Michel Franco Quietly Wraps ‘Circles,’ His Tenth Feature, Set in 1950s Israel, Shot in Black-and-White

Yeah, the discourse on this one will be completely normal. I mean, did you expect anything else from Michel Franco? A filmmaker who revels in provocation.

Back in January 2025, the Mexican director quietly shot a new film, this one called “Circles.” After years of festival buzz around films like “New Order,” “Sundown,” and “Memory,” this new project seems destined for either Cannes or Venice.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but according to IONCINEMA, the film will continue Franco’s exploration of violence, societal structures, and human disconnection. He is moving far from his familiar Mexico‑United States terrain and venturing into the politically charged landscape of… Israel.

That’s right: “Circles,” co-written with Tom Shoval, delves into the life of Meir Har Zion, examining the complicated legacy of a figure both celebrated and contested in Israeli history.

This Hebrew-language film is set in the early 1950s, during the formative years of the State of Israel. The story focuses on siblings Meir and Shoshana Har Zion, exploring their deep bond against the backdrop of recurring Arab-Jewish conflict.

Meir Har Zion would later achieve legendary status as an IDF fighter, yet his career and personal choices sparked debates over morality, heroism, and the ethics of violence.

The film was shot in black-and-white and captured in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio by cinematographer Yves Cape, marking his seventh collaboration with Franco. The cast includes Israeli and Palestinian actors Itamar Tenenbaum, Maya Pinchasi, and Kais Nashif. Producers on the project are Israeli Eyal Shiray and Russian Alexander Rodnyansky.