Israeli cinema
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Israel-Hamas conflict impacts BerlinaleGaza war sparks tensions
The Berlin International Film Festival is no stranger to politics. The Middle East conflict was bound to cause debates and protests this year
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Israeli documentary "1948 – Remember, Remember Not"The perspectives of others
For the first time, a new feature-length Israeli documentary shows the war of 1948 from the viewpoint of several parties involved in the conflict. The director has garnered praise in Israel, but also some fierce criticism. It is unclear whether the film will even be shown on the state TV channel that commissioned it. By Joseph Croitoru
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Culture funding in IsraelFilmmakers fear censorship
In recent weeks, Israel has seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets to protest against the new ultra-right government's political agenda. Filmmakers tackling sensitive issues such as Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories are likely to be first affected by proposed cuts in cultural funding. By Joseph Croitoru
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Avi Mograbi's documentary "The First 54 Years"A "manual for the occupation"
In his latest documentary, "The First 54 Years", Israeli director Avi Mograbi demonstrates how catastrophic and traumatising the occupation has been, not only for Palestinians, but also for Israeli society at large. Rene Wildangel reports on the film for Qantara.de
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Interview with film director Samuel MaozIsraeli "Foxtrot" pulls no punches
Award-winning filmmaker Samuel Maoz shares the personal story behind his latest film, Foxtrot, and why his allegory of Israeli society has made him an enemy to many in his home country. Interview by Sarah Judith Hofmann
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Udi Aloni′s ″Junction 48″Other or brother?
The winner of the Audience Award at last year′s Berlinale film festival is a story from Lod — or Ludd, as it′s pronounced in Arabic — a small town with a mixed Jewish-Arab population just a few kilometres away from Tel-Aviv, where Kareem and his girlfriend Manar use music to fight both the discrimination by the State of Israel and the violent patriarchal conservatism in their own community. Daniel Tkatch caught up with its director, Udi Aloni
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Film review: "Dancing Arabs" by Eran RiklisDancing at two weddings
In his film "Dancing Arabs", Israeli director Eran Riklis presents us with a subtly nuanced study of social exclusion and the snares of cultural assimilation. In contrast to his previous works, however, Riklis has this time steered clear of any folklorisation of his Palestinian subjects and delivered a work that is utterly devoid of pretentiousness. By Viola Shafik
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Interview with Israeli filmmaker Mor Loushy"I am ultimately fighting for a better future in my homeland"
Mor Loushy's moving documentary "Censored Voices" is based on the Israeli book "The Seventh Day" (Hebrew: Siach Lochamim), in which soldiers who fought in the Six Day War in 1967 talk about their personal experiences and intimate feelings. The interviews were conducted only days after the conflict by writers, including a young Amos Oz and the editor and publisher Avraham Shapira, who were, like the soldiers, Kibbutz members at the time. They wanted to understand the grief of the soldiers, grief that had been drowned out by the victory parades. Igal Avidan spoke to the director
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Documentary: "The Green Prince"A friendship that inspires hope
Green is the colour of Hamas. The documentary "The Green Prince" tells the story of a Palestinian who turned informer and worked for the Israeli secret service for years. Igal Avidan watched the film and spoke to its director, Nadav Schirman
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Israeli cinema: "Bethlehem"Beloved enemy
The friendship between an Israeli intelligence officer and his Palestinian informant makes for an explosive subject. Film director Yuval Adler takes up the theme in his gripping thriller "Bethlehem". Annabelle Steffes watched the film
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Yotam Feldman's Documentary "The Lab"Palestinians as Guinea Pigs?
Is the Middle East conflict one of the fundaments of the successful Israeli weapons industry? This is the question posed by director Yotam Feldman in his film "The Lab" – which reveals some surprising connections. By Kersten Knipp