TheissueofWarwidowrepresentationinIsraelicinemaisoneofthemostcomplexforthelocalindustryforitseemstobeuniqueandwithaverylocalandspecificiconographyThewarWidowisadifficultcharactertodigestBecausethisisanespeciallypainfultopicinIsrael,itsmodeofrepresentationisalmostalwaysproblematicGilaAlmagorinTofano's"siege"isoneofthefirstcharactersofthe"modern"warwidowstoappearonIsraelicinemascreensThehumanandsocialcomplexityofthestatusofwidowswasnotrepresentedadequatelyandpersonallyuntilhercomplexandfineappearanceinthisfilmItwasmostlyPrecededbyclichesofheroicwomenwhohavesacrificedforthenationwithcharacterstowhichitwasverydifficulttogetattached,nortotheirpersonalgrief"Siege"wasdirectedbyanunknownItaliandirectorofthatperiodAlthoughGilbertoTofanowasbroughtasaprofessionaldirectoronthewingsofinspirationmadebytheFrenchNewWaveofthoseyears,hemanagedtoturnoutaveryexcitingworkwhichhascaughttheIsraeliwarmthandsenseofsocialsiegewhichsurroundstheIsraeliwidows,includingthegreatexpectationsfromthemandthesocialstigmasTofanowrappedhisleadingladywithlotsofwarmthandgaveaplaceofhonortoAlmagor'simpressivepresenceinthefilmThisiswithoutadoubtoneofAlmagor'sbestandmostaccurateperformancesTherestraintinherperformanceplustheshootingandexpressiveuseofanglesbyTofanoandhissoftEuropeantouchwhichwasfarofffromtheaggressivelocalproductmanagedtoproduceasenseofdocumentinganauthentictragedywithatangiblepersonaltouchthatminimizedthenationaldimensionTheresultstandsthetestoftimeproudlyseveraldecadesafteritscreation