The roots of Israeli Cinema (קולנוע ישראלי‎ Kolnoa Yisraeli) can be traced back even farther than the establishment of the country in 1948. For decades prior, Jews produced hundreds of films in all styles while living in the British Mandate of Palestine. The Israeli Cinema of the present day produces many critically acclaimed films. In fact Israel has been nominated eight times for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film; more than any other country in the Middle East. Now while it would be impossible to list here all of the films that have been important to the development of Israeli Cinema, below I have listed what I consider to be three not-to-miss-flicks, which will give any cinema buff an enjoyable introduction to this niche in cinema. I purposefully left out Ajami, because I have already given it a glowing review in another blog. So without further adieu, L’chaim!

1.The Syrian Bride (2004); Directed by Eran Riklis

This provocative yet touching film, deals with the frictions and tensions of a relatively unknown Israeli minority called the Druze. The Druze are a small Islamic religious sect mainly found in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. In the Syrian Bride, Riklis brings to light how a seemingly happy and beautiful event, such as a wedding can actually be underscored with sorrow. Mona, an Israeli Druze, is about to marry her Syrian cousin, but along with the wedding plans, comes the realization that once she leaves Israel for Syria, she may never see her family again.

2.HILL 24 DOESN’T ANSWER (1954); screen play by Zvi Kolitz and Peter Frye; Directed by Thorold Dickinson

“Hill 24” is one of the most important films of early Israeli Cinema. It was shown at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival. The story follows a courageous band of the Israeli military who are given the charge to hold Hill 24, a strategic location in the war for Independence. Although this film does fall into the melodramatic patterns of most patriotic films, it has an honest courageousness that makes it well worth the watch.

3.I Love You Rosa (1972); Directed by Moshe Mizrahi

This film is based on the true story of director Moshe Mizrahi’s mother. Twelve-year old Nissim tries to obey the ancient Jewish Law which stipulates that a man must marry his brother’s childless widow. The much older Rosa refuses and Nissim leaves his home. Years later he returns and Rosa begins to see her former brother-in-law in a much different light. “I Love You Rosa” is a wonderful romance which also garnered an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Bonus: Masada (1981) Directed by Boris Sagal

This is an Emmy Award Winning miniseries which details the last stand of the Jewish Rebels as the try to throw of Roman rule in first century Israel. Peter O’Toole stars as a Roman general who tries to take down the last Jewish fortress in the desert a mountain called Masada
Fun Fact: I hiked up Masada three days ago, the climb up was 1 hour and four minutes, 1.91 miles, 4,093 steps (including 700 stairs). No wonder the Roman had a tough time taking it down!

Shalom!

So as you fans may know from our facebook page, I have hightailed it to Israel this past week. While I’ve been checking out the sights and floating in the Dead Sea, I have of course gone out to see what new and wonderful films that Israel has to offer. I was fortunate enough to be able to see the movie Ajami at the Sherover Theater in Jerusalem. This film was the first undertaking of two young Israeli directors Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani. It has won numerous awards both in Israel (Ajami won five awards at the Israel’s Ophir Awards) and abroad. It is currently a nominee for Best Foreign Film at this year’s Academy Awards.

The movie weaves together five stories about Christian and Muslim Arabs living in the Tel-Aviv community of Ajami. The movie is actually rather brilliant. The directors’ style of cinematography is raw and gritty, which in itself is not groundbreaking, but they couple the rawness of the filming with the unpolished but emotionally honest work of their actors (all of whom are non-professional). The combination is a movie which is fresh, moving without being overemotional, and interesting. It shows a side of Israeli life which is a far cry from the preferred national image; one of violence, drugs and daily tensions, resulting from years political stress on the country.

Despite the dark underside that the movie depicts the directors were careful not to assign blame to one specific group: “It’s not about who is bad and who is good, who is guilty and who is a victim, it’s about human beings who have to live in this reality. Everybody sees this reality in a different way,” says Shani.

I admit this movie was very hard to follow for me, only because I do not speak Arabic or Hebrew. There were also no English subtitles. Fortunately the acting is clear enough and the plot is well-developed despite the many time jumps the movie does. The cohesion of the film is amazing considering that Shani and Copti did not even write out a script for the majority of the movie. In most scenes the actors were given a situation and told to react.

The only problem I had with the film was its lack of editing. At two hours long there are parts that definitely began to drag a bit, but the problems of the movie are definitely overshadowed by the overall product. This is a must see movie for all cinema fans. One that indicates, with an added bonus of the pairing of an Arab-Jewish directing team, that harmonious and beautiful things are being exported from Israel.

Hey Editing Bin faithful, Stephanie and I are psyched about bringing you the latest movie reviews over the holidays! As you can imagine nothing is a better Christmas present for us than spending time with our families and checking out new films (preferably both at the same time). So watch out for our special “Holiday Blitz” where we will be reviewing the best that Hollywood has to offer this season: Sherlock Holmes, Up in the Air, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus! Look for a fresh new episode this week.

Natalie Portman is re-making Pride and Prejudice – zombie style! Anyone not hiding under a rock has heard of the book that turns Jane Austen’s most beloved novel Pride and Prejudice into a zombie thriller.

Now Portman, through her Handsome Charlie production company, plans to bring the undead regency tale to the big screen with Annette Savitch and Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly (as a producer). Lionsgate is on board to finance and distribute the film. David O’Russell (I Heart Huckabees) has agreed to direct and write the screenplay. Who knows, maybe zombies will be the next vampires. Personally, I’m all for it – so long as undead creatures of all persuasions cease their sparkling immediately.

So tell me, have you read this literary zombie extravaganza? If so, what do you think of a big screen adaptation?