Tzvika Vloch took upon himself a completely non-sexy task. He followed the tumbling Lod Municipality for three whole months. His main character, Pinchas Idan, is the former mayor. During the making of the documentary Idan decides that he can no longer run the town without governmental support. When his repeated requests for aid remain unanswered, he commits political suicide and calls for an appointed committee. His councilmen are not thrilled by the idea, to say the least, which would send them packing. Yet, Idan claims that one year in office was sufficient to realize it was the only way to save the town. He returns home half hero, half coward.

 

And perhaps it is just another humane document. Vloch’s film portrays the mayoralty of Lod as an office that no fat salary can sweeten. The homeless, the junkies, parents afraid to raise their children in a criminal environment – they all turn tables on the mayor’s head, while he has no reply for them. On top of it all, there is the clash between the town’s Jewish and Arab citizens, a terrible waif and an oversized municipal administration. 

 

“I Came, I Saw, I Left” is by no means a pleasant film to watch. Vloch did not ploy to make it easy to watch. Except for the unsynchronized soundtrack and the songs that are normally identified with the affluent Israel, it is absolutely genuine and true to the chaotic and miserable reality it depicts. “I Came, I Saw’ I Left” is a significant documentary, and while at it, explains why there aren’t many others of its kind.

"I Came, I Saw... I Stayed"
The story of Tzvika Vloch, film director, who incidentally found himself in the town of Lod, and stayed.