For the first time, the audience had the opportunity to see the leaked footage of the police interrogation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at last night's world premiere of the documentary "The Bibi Files". This provocative film was screened at the Toronto Film Festival despite attempts by the Israeli Prime Minister to prevent it.
Israeli courts rejected Netanyahu's request before the film, in which he is seen vehemently denying allegations of bribery and corruption, was shown to a tense and loud audience. Many carried banners reading "Bring them home" and "Deal now", referring to the hostages in Gaza, the Guardian reports.
The film, directed by Alexis Blum and produced by Alex Gibney, asserts what close observers may have already noticed: Netanyahu is prolonging the devastating war in Gaza - which has killed more than 40.000 people - to avoid possible prison time on corruption charges. The humanitarian crisis, which violates international law, is used for its self-preservation.
According to the documentary, which Blum began working on before Oct. 7, when a source provided Gibney with the leaked tapes, Netanyahu's lawyer filed a motion to delay the December trial, citing the current war as the reason.
"I have never seen such a level of moral depravity as this man," Gibni told the audience after the screening. One of the spectators, who was apparently part of the majority pro-Israel audience, interrupted Gibni, reminding him that Netanyahu had not yet been found guilty. Attempts to take control of the narrative, both on and off screen, did not end there.
The interrogation tapes shown in the film were taken between 2016 and 2018, before corruption charges were formally brought against Netanyahu. In the videos, the prime minister faces accusations that he and his wife accepted expensive gifts, including champagne, Cuban cigars and jewelry, from Hollywood producer Arnon Milčan. Netanyahu downplays the importance of champagne and cigars, calling them gifts from friends, while denying knowledge of jewelry.
Several witnesses who worked for Milcan and Netanyahu were also shown talking to police. According to them, Netanyahu and his wife Sara expected gifts in exchange for favors.
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One of those favors included the extension of minor tax breaks that benefited Milčan. Netanyahu claims that his unusual meddling with tax breaks was in the interest of the state, not the Milcans. Meanwhile, the producer of the film "LA Confidential" confirmed most of the testimony, although at one point he gently asked the police not to use the word "bribe" because it would reflect badly on his image.
Netanyahu is also seen in the film vehemently denying accusations that he approved regulations that benefited Israeli media mogul Shaul Elovich.
The prime minister repeatedly dramatically called one of his top aides, Nir Hefec, a liar over those claims. Other witnesses claim that Elovič reciprocated the alleged generosity by allowing Netanyahu to directly influence the coverage of his family on the popular Walla website.
The tapes of the interrogation have already been leaked and reported by the Israeli media, but according to Israeli law, the tapes cannot be shown to the public. Israeli law guarantees the privacy of those who are photographed and videotaped during official proceedings.
Gibni explained that the film "The Bibi Files" was brought to Toronto, although it is still being worked on, to be shown to the world as soon as possible, because people need to see it as the number of casualties in Gaza continues to rise. But also because they are looking for distribution partners so that the film can be released as soon as possible so that the world can see it.
The documentary doesn't reveal much new information, but for the audience, used to Netanyahu's carefully directed speeches, it was instructive to see him get nervous during questioning. Netanyahu was seen banging his fist on the table and furiously responding to the accusations.
"Even on the tapes of the interrogation, you see a performance. But you see a performance that is not so carefully thought out, performed in front of an audience of three people and that he thinks no one outside that room will see," Gibni points out.
"The Bibi Files" gives context to Netanyahu's interrogation videos by portraying his character, whose career is based on fear-mongering and promises of security, while his private life is largely subordinated to the turbulent moods of his wife Sara and her luxurious lifestyle. Sara Netanyahu's inconsistent testimony and outbursts during testimony are also among the recordings.
Insiders such as Israeli journalist Raviv Druker, former Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon, childhood friends and others appear as speakers. They connect the dots and reveal a long-standing pattern of Netanyahu's self-serving self-interest while clinging to power — from plots to sabotage the West Bank-Gaza alliance by enabling Hamas, to his alliance with the violent far right and attempts to reshuffle the Supreme Court to save himself from prosecution.
The atmosphere at the premiere was more tense than usual, with additional security. After the screening, part of the audience was disturbed during a conversation between Bloom, Gibney and Tom Powers, who is in charge of the documentary program at the Toronto festival. Some loudly demanded the right to speak their minds, and Powers tried to calm them down.
After the talk, Blum was surrounded by a crowd, and one viewer accused her of telling "a bunch of lies" in the film, referring to the information that more than 40.000 people died in Israeli military operations in Gaza.
"You can't know that, do you trust Hamas?" he asked. "I think that information has been confirmed," Blum replied gently. "You're spreading false narratives," the man warned her.
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