Censored Voices

Censored Voices is a powerful 2015 documentary that throws light on a lesser-known side of the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War of 1967. This documentary wasn't just a mere reportage but a personal and emotional delve into the mindsets of the very soldiers who participated in this historic military event. The film uniquely pieced together archival videos, photos, and sound recordings to take the audience back to the war. The singular and perhaps the most striking aspect of the documentary was that most of the material had been censored by the Israeli military for almost a half-century following the war, hence the title – Censored Voices.

The film’s director, Mor Loushy, brilliantly spotlighted the moral ambiguities and psychological toll of the war, a side of the story that has been silenced for decades. Piecing together interviews, war footage, and first-hand accounts, Loushy effectively dismantled the victory narrative that has overshadowed the significant historical event in Israel.

The documentary features Amos Oz, a celebrated Israeli writer and one of the country's notable public intellectuals, known for his forthright views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He comes forward in Censored Voices as a young, impassioned kibbutznik and as a present-day interviewee, reflecting on the war's consequences and the emotional cost borne by him and his comrades.

The film traces the story of how Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded the uncensored accounts of soldiers returning home from the war. These recordings, taken days after the Israeli forces' decisive victory, highlighted the stark contrast between the popular heroic narrative and the harrowing personal experiences of these soldiers. Due to their controversial nature, the military heavily censored these tapes at the time. It is only in Censored Voices that they finally surfaced, unveiling a side of the war that had been largely overshadowed by the triumphant narrative.

Censored Voices doesn't just present these unheard voices, but also silently reports on the present lives of the men behind those voices. The film cuts back and forth between the recorded voices – most of which have remained unheard– and the now aging soldiers sitting silently, listening to their youthful selves recount the horrors of war. Without any theatricality, it paints a vivid image of war and its aftermath – peace with repercussions, simmering underneath the facade of a folksy heroism and a sprung and glorious victory.

The film is a poignant examination of the complexity of war, highlighting the soldiers' conflicted emotions about their roles as conquerors, the dehumanization of the enemy, and the gnawing guilt of their actions. It also opens a discussion on how nations choose to remember their wars, addressing a deep need for truth in a landscape festooned with official narratives and myopic views.

Under Loushy's direction, Censored Voices became a discourse on memories and their consequences, warfare and its aftermath, and lastly, victory and its ambiguous facades. Primary among the audience's experiences would be the intrigue of an alternative and diversified perspective on an otherwise unilaterally projected incident of victory and celebration, an experience that was at once enlightening and thought-provoking.

The documentary drives a point through a potent mix of the past and the present, delivering a somber reflection on the personal cost of war. The individual soldier's voices, alongside the brilliantly executed direction, turn the film into a potent exploration of suppressed history.

Censored Voices uses the past to view the present and vice versa. Loushy guides the audience to the men as they react to their personal accounts decades later. These reactions, layered with a deeper understanding that only time can offer, provide a potent comparison and a deeper exploration of the psychological impact of the war.

The film changed the conversation around the Six-Day War, brought forth a significant piece of forgotten history, and ignited a dialogue around the realities of war, memory, and state censorship. It makes for a profound viewing experience, especially for audiences interested in world history, conflict studies, and human psychology.

With Censored Voices, the war isn't over when we expect it to be over. It continues to live and transform – in memories, in censorships, in voices that remain unheard. Censored Voices illustrate war's enduring and painstaking presence, long after the last bullet has been fired and the flags of victory have been hoisted. As such, the documentary serves as a powerful chronicle of perseverance, acceptance, and the unceremonious truths about warfare.