Israeli movie premier in Melbourne
NIF Australia will host Melbourne’s first screening of the Israeli film Foxtrot, winner of eight ‘Ophirs’ at Israel’s Film Awards, including Best Film, Director and Actor. Foxtrot also won the Silver Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
Foxtrot has garnered widespread praise for its unforgettable story which weaves three interconnected narratives into an overarching tale of love and loss, mixing comedy and tragedy in a wholly unique way.
The sophomore feature film from director Samuel Maoz (2009’s Golden Lion winner Lebanon) and Israel’s official Oscar candidate, Foxtrot is a visually bold and emotionally powerful exploration of war, grief and family which unfolds following the death of a young Israeli soldier.
The film also explores the complicated lives of IDF soldiers at a remote West Bank checkpoint.
“Foxtrot is a quintessentially Israeli film: harrowing, funny, intense and not to be missed. Maoz’s exploration of an Israeli family’s grief, as well as the monotonous – and dangerous – daily efforts of soldiers in the West Bank, provides a deep and unique insight into Israeli society, and Israel’s now 51-year occupation of the Palestinian territories,” said NIF Australia executive director Liam Getreu.
The film courted controversy with Israel’s Culture Minister Miri Regev boycotting the opening of Paris’s Israel Film Festival because Foxtrot was to be screened. Regev has reportedly refused to see the film.
Times of Israel editor David Horovitz addressed Regev, imploring her to see the film, and wrote: “This is not an outsiders’ work of Israel-bashing. It is an insider’s anguished, passionate, perceptive production — so powerfully resonant, for Israelis.”
Since the film’s release, Israelis have continued to have a passionate debate about freedom of speech and government intervention in artistic expression and the film industry.
After the screening, NIF Australia is hosting a Q+A with film critic Jan Epstein, during which the audience will explore the themes raised by the film, as well as understanding more about the debate in Israel around the film.
The screening will take place at 7:00pm on Thursday 24 May at the Classic Cinema in Melbourne. Tickets are available at www.nif.org.au/foxtrot_melbourne.
