Lea Tsemel is, in her own words, “a very angry optimistic woman.” A new trailer for “Advocate” sees the controversial Jewish-Israeli human rights lawyer reflecting on her outlook on work and life, and reputation as the “devil’s advocate.” Rachel Leah Jones’ doc follows her as she defends Palestinian political prisoners, from non-violent demonstrators to armed militants.
Self-described as a “lost cause,” Tsemel emphasizes that she “always sees the person behind the case.” Her latest high-profile case involves her youngest client yet — a 13-year-old boy.
“I’d like viewers to take the pain and anger I hope they will feel and translate that into identification and motivation,” Jones told us. “I want people to embrace the complexities of a political reality that isn’t really all that complicated. There are victims and there are perpetrators, as well as victims who are perpetrators and perpetrators who are victims. At the end of the day, there are people and power relations and cycles of abuse,” she emphasized.
“Advocate” made its world premiere at Sundance 2019 and hits select theaters and VOD today, January 3. It is one of 15 titles vying for a an Oscar nomination for Documentary Feature. Nominations will be announced January 13.
