The Last Decade in Israeli Cinema: Israeli Films that You Should Know
The relationship between the Israeli people and Israeli cinema has always been a complex and unstable one, but in the last decade Israeli films have come into a new era. Israeli cinema was virtually nonexistent at the country’s inception. Since then cinema gained support from government laws and the ingenuity of Israel cinematographers has brought us complex Israeli films like Abu Livnat; Avanti Popolo (Onward People) and MeAchorei Hasoragim (Beyond the Walls) together with the beloved folklore films which won both wide spread critical acclaim and satisfied audiences for example HaShoter Azulai (The Policeman); Giv’at Halfon Eina Ona (Halfon Hill) and Shlagar.
Israeli Fims Have Achieved Global Recognition
Many great Israeli fims have succesfully changed world’s perception on Israeli’s cinema and the Israeli society as a whole. The last 10 years have been the best Israeli cinema has ever seen. It seems that a new generation of creators has succeeded in producing cutting edge cinema which is less restricted; combining superb quality and original screenplays which connect with a wide audience. In the last decade an admirable number of Israeli films have succeeded in achieving acclaim both at the box office, among Israeli critics and at International festivals.
Noticeable Israeli Films
Chatuna Maucheret (Late Marriage) and Knafim Shvurot (Broken Wings) – by Dover Koshashvili and Nir Bergman were released one after the other in 2001 and 2002, and in these we can see the beginnings of the golden era of Israeli film during the last decade. Both these films raked in most of the Israeli Academy of Film’s Ophir Awards and a considerable amount of festival prizes around the globe, and no less important – they were seen by hundreds of thousands of Israelis.
Ha-Asonot Shel Nina (Nina’s Tragedies), by Savi Gavison, who already won the prize for best director twice with “Shiri” and “Hole Ahava B’Shikun Gimel”(Love Sick in G Neighborhood/Love sick on Nana Street), won 11 Ophir Prizes in 2003 and large success at the box office.
Dror Shaul, the creator of the popular television drama “Mivtsa Savta” (Operation grandma), recently released in 2006 Adama Meshuga’at” (Sweet Mud), a personal film based on childhood experiences on a kibbutz. The film not only won Israeli prizes but also prizes at the renowned Sundance Festival and represented Israel at the Oscars in the Foreign Film category.
In 2007 the Cinema industry produced a heated battle between two Israeli films: Bikur HaTizmoret (The Band’s Visit) by Eran Kolirin and “Bofor” (Beaufort) by Yossi Cedar. Bikur HaTizmoret ranked in most of the Israeli prizes but failed to be nominated for the American Oscars because of a technicality. Bofor represented Israel at the Oscars for the first time since MeAchorei Hasoragim (1984). Cedar won the prize for best Director at the Berlin festival and more than 300, 000 Israelis enjoyed the films.
Vals Im Bashir (Waltz with Bashir) and Lebanon – following Bofor, 2008 – 2009 continued the trend of opening old war wounds from the first Lebanese War. Ari Folman did this well with original pseudo-documentary animated creations which won many Israeli and international prizes as well as a large Israeli audience. The film Lebanon by Shmoil Maoz also employed personal national trauma and along the way won an Ophir and a Golden Lion (Leone d’Oro).
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