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May 23, 2003
Israeli women and film
VJFF speaker looks at what movies say about society.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
From tillers and defenders of the land to widows and girlfriends
to quirky individuals. In a nutshell, this describes the development
of the depiction of Israeli women in film over the last 50 years.
And it is on this topic that Amy Kronish will speak as part of this
year's Vancouver Jewish Film Festival.
Kronish served for 15 years as the curator of Jewish and Israeli
film at the Jerusalem Cinematheque. Currently, she is a freelancer
in the field of Jewish and Israeli film, curating film festivals,
writing articles for numerous publications and lecturing to various
groups. She teaches at Hebrew University and has written two books:
World Cinema – Israel, which was published in 1996,
and Israeli Film – A Reference Guide, co-authored with
Costel Safirman, head of information services at the Jerusalem Cinamatheque,
which is due out next month.
"I don't really do film criticism per se, I'm not so interested
in that," Kronish told the Bulletin in a phone interview. "I'm
more interested in what film reflects and what trends you see in
a society and changing images and what you can say therefore as
a result of that. And I think that Israeli film does that in a big
way from the point of view of providing us with a window into what's
going on in Israel."
Kronish points to the mid-'90s as the time when the Israeli film
industry began to flourish and become "accepted as having an
artistic cinematic expression." She attributes this development
to the peace process and the good economic situation of the period.
"The government was pouring more money into the arts and cinema
was really beginning to develop and we were being seen in international
festivals in a big way," she said. "And it's really quite
exciting to see how many good films have been made in Israel in
the past 10 years. There are certainly two, three or four a year,
which is a lot for us because it didn't used to be that good. We've
made a lot of bad films."
As an example of the "exciting changes" that Kronish feels
have taken place in recent years is the prize-winning film Time
of Favor, which uses a female voice to make the criticism of
the settler movement.
"I think that's very important," said Kronish, "because
perhaps the male settlers can't be seen that way, because they're
seen as more militaristic and more ideological. But using a female
voice to criticize some within the settler movement [in] a film
made by a fellow himself who has roots in the West Bank, kind of
growing up modern Orthodox, and he chooses to make a film [using]
a woman as his voice is a wonderful development."
Kronish said that "gender issues in general are fascinating
in Israeli film because of male chauvinism," adding that women
in general have been portrayed as marginal characters "and
certainly there are an awful lot of films that portray women as
widows or as mothers or girlfriends who wait, stay behind, when
the loved one goes off to fight the battle."
Only in recent years, said Kronish, have we begun to see some in-depth
portrayals of very quirky and diversified women, where the films
are about women and that's the main thing about the film.
"In other words," she said, "it's not about the social
issues of the state of Israel, it's not about the complex identity
questions. It's just a film about women. I think it's a tremendous
step forward."
Kronish's May 26 lecture, Israeli Women on Film, starts at 7 p.m.
It takes place in the Norman Rothstein Theatre.
Where wild ideas dance
What do you get when you mix the improvisations of an avant-garde
dance troupe with the visions of the author of Where the Wild
Things Are? The American documentary Last Dance gives
viewers a glimpse of the eery, yet entertaining, result of a collaborative
effort between the Pilobolus dance company and Maurice Sendak's
Night Kitchen Theatre.
A combination of archival footage, live interviews and a "front-row
seat" at brainstorming meetings and rehearsals, Last Dance
reveals the creative process in action. At times confrontational,
the innovative directors and dancers of Pilobolus work with Sendak
and his theatre partner Arthur Yorinks to create A Selection,
a Holocaust-based performance. Sendak comes up with the words and
drawings behind the story while the dancers, through months of improv,
come up with the movements that communicate his ideas.
Sendak is quite candid in this 84-minute documentary. He admits
to being a grumpy person except when engaged in artistic endeavors.
He shares the story of a near-death experience he had when he was
a child. And he talks about the impact that the Holocaust has had
on his entire life.
There is only a certain type of story that he is able to tell, says
Sendak, given that he was born in the 1920s, lived through the Second
World War and is a first-generation Jew in America.
"It's kind of fiery passion and devotion to Judaism,"
he explains. "It's loyalty to my parents, it's loyalty to all
the dead relatives, especially to the children who would have been
my age now and would have had lives of their own [if not for the
Holocaust]."
Last Dance is at Pacific Cinémathèque Monday,
May 26, 7 p.m. Viewers should be aware that the film contains some
swearing and nudity.
Kindness of neighbors
Larry Selman is lucky to have $10 a month to spend on himself, after
paying for rent, food and other necessities. Yet he raises more
than $3,000 a year for various charities. His efforts and his kindesses
do not go unnoticed or unappreciated. When the mentally challenged
Selman finds himself depressed and suicidal, his neighbors and friends
come to his aid.
This is the fragment of Selman's life that is depicted in the documentary
The Collector of Bedford Street. Director Alice Elliott takes
a matter-of-fact approach to Selman's plight. She avoids the potential
for over-sentimentality and simply, through interviews with Selman
and his neighbors, tells the story of how one man's efforts to make
the world a better place inspired others to do the same.
The Collector of Bedford Street was nominated for the 2003 Academy
Award for best short documentary. It screens at the Norman Rothstein
Theatre Tuesday, May 27, 7 p.m. It is preceded by Power of Balance.
In Hebrew with English subtitles, the Israeli documentary focuses
on choreographer Adam Benjamin as he creates a work for professional
and disabled dancers.
Romance in the army
Yossi and Jagger are in love, but can tell no one. Yaeli wants to
ask Jagger out, but hasn't worked up the courage yet. Ophir loves
Yaeli and is jealous of her affection for Jagger. Yoel is having
an affair with Goldie. A soap opera? In Yossi and Jagger,
this is just a day in the life of Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers.
Situated on the Israeli-Lebanese border, the remote army base of
Havalzelet provides a run down, cramped and sparse living space.
In such close and isolated quarters, and with the constant threat
of violence, emotions run high and near the surface. The atmosphere
is sexually charged, the humor often dark and the morale hard to
keep up.
Yossi is the commander of the base. He is already involved with
Jagger when the film begins. The only time they have a chance to
be intimate is when they are out on patrol together. They keep their
relationship a secret, the reason for which is made clear in one
meal time conversation at the base – the term "faggot"
is used several times in reference to cowards and laggards.
In addition to the main love story, there are other relationships
touched upon in Yossi and Jagger. Yoel, a married commanding
officer, is overtly having an affair with Goldie, who flirts with
every male soldier, much to Yoel's consternation. Her friend, Yaeli,
is more discerning, wanting to only sleep with men she loves, much
to Ophir's consternation.
At 65 minutes, Yossi and Jagger is engaging. It could have
easily been a half an hour longer. For example, it would have be
nice to witness the beginning of Yossi and Jagger's relationship,
to know how these two men managed to meet and forge such a deep
bond in such an inhospitable environment.
In Hebrew with English subtitles, Yossi and Jagger screens
at Pacific Cinémathèque Tuesday, May 27, 9:15 p.m.
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