Late Summer Blues Director Renen Schorr Creates a Personal Memoir

Wake Up, Grandson – Letters to My Rebellious Rabbi (המעורר) is a documentary film, directed and written by Renen Schorr Heller.  Renen Schorr is well-known in Israel for two major achievements – he directed the iconic 1986 film, Late Summer Blues, and he was the founding director of the Sam Spiegel Film and TV School in Jerusalem, which now sits in one of four buildings in a major impressive cultural complex in downtown Jerusalem.  Schorr served for 30 years in that position from 1989 to 2018.

 In this sophisticated documentary film, he has combined three elements -- a personal memoir, the story of the state of Israel (since its establishment in 1948), and the story of his grandfather who had a profound impact on his life.  In so doing, he combines documentary footage, family movies and stills, and even some re-enactments. The results are a fabulous interweaving, with superb editing and excellent cinematography (particularly of Jerusalem and Safed).

Schorr’s grandfather, Rabbi Avraham Zeida Heller, was an orthodox rabbi, fourth generation in Safed. In fact, his own grandfather had been the chief rabbi of Safed in the early 19^th century!  Rabbi Avraham Zeida Heller was the head of a Safed yeshivah during the War of Independence and was known for believing in both the importance of prayer and military defense.  He is quoted in the film as saying: “It is important to recite Psalms, but the miracle was when the Palmach arrived!” He was married with five daughters, one of whom was the mother of Renen Schorr. 

The film is centered around many years of an exchange of letters between the grandfather and the grandson.  The elder is forever begging his grandson (in literary Hebrew) to give up his love of Truffaut and to follow the path of Uri Zohar, to carry on the Jewish tradition. [Uri Zohar, who was a hero to Schorr in his early years of filmmaking in the 1970s, was a famous Israeli filmmaker who gave up film for a life as an ultra-orthodox rabbi.]

In this poignantly personal film, Schorr portrays his growing up, his living through the War of Attrition with Egypt (1969-1970), army life, his service as a war correspondent, the horrors of the Yom Kippur War of 1973, his gradual falling in love with the field of cinema and his profession as a teacher and filmmaker.  The descriptions of the hardships of producing a full-length feature film as a young artist were eye-opening.  Moreover, the footage that he found and used in the film was stupendous, including footage from Late Summer Blues itself. This famous film was well-known in Israel for its satirical criticism of the War of Attrition with Egypt. The screenplay raised many critical questions about the goals and futility of war, which are particularly relevant for our current situation in Israel today, when we are fighting two wars of attrition.

In 1989, Schorr is chosen by Teddy Kollek, the popular mayor of Jerusalem, to head a new film school which was being established at that time.  Schorr had to contend with the obstacle of drawing secular film students away from Tel Aviv and bringing them to Jerusalem.

The film reveals the tensions in Israeli society between the religious and secular, between the film world of Tel Aviv and the dreams of Teddy Kollek for Jerusalem, between the holiness of Safed and the hedonism of Tel Aviv. 

Schorr’s grandfather lived well into his 90’s and a final request is sent to his grandson – make a movie about me.  Towards the end of the film, Schorr changes his name officially to Renen Schorr Heller, as a beautiful way of memorializing his grandfather, and he undertakes to direct a scene which was written by his grandfather and which takes place at the turn of the 20^th century in Safed. 

Wake Up, Grandson is an extraordinary documentary film (93 minutes) – beautifully conceived, with great pacing, which combines the personal and the national in an  effortless way.

The film is available from Go2Films.

 

 

Come Closer by Tom Nesher

Come Closer is the award-winning debut film of Tom Nesher, the daughter of well-known filmmaker Avi Nesher.  Six years ago, the Nesher family suffered a terrible tragedy when the son was killed in a car accident. This is a personal film which offers Tom Nesher’s expression of some of the feelings of having lost her brother at that time.While the film's narrative is based on this tragedy, it is not an autobiographical film but rather a work of fiction.

