“A fascinating keyhole examination of an unusual facet of US institutions.” - Irene Wood, Booklist
“Wiseman gives us a community. We sense the isolation, the harsh climate, the numbing drudgery of the paperwork. By filming the story of Sinai Field Mission from the inside out, by incorporating all of the elements that make it up rather than a rote narrative of what it does and how it came to be, Wiseman has once again brought an issue into focus. And we know and care a little bit more because of it.” - James Brown, Los Angeles Times
SINAI FIELD MISSION shows the routine activities of the diplomats and electronics technicians who operate the US Sinai Field Mission, the early warning system established in 1976 to help facilitate the disengagement between Egypt and Israel after the 1973 war. The major purpose of the Mission is to monitor the approaches to strategic passes and to verify the operations of the Egyptian and Israeli surveillance stations in the Sinai Buffer Zone. (Zipporah Films)
The Worlds of Wiseman: Don’t let anyone ever tell you a Frederick Wiseman film is simple. Despite their matter-of-fact titles and just-the-facts descriptions, Wiseman’s documentaries are complicated, messy, demanding, rich, and always rewarding. 33 of his films, using original 16mm negatives and sound elements, with materials personally reviewed and approved by Wiseman, have been recently restored in 4K. The Film Center is proud to be the exclusive home for the Chicago premiere of the complete restored collection. Restorations made possible by Zipporah Films, the Library of Congress, Harvard Film Archive, DuArt Labs, and Goldcrest Post Production. Read more
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu