TIFF screens ‘The Bibi Files’ documenting Netanyahu’s ‘corruption’
Los Angeles: The documentary ‘The Bibi Files’ was showcased at the Toronto International Film Festival despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempt to block its screening. A court in Jerusalem recently rejected Netanyahu’s petition to halt the film’s release.
‘The Bibi Files’ is constructed from thousands of hours of leaked footage, including police interrogations recorded between 2016 and 2018, which contributed to Netanyahu’s indictment on corruption charges in November 2019. The footage had remained unreleased in Israel due to privacy laws.
Directors Alexis Bloom and Alex Gibney secured the leaked footage in early 2023, well before the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Gibney explained to France 24 that the documentary transcends a mere record of Netanyahu’s questioning and reflects broader issues related to his attempts to alter the judiciary’s role in Israel.
Netanyahu’s corruption trial involves three cases: Case 1,000, which concerns alleged bribery over gifts from Israeli billionaire Arnon Milchan and Australian tycoon James Packer; Case 2,000, which deals with alleged negotiations for favorable media coverage; and Case 4,000, which involves accusations of a deal for positive coverage with the owner of Walla news site.
Netanyahu has consistently denied the charges, asserting that they are part of a political campaign against him and his family.