The film is a psychological study of two women coping with enormous loss, which is a tremendously appropriate subject for Israeli audiences especially this year.

Eden and Nati, brother and older sister, are very close.  On Nati’s birthday, Eden has him kidnapped and brought to the beach where they have an all-night party with music, drinking and drugs.  Unbeknownst to Eden, Nati decides to slip away to see his secret girlfriend, Maya. On the way, Nati is killed in a terrible early morning accident, and Eden’s world is turned upside down.  She becomes a difficult personality -- edgy, reckless, aggressive, and completely self-centered. 

Noticing the young Maya at the funeral, Eden sets out to find her, to ostensibly befriend her, and to express her anger, feelings of betrayal and loss. Maya is not so easily shocked.  She too has much to say to Eden.  In grappling with the death of the person they each loved, a strange bond is created between the two.

The film includes a bit too many clichéd scenes that we have seen in so many other Israeli films – a nod to Holocaust education (which was in bad taste), an unnecessary pissing scene (but this time it’s a girl pissing off the back of a truck), lots of clubbing and drinking, and a trip to the stunning beaches of Sinai.  Nevertheless, the film is innovative in its own way -- through the provocative elements, the use of great music, and the way that the two women were coping with their grief and were trying to keep the memory of Nati alive through their complex relationship with each other.

Come Closer won the award for Best Debut film at the Jerusalem Film Festival this past July.  And more recently, it won top honors at the Ophir Awards– taking prizes for both best director and best film! 

The Mystery of Roni Kalderon

Wanted: Roni Kalderon is a fascinating documentary film by Hilla Medalia and Erez Laufer.  The film follows the extraordinary story of Roni Kalderon like a thriller, from his early days in the 1970s as a 17-year-old rising star, playing for the Hapoel Tel Aviv soccer team till his disappearance from a prison in Sao Paulo in the 1990s.   

Much of the soundtrack of the film is Kalderon’s voice recorded by Israeli journalist, Rafi Reshef, who traveled all the way to a Sao Paulo prison in 1992 to interview him.  The story goes back to the 1970s, to a young man, described as a troublemaker, moving from team to team, partying, and clubbing.  He loved the thrills, the fooling around, and eventually got involved with drugs. 

When Kalderon is recruited to play for Ajax in the Netherlands, he is forced to endure a one-year ban since a player can’t just go off and play for another team.  He was only 18 years-old at the time.  Soon after, he returns to Israel and helps the Tel Aviv youth team win the Asian cup.  Then begins a period of moving from team to team – first to Ajax’s biggest rival, Rotterdam, then Paris, back to Israel to Hapoel’s rival, Beitar, then Ramat Gan. 

By the 1980s he was caught for trafficking in heroin, and imprisoned in Israel.  After that, there are many more surprises in his life’s journey.

Wanted: Roni Kalderon (documentary, 92 minutes) is a well-developed film, with lots of twists and turns.  We encounter people from his past, including his Brazilian wife, his two brothers, and his soccer companions. We finally feel that we know this extraordinary, charming, and extremely popular character. 

On the other hand, we don’t know him at all – how can one really understand such an enigmatic fellow?  His story is puzzling, since we certainly can’t solve the mystery surrounding his disappearance.  You can’t help but wonder what caused a successful Israeli young man to go from being a popular soccer star to a big player on the international drug scene.  Was it money? Was it ego? Was it the world of temptations?

The film is available from Nahum Laufer at laufern@netvision.net.il

New Israeli Film, Kissufim, Now Available on Netflix

Kissufim 77, directed by Keren Nechmad, is a coming-of-age film, set in 1977, just when Sadat came to Jerusalem and extends his hand in peace. 

After their military service, the Kibbutz Kissufim Garin Nahal members return to the kibbutz for a few months of service. 

