The film follows Jewish-Israeli human-rights lawyer Lea Tsemel as she navigates through the Israeli judicial system in defense of Palestinians accused of terrorism.

In fact, it is around the nature of her charisma, which is impossible to label or pin down, that Rachel Leah Jones and Philippe Bellaïche construct their film, a portrayal of a strong female figure who defies each and every convention.

He adds, "Watching these two trials through to their end lends additional credence to Tsemel's perspective that the Israeli legal system is rigged against Palestinians from the get-go, regardless of their guilt or innocence.

"[16] In his Los Angeles Times review, Kenneth Turan wrote: "Lea Tsemel has been called a rebel with a lost cause and a whole lot worse.

"[17] Israeli critic, Erez Dvorah, writes that it is the very controversial nature of Tsemel and her work that makes Advocate required viewing for people from all quadrants of the political map, calling the existence of such a film "essential to the democracy of Israel, in an era where the media is more and more controlled by political agendas ... A society in which there is a categorical rejection of this type of film is a society taking a significant step farther away from what is commonly called 'democracy'".

Quoting Tsemel, who calls herself "a very angry, optimistic woman", Lodge notes that this is not a contradiction in terms, but rather: "it does highlight two traits that are rarely twinned, particularly to positive effect."

[21][22] Upon winning the top award in the Israeli Docaviv film festival, Israel's Culture Minister Miri Regev attacked the film and “the choice to make a movie focusing on a lawyer who represents, supports and speaks in the name of many who undermine the State of Israel’s existence, use terrorism against its soldiers and people, and win legal and public support from Tsemel.”[23] Right-wing activists and organizations, including Im Tirtzu, picketed Mifal HaPayis, Israel's national lottery company and the sponsor of Docaviv's main prize, which shortly after announced it would pull funding for future Docaviv festival awards due to pressure from right-wing activists.

[24][25] The decision caused a media uproar,[26][27][28] and in response, hundreds of Israeli filmmakers, as well as academics and public figures signed an open letter in support of the film.

[36] The cancellation followed a petition by right-wing residents of Ma'alot, and a letter to Mayor Arkady Pomeranets from then Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, urging him to forbid the showing of the film as "something that should never occur on a stage that is supported by the State of Israel", and acknowledging that she lacks the legal authority to do so herself.

"[39] The Association for Civil Rights in Israel asked the deputy attorney general to instruct Regev that she acted illegally "and misled the mayor into believing that he is authorized to attack freedom of expression".

The attorney general's office, on November 8, issued an opinion that "No basis was introduced that establishes such exceptional or extreme circumstances that would allow for freedom of expression to be violated by cancelling the screening....

[40] At the cultural center screening, about 150 anti-censorship activists protested, while about 200 right-wing counter-demonstrators spat at them, threatened the festival's director and flung incendiary devices.

[41][42] The police intervened and moved the right-wing demonstrators back, though two attending filmmakers, Yael Kipper and Ronen Zaretzky, were nevertheless attacked while leaving the event.

[41] Liran Atzmor, on behalf of the Documentary Forum, said: "We have come to demonstrate, the creators' unions and the citizens of the north, who are deeply disturbed by the illegal act of the mayor of Ma'alot-Tarshiha.