‘Disengagement’, by Amos Gitai
AN ACT OF MACARTHISM AGAINST AMOS GITAI IN ISRAEL
The Israel Broadcasting Authority` decided against providing financial backing for `Disengagement,` Amos Gitai`s new feature film, under the pretext that `he is not an Israeli filmmaker.` In response, Gitai called on the committee members to inquire with the Syrians, who fired at him in the Yom Kippur War, as to his national identity. Starring Juliette Binoche, the film will open the Haifa Film Festival.This article was originally published by Merav Yudilovitch in ‘Israel Culture’ (08.29.07).
Amos Gitai is, without doubt, the person who opened the door for Israeli cinema to such respectable venues as the prestigious film festivals of Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. Although highly acclaimed internationally, Gitai`s work creates antagonism in Israel, but so far no one ever doubted his Israeli identity. This status changed last week when the TV committee of the Israel Broadcasting Authority unanimously rejected a request to financially support "Disengagement," going back on a previous agreement.
Several months ago, IBA director-general Moti Shklar made an offer in writing to the head of United Studios, Moshe Edri, in which he stated: "I intend to support the Israeli film industry and to present the IBA institutions with your request to aid `Disengagement` with up to 0,000. According to our prior agreement, in return for this aid, the film will be aired on Channel 1 and, in addition, the IBA will receive the rights to broadcast all the movies that director Amos Gitai has produced so far."
In his letter, Shklar clarified that, according to procedure, the above agreement requires the approval of the IBA institutions, and that only after it is approved, can the deal go officially forward. Last Thursday, the issue was presented before the IBA TV Committee, which unanimously rejected the entire deal.
Speaking to Ynet, committee member Dorit Inbar said that, among other reasons Gitai was rejected because, "he is not an Israeli artist; that is, according to information we have, he does not live here."
Hearing the news, Gitai - who spends his time in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Paris - was speechless for a while. "This is a simple act of McCarthyism," he said. "I live in Israel, I served in the army, and so did my children, and now I have to obtain a kosher stamp from them? I find myself on the same bench with Eyal Sivan and, though I do not identify with him, it appears that they are branding an increasing number of people like that. How far will this go?"
When asked about the fact that Gitai resides and works in Israel, Inbar stressed: "The committee totally accepted the claim that he does not reside or create in Israel. There are many Israeli filmmakers who badly need our funding. The IBA is an Israeli authority and it should be assisting a wide variety of Israeli artists instead of aiding a single person who does not work in Israel, which is common knowledge. What film did he make in Israel?"
Israeli only abroad
Gitai, who was often battered and bruised by Israeli media, critics, and film funds, was furious but mostly hurt. Speaking to Ynet, he stressed that the films that were offered as a package to the IBA were shot and edited in Israel.
"I know for a fact that he produces most of his films outside Israel," Inbar insisted. "I am sure he shoots them in Israel too, but the main bulk of his work is not done in Israeli studios or cutting rooms, nor does it rely on the local industry. The committee members share this view."
The films that were offered to the IBA as part of this package deal with Gitai included "Kippur," filmed entirely on the Golan Heights; "Yom Yom," that was shot in Haifa; "Kadosh," that was shot in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; "Alila," shot in Tel Aviv; and "Kedma" that was shot on a location near Bet Govrin. "Disengagement" was also shot in part in Israel, with a local cast and production team.
According to Gitai, just a brief look at his movies should be enough to ascertain their national identity, and all of them were edited in Israel, he said.
"It makes me sick, this entire Israeli-not-Israeli business. It is disgusting," he said, listing the prizes he was given in appreciation by the Israeli film industry.
"In all modesty, I believe I made quite a contribution to the status of the Israeli film industry worldwide. In the outside world, I have always been introduced as an Israeli, but Rommema (IBA offices) has not heard the news yet," he said, adding somberly: "I feel that there has been a very rapid deterioration in the reasonable norms with which films and artworks are discussed in Israel. The way culture is treated on the whole has been greatly put down."
It seems that not only you are not appreciated here, but also your critics are denying you are even from here.
"What can I say? I was Israeli enough for the Syrians, who fired at the jet I was on in the Yom Kippur War, but it seems that Dorit Inbar has not yet received an update on this. Perhaps she should inquire with the Syrian intelligence as to my nationality."
It is not politics
Gitai is certain that the decision to reject the deal is associated with his political views, but Inbar strongly denied that. "Gitai`s political views were never the issue. A side remark was made that his works are controversial, but not in the political context."
She claimed that what tipped the scales for the committee was the price of the deal - 0,000. "This is an unreasonable sum to give just one artist. It could pay for five films," she said, stressing: "As chairperson of the Cables and Satellite Council, I forced `Hot Cables` to invest no less than NIS 200,000 and no more than NIS 400,000 per film, and they pledged to produce 12 films a year."
Gitai reacted to that saying, "It is interesting that Keshet allocated 0,000 for `Beaufort` (presented in Berlin Film Festival this year) and I just saw a report today that they are investing NIS 3.5 million in 10 documentary projects, whose budgets are far lower than feature films."
In a further reaction, the IBA said: "The IBA management was indeed interested in broadcasting the bulk of Gitai`s films, but it stressed that this must be approved by the IBA institutions.
"The TV committee, which discussed the issue, decided unanimously against the deal, for a variety of reasons, one of which was its dire financial state. Committee members claimed that, however good its intentions may be, times are hard and the IBA is on the verge of collapse, and cannot afford to support other bodies - namely, the film industry.
"In addition, certain committee members maintained that they should not select a single director, and that if aid is to be extended, it should follow certain criteria, and others artists should be allowed to present their work. Gitai`s political stands had absolutely no bearing on the decision against the deal."
It should be stressed that "Disengagement" - Gitai`s new film, starring Liron Levo and Juliette Binoche - will be screened at the international film festivals of Venice and Toronto under the prestigious framework of The Masters, which will carry films by leading directors such as Woody Allen, Manoel de Oliveira, Takeshi Kitano, Ken Loach, and Sean Penn. Gitai`s film will also be screened at the gala of the Haifa International Film festival, which will be the first time that an Israeli film is screened at the opening night of this most important venue for the Israeli industry.
Gitai`s new film tells the story of a meeting between a young Israeli man (Levo) and his sister (Binoche) who lives in France with their father. While Israel is dealing with the process of disengagement from the Gush Katif, the two rediscover each other. The film also features Jeanne Moreau, Dana Ivgi, Uri Klauzner, and Israel Katorza.