Raw, candid, uncompromising, and undeniably beautiful, the painfully intimate 'Arna's Children' is one of the more visceral, soul-wrenching documentaries I have had the pleasure to see in quite some time. One cannot fail to be enormously moved by the indomitable spirit, kindness, and boundless courage of this truly extraordinary woman's profound love for these beleaguered Palestinian children. Absolutely ESSENTIAL viewing, with indelible imagery, and crystalline moments of exquisite joy, this bare-bones DVD/DVD-R is an insult for such a profound work of non-fiction cinema. There is no doubt in my mind that 'Arna's Children' is imbued with the rare galvanizing intensity to rouse the more heartful individual to action. While blunt, cruel, occasionally brutal, and frequently shocking, this stark, unabashedly humanist document not only grimly captures the unconscionable savagery of an unthinking horde, but upliftingly reveals how the selfless actions of just one exceptional individual can resist the ugliness of a multitude. On a more personal level, the fact that the director, Juliano, was Arna's son made his earnest film that much more poignant. Go. Watch. Now!!!!
