Was Film Ventures International fighting Cannon for the rights to show Israeli movies in the U.S.?

Directed by Rafi Bukai, this was the Israeli entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 59th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

“Forward people, towards redemption. Red Flag, Red Flag. Red Flag will triumph. Long live communism and freedom.” This Italian song, “Bandiera Rossa,” is also called “Avanti Popolo” after the first words in the song, which mean “Forward people.” That song is sung by the soldiers in this movie.

This is set on June 11, 1967, just as the cease fire of the Six-Day War starts and two Egyptian army men, Gassan and Haled, make their way through the Sinai desert to reach home. It feels like they have entered another planet as they seek any way to survive.

Finally, the protagonists meet and befriend three Israeli soldiers who should be their enemy. The war means nothing to them, other than something to live past. Tell that to the Swedish soldier, dead in a Jeep filled with high end alcohol or the British reporter who wants to see even more violence.