The Fox in the Chicken Coop 1978

Amitz Dolniker, an aging Israeli Parliament member famed for his grandiose speeches and relentless lectures, collapses during a public address and is told to step away from politics for a while. He sets out on a dreamlike retreat, traveling to a remote, backward Israeli village that has little contact with the outside world. The contrast is stark: the bucolic rhythms and the villagers’ simple, carefree way of life initially feel alien to him, and it’s amusing to realize they’ve never even heard of him.

Yet Dolniker’s instinct for “order” soon takes over. He engineers a way to insert himself into the village’s governance by financing a local horse and buggy and placing it at the service of the village barber, whom he proclaims as the village head de facto. The barber, at first resistant, grows to enjoy the perks that accompany the position, and his confidence swells as power subtly tightens its grip around him. This new dynamic sparks a rivalry with others who see themselves as equally deserving of leadership, notably the cobbler, who also craves the prestige and the privileges that come with the role and the free horse-and-buggy rides.

Dolniker frames everything as an election to crown a leader, hoping to restore a familiar, orderly process. What unfolds, however, bears little resemblance to the structured politics he knows. The village descends into a merry, foolish tangle of power plays, petty bureaucracies, and petty corruption. Taxes appear on unlikely targets—famously, the 3-door closets—and the villagers’ peaceful routine begins to crack under the weight of improvised rules and ego clashes. The simple life that once endured in this remote place is gradually eroded by these capricious, comic struggles, leaving Dolniker to confront the absurd consequences of his own meddling.

In the end, Dolniker returns to himself, mildly amused by the misadventure and the realization that even well-intentioned attempts to bring order can spiral into farce. The experience offers a quiet, reflective counterpoint to his former political zeal, leaving him with a nuanced understanding of power, humility, and the fragile balance of a small community.