The kibbutz is located on the border with the Gaza strip and was violently attacked by Hamas terrorists on October 7^th, 2023.  22 persons were massacred including 6 Thai agricultural workers.  Four members of the kibbutz were taken hostage that day. Although the viewer cannot help but think about that terrible day while watching the film, the film was actually shot before October 7^th, but it is dedicated to the victims of the atrocities of that day.  In addition, the narrative takes place in 1977, so the film is actually a period piece – both in story and in style.

Yoav and Ron are friends, and are both vying for Eli’s attention.  Eli is still a virgin and is not so sure that she’s so interested.  Meanwhile, a bunch of German volunteers arrive to work on the kibbutz.  Add into that a bit of Israeli dancing, late night partying, and visits to the Gaza beach.  There is also one flashback to their army service, when all the guys were on a patrol, waiting on a hill for an enemy unit.  As the enemy passes by, Yoav decides not to engage.  Was he a coward or was it the right decision?

The young members of the group are given a number of rules – no fraternizing between boys and girls; no taking food out of the dining hall; no taking kibbutz vehicles off the kibbutz.  Needless to say, they succeed in breaking all the rules!  There is the inevitable pairing off, drinking, partying, jealousies and the dangers of living on a border kibbutz. 

Kissufim 77 is a film that takes us back to when kibbutzim were actually kibbutzim and there was hope that because peace with Egypt had arrived, perhaps we would be able to live in peace with our neighbors.

 

 

Highway 65 Premieres at the Jerusalem Film Festival

Highway 65 (כביש הסרגל) directed by Maya Dreifuss, is a captivating and forceful thriller.  It is a story of how one police detective, conscientious and persistent, can make a difference.  

Dafna is a police detective working in Afula in the Galilee.  She’s a quirky and compelling character, 41 years old, single and, as is so typical in Israel, she is often asked why she doesn’t have any children.  She’s quite assertive in her detecting manner, asking questions right to the point, not beating around the bush.  You might say she has a big mouth and often puts her foot in it!  This is what got her transferred from her police detective position in Tel Aviv and sent to Afula (a real demotion) where she is now working on petty crimes.

When an Arab teen is found with a cellphone that belongs to a local woman named Orly, Dafna is tasked with trying to locate her.   Orly, however, cannot be found.  She is a military widow and she has been living with her in-laws who are very important people in the local business scene.  The question becomes why hasn’t anyone reported her missing?  Dafna is bothered by the apparent indifference to Orly’s fate all around her.  All of this comes together to make this a case which should perhaps be handled with kid gloves.  But Dafna rushes ahead, haunted by how she identifies with the apparent victim, suspecting and butting heads with everyone.

At the Jerusalem Film Festival this week, Highway 65 won an Honorable Mention in the category of best Israeli feature film. According to the judges: “We were impressed by the courage it took, especially in this country, to turn a bereaved mother into a murderer. Sometimes, the very, non-glamorous local resonates and this film with its excellent cast, is both very local and universal.”

Highway 65 is distributed by MK2. 

Award for Best Israeli Feature Film at the Jerusalem Film Festival

Eid by Yousef Abu Madegem, and produced by Haggai Arad, Elad Peleg, Shlomi Elkabetz,Galit Cahlon, was the big prize-winner at the Jerusalem Film Festival, winning the Haggiag prize for best Israeli feature film!  Congratulations to the director and producers!

According to the judges:  The award was made due to the film’s “sensitive, completely mature, and authentic portrayal of the preservation of one’s own self-respect in a rigid environment bound by traditions in contradiction with painfully unfulfilled love, yet leading to reconciliation and forgiveness.”

Shadi Mar’i, in the main role, won the Anat Pirchi Award for Best Actor. According to the jury: “For a completely convincing portrayal of the main character, all his conflicting emotions, along with a sensitive understanding of his defiance, pain, and hope.” Congratulations!

