Two films — one documentary, one narrative — explore how Israel’s military demands affect women in the country, both at war and at home.

In Seeds of Summer, director Hen Lasker takes a deeper look at the place where she first fell in love with a woman. This fly-on-the-wall documentary, which follows Israeli female combat soldiers, not only studies the intersection of love and duty, but also exposes the dichotomy of the youth with the burden of military service. Particularly compelling is a scene in which the young women discuss losing their virginity while waiting their turn to fire a machine gun. But it is the director’s relationship with Smadar, a commander struggling to reconcile her military persona with her gentle soul, that makes the film truly enchanting. Simple glances speak volumes about the intimacy between the subject and the director.

In The Other War, three Tel-Aviv women navigate the complicated world away from the combat zone. Quiet and thoughtful Eli is head over heels for the gorgeous Naama, a free spirit and non-conformist. Meanwhile, Eli’s sister Galit frantically attempts to plan her wedding, just two weeks away, though her groom has been called to service during the second Lebanon war. Eli is trapped between the desire for freedom and individualism, embodied in Naama, and the need for conformity and loyalty, even in dire times, embodied in Galit. First-time director Tamar Glezeman sees these two characters as fictional representation of the opposing viewpoints regarding the demands of Israel as a nation.