Chapter 6. Slasher on the Kibbutz: Children of the Fall
Children of the Fall (2016), Eitan Gafni’s second feature is set on a kibbutz. Like several other New Israeli Horror films, it takes place on a Jewish holiday, in this case on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. When a group of non-Jewish international volunteers clash with the kibbutzniks, ideological disagreements escalate, nationalist motivations surface, and violence erupts. One of the kibbutzniks becomes a serial killer, pursuing the volunteers with an unstoppable force. He calls it “A holy war.”
Questions for discussion
- Which horror tropes and conventions can you identify in Children of the Fall? Which films does it remind you of?
- What characterizes Children of the Fall as an Israeli film? You may think of the plot, themes, or settings.
- What is the relationship between the local Israeli characteristics and the global horror tropes in Children of the Fall?
- What was the production history of Children of the Fall? How did it impact the film?
- What was its audience and critical reception?
Availability
Streaming at Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Plex, and IZZY—Stream Israel