Two Films about the Bedouin of the Northern Negev Premiere at the Jerusalem Film Festival

 I had the opportunity to see two extraordinary films about the Bedouin community of the northern Negev.  Eid by Yousef Abo Madegem, is a full-length feature film. Desert Laws, by Ilan Moskovitch and Dan Bronfeld, is a documentary.  I am proud to say that both films were funded (in part) by the Gesher Film Fund (of which I am a member and sit on the funding committee).

Eid, which is a debut feature film (90 minutes) by Yousef Abo Madegem, is the first Bedouin-made feature film in Israel.  The filmmaker studied film at Sapir College in Sderot and is a graduate of the Mandel leadership program.  In addition, I have a personal connection to him -- he is a graduate of a program that I initiated in 2008 that brought together Jewish and Arab young filmmakers, to participate in a two-part seminar: a coexistence seminar abroad (hosted by the International YMCA of Jerusalem and the YMCA of the USA) and a film seminar in Jerusalem (run by Gesher). The idea was to make connections across the divide within your own profession. I remember at that time that Abo Madegem made a big impression on me, talking about his growing up in the Bedouin community of Rahat and his experiences as a child in a family with two wives.  

After the world premiere screening at the Jerusalem Film Festival, Abo Madegem told the enthusiastic audience that he has 10 children and this film is his 11^th! He also explained that the story of the film is based on a true story that happened to his friend when he was young.  It is also interesting to note that the film stars Palestinian actors from the north of Israel who had to learn the special dialect and accent of the Bedouin.

The title of the film refers to the name of the main character of the film.  Eid is a young man who has experienced trauma in his life.  He was sexually assaulted when he was a child by someone close to the family, and no one has provided him with any sense of consolation, closure or even minimal understanding.  In addition, his father, who came from Gaza and is not a native-born Bedouin, sold land to the Jews, and therefore is considered a traitor in the community.  As a result, Eid is bullied by those around him.  Eid is educated and wants his wife to be educated also.  He writes lines for a play that he is dreaming of staging.  It is a play that would help him come to grips with his experiences.  When his parents announce that they have arranged a marriage agreement for him and his sister, he must figure out how to realize his dreams.

Eid, the film, is superb – it is lyrical in many ways, the acting is compelling and effective, the sets are minimalistic but the script holds the viewer and the film unfolds like a thriller.

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Desert Laws, directed by Ilan Moskovitch and Dan Bronfeld, is an anthropological portrait of a Bedouin elder, living in an unrecognized village at Tel Arad.  Farhan lives with his two wives and 13 of his children.  There are 300,000 Bedouin living in the Negev and one third of them live in villages which are not officially recognized by the State of Israel, which means that they are not hooked up to basic infrastructure, such as water and electricity.

Farhan is a respected elder of the Al-Nabari tribe, a mediator between the different factions of the tribe, and between tribes.  What he says goes.  This is the justice system of the traditional Bedouin. Today, there is terrible crime – armed robbery and an ongoing cycle of revenge murders – within the Bedouin society.  These are the types of crimes that he is dealing with in his verdicts and he takes his role and his responsibility very seriously.

We watch as Farhan, aided by his sons who span a wide range of ages, cares for his camels, slaughters sheep for the eid (the holiday at the end of Ramadan), and during Ramadan, we see them laying out a feast for the iftar dinner.  But most importantly, we are witness to how he deals with the clansmen and their contradictory claims and grievances.

The title of the film, refers to two sets of laws, not just the Bedouin law, but also the laws of the State of Israel.  Farhan lives in a reality in which the government can confiscate their land and evict them from their homes. Although his family has been living in Tel Arad since 1952 when the military governor moved them to this site, now, the Israel Lands Authority has decided to evict them.  Farhan decides to fight this unfair and ironic decision of the government.

Desert Laws is a hard-hitting portrait (documentary, 80 minutes) of one man, his leadership in his community, his work with his sons on his land, his work as an arbitrator within the community, and his terrible plight vis-à-vis the Israeli government.