The Viewing Booth

In a laboratory-like setup, The Viewing Booth recounts a unique encounter between a filmmaker and a viewer. The film explores the way we make meanings for nonfiction images, and how what we see in such images, is related to our belief systems. Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, whose films The Law in These Parts (2011) and The Inner Tour (2001) have exposed different aspects of the Israeli occupation, compiles online video footage depicting the harsh reality of Palestinian existence under Israeli military rule. He then shows this footage to American students and films their reactions, focusing on one of them, Maia Levy, an enthusiastic supporter of Israel. Six months later, Alexandrowicz invites Levy to watch more footage. This time, Maia views edited footage of herself while she was watching the images of the occupation. What is revealed in the process is multi-layered, puzzling, insightful and extends beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Maia’s candid and reflective analysis of her previous commentary gives the viewer a staggering demonstration of the idea that seeing is not always believing.