Amos Gitai - Film Career

Film Career

Gitai began his career directing documentaries. In 1979 he directed his first full-length Israeli film, Home (1979). The film was rejected by the only television channel in Israel, however, it was screened at the Berlin and the Rotterdam International Film Festivals. His next film, Field Diary (1982), which takes a critical look at the Lebanon War, was rejected also. This led to Gitai leaving Israel for France, where he would continue his career for the next decade. While in France, Gitai directed a series of fiction films such as Esther, Golem, and The Spirit of Exile. He also directed Berlin-Jerusalem (1989) in this period; the film was based on the biographies of the German expressionist poet, Else Lasker-Schüler, and the Russian Zionist, Mania Shohat, and their respective itineraries towards the mythical Jerusalem of the 1930s. The film represented Israel in Venice Festival Film.

In 1993, after Yitzhak Rabin's victory in the elections and the Oslo Accords, Gitati returned to Israel and continued his career.

Kadosh (2000) was criticized in Israel for its anti-religious themes and proved a success overseas; earning a score of 70/100 on review aggregator Metacritic, denoting "Generally favourable" reviews; and an 89% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Kippur (2000) was Israel's first large-scale cinematic depiction of the considerably difficult and traumatic Yom Kippur War of 1973. Critics praised its absence of sensationalism and its unsentimental depiction of war. Negative criticism was concentrated on such details as the absence burnt tanks in the battlefield, that the Syrian soldiers are not seen at all, and the repetition of a shot of a ruined mosque used throughout the film. The film received positive acclaim, gaining a score of 75 on review aggregator Metacritic and a 79% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Kedma (2001) was a retelling of Israel's War of Independence, in which Gitai sought to revise what he saw as many of the myths surrounding Israel's creation. It received mostly negative reviews: earning a score of 36 on Metacritic and a 31% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It went largely ignored in his native country.

Alila (2002) is a tragicomedy set in a Tel Aviv apartment house, featuring an Altman-esque array of characters and an all-star Israeli cast. It received mixed to negative reviews, with a score of 57 on Metacritic and a 41% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In recent years, Gitai has directed Promised Land (2004) about the trafficking of women in Israel and Free Zone (2005) with Israeli-American star Natalie Portman. Although the latter won the Best Actress Award at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival for Israeli actress Hanna Laslo, it was not well received critically. The film was given a score of 51 on Metacritic and a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 26% "rotten."

In his film Disengagement (2007), Gitai brings together a young Israeli man (Liron Levo) and his sister (Juliette Binoche) who lives in France with their father; they rediscover each other at the same time Israel is disengaging from Gush Katif. The cast includes Jeanne Moreau, Barbara Hendricks, Dana Ivgy, Uri Klausner, Israel Katorza and others. The film completes the Border Trilogy, with Promised Land and Free Zone.

One day you'll understand (Plus tard tu comprendras) (2008) is the story of a French writer tracing the story of his Jewish mother (Jeanne Moreau) and her family during World War II. The film is based on an autobiographical book by Jerome Clement, president of the Arte television channel and one of the leading figures of French culture. The film was relatively well received, receiving a score of 65% "fresh" from Rotten Tomatoes.

Carmel (2009) was based on Gitai's personal memories and combines extracts from the diary and letters of Gitai's mother, Efratia (1909–2004), with interviews of family members. All the Gitai family members (Efratia, Keren, Ben, Rivka and Amos) participated in the film as well as actors Keren Mor, Makram Khoury and Hillel Lusky. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a weighted average score of 40% "rotten," indicating an unfavourable reception.

Roses à crédit (2010) is an adaptation of the novel by Elsa Triolet and takes a look at the materialist, post-war world of the French lower middle-class. The film shot entirely in France.

Gitai's films are not always popular with Israeli audiences; Kadosh and Kippur were well received, but his other films have not always found an audience. Some Israeli critics see Gitai's style as too "European" for Israel, and Village Voice critics called him "the Israeli nouvelle vague." Indeed, Gitai's films are considerably more popular in Europe whereas he is still somewhat of an outsider on the Israeli scene. Some Israeli critics also claim that Gitai's presentation of Israeli reality is often too simplistic for the Israeli audience and that it is an aspect of his films that non-Israeli audiences might take at face value.

To date Amos Gitai has created over 80 titles throughout 38 years. In 2008 Amos Gitai receives the Leopard of Honor at Locarno International Film Festival. This life-achievement award is offered in recognition of the work of renowned directors whose creativity has had an unquestionable impact on contemporary cinema.