Synopsis

SCREENING OF TWO PARTS – Part 1 & Part 2 – 73 min. each

Part 1 – The Three Fathers
The forefathers of Israeli cinema – Ephraim Kishon, Uri Zohar and Menachem Golan – came to cinema from the world of entertainment. These filmmakers stepped into the tiny, emerging film industry with practically no money – but with a keen sense for what their audience would like. Armed with humor, chutzpah and courage, they managed to make international headlines, including Oscar nominations and prizes at Cannes. The movies of the 1960s and the 1970s become more and more ambitious. These films present a portrait of the newly formed Israeli society – a melting pot of immigrants and soldiers where irony and underdogs were the true heroes.

Part 2 The Next Generation
The successes of Israeli cinema in the 1960s and the 1970s made way for a period of confusion and disappointment within the 1980s. But this era also ushered in something new. The fallout after the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin, coupled with the development of commercial television and the emergence of Israeli filmmaking schools, spurred a generation of highly creative artists. Dozens of movies are produced each year, and the creators become more diverse: women, religious, and Palestinian filmmakers begin to find their voices, and new genres emerge. Films such as ‘Late Marriage’, ‘The Band’s Visit’, ‘Waltz with Bashir’ and ‘Footnote’ garner international success, and Israeli directors become known throughout the world. Israeli cinema continues to react to the social, military and political reality, although at times, in delay. The Lebanon War, the murder of Rabin, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the widening social gaps within Israeli society present the backdrop for controversial films that receive international praise and criticism.