A Taste of Freedom

26 Oct

“A Taste of Freedom” is a somewhat unusual documentary film by Dutch filmmaker Jan Beddegenoodts. The film is unusual in bringing together two disparate worlds: the lively Israeli trance party scene on the hand, and Palestinian West-bank demonstrations on the other hand. It provides some uneasy perspectives on the political position of the psychedelic underground, especially in a place like Israel, where talking about “Peace and Love” is more problematic due to a highly repressive political situation. The film is not without it’s flaws, and the comparison between the two worlds of ravers and activists, stand at the danger of becoming overly simplistic at times, yet Beddegenoodts largely avoids this by remaining evocative and descriptive rather than judgmental or prescriptive. Overall, the film is well worth watching.