent film Shikun explores the chaos and complexity of the present global environment. Gitai draws on his own life experiences, most notably his time serving on a relief team during the Yom Kippur War, which had a significant impact on his understanding of both art and conflict.

As noted by Gitai, “Art may not be the most effective way to change reality, but it is a way to influence the way people think about war and conflict.” He compares his work to Picasso’s “Guernica,” which is a historical reminder of war atrocities, highlighting the importance of memory and art’s role in preserving it. He states, “Our mission as artists is to impact memory,” emphasizing the value of using artistic expression to record and interpret human experiences.

Shikun, shot before the most recent uptick in violence, depicts a world in transition with “heterogeneous forces, random events, illogical interferences.” Gitai compares leaders who inspire fear to keep control to the symbolic “rhinos” in Ionesco’s play, which served as the basis for the movie. He thinks art must keep confronting and opposing these forces despite their immense power.

The film’s Beer-Sheva public housing complex setting, which features a diverse group that represents Israel’s immigrant community, acts as a microcosm of larger societal challenges. The fragmented aspect of modern existence is highlighted by Gitai’s representation of this broken world: “most of the societies we live in are made up of men and women who have migrated from one place to another.”

Gitai keeps navigating the relationship between individual and group history in Shikun, attempting to “chart a path of hope” in the face of uncertainty and conflict.  His writings continue to be a moving tribute to the never-ending quest for peace and understanding in a divided globe.