Happy 70th Birthday, Amos Gitai! Born today in 1950 as Amos Weinraub, this Israeli author and filmmaker is known for his controversial films focusing on the conflicts of his country from a mostly liberal perspective.
Gitai enrolled and studied at for a degree in Architecture from the public research university Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) in Haifa. Afterwards, he studied for a PhD in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.
In 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, Gitai had to interrupt his architecture studies as he was called up to reserve service as part of a helicopter rescue crew.
While serving, Gitai shot 8mm footage of the fighting, claiming this served as his entry into the world of filmmaking.
After a near-death experience on a rescue mission, he was impelled to undertake filmmaking. He started his career in France, producing a number of short films and documentaries
Seven years later, Gitai directed his first feature-length documentary. This was the fifty-one-minute 1980 Israeli documentary film 'Bayit' ('House').
However, the television rejected the film, and the documentary (originally shot in 16mm) only exists today copied from a VHS tape he managed to secure. The tape has since traveled on few international festivals and quickly earned a reputation for Gitai.
His third documentary, the 1982 Israeli/French documentary film 'Yoman Sadeh' ('Field Diary'), shot in that same year, was also rejected by the Israeli Television who originally commissioned it.
It was commissioned by Israel's public television, and told about the struggles of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Soon after, the documentary was banned in Israel.
This time, Gitai moved to France with the negative of the film and completed it in France. For the next ten years, he based himself in Europe.
While in Europe, Gitai directed his first feature. This was the independent 1986 Austrian/Israeli/British underground historical experimental drama art film 'Esther. It was based on the book of the same name in the Holy Bible. The film is spoken in Hebrew.
In the late 1980s to early 1990s, Gitai turned out two celebrated features. The first was the 1989 Israeli/Dutch/Italian/French/British drama/political drama film Berlin-Yerushalaim' ('Berlin-Jerusalem').
The second was the 1992 German/Dutch/British/French/Italian drama film 'Golem: l'spirit de l'exil '(Golem: The Spirit of the Exile').
Afterwards, Gitai returned to his birthplace in Haifa, but his films remained controversial.
His 1999 Israeli/French romance/drama film 'Kadosh' examined the role of religion in Israeli society, upon release, it was lambasted at his country. However, it won recognition for Gitai and Israeli cinema outside of Israel.
The following year, Gitai made the film of which he is best known for co-writing, co-producing, and directing. This was the 2000 Israeli/French war/drama film 'Kippur'.
The feature is a first-hand witness to the Yom Kippur War, set on October 6, 1973. in which troops from Egypt and Syria chose one of the holiest days of the Jewish calendar to launch a surprise attack on Israel.
This short but bloody conflict is seen through the eyes of a student who has been instructed to join a special military unit on the Golan Heights shortly after the fighting begins, but they are thrown in an emergency medical team.
'Kippur', a largely autobiographical piece about experience in the Yom Kippur war, was less contentious. It even brought praise from some Israeli film critics for its unexaggerated approach.
Later. Gitai received a Best Director nomination from the Awards of the Israeli Film Academy.
His films have also been nominated for Golden Palm awards at the Cannes Film Festival on four occasions. The trademark in Gatai's films include one-word titles.
Most recently, one of his films was nominated at the 58th Cannes Film Festival, being his 2005 Israeli/Belgian/French/Spain drama/comedy film 'Free Zone'.
While at the event, Gitai was a nominee for the Palme d'Or. However, the film won for Best Actress (Hana Laslo).
Over time, Gitai's work has been presented in several major retrospectives in Pompidou Center Paris, the Museum of Modern Art New York, Lincoln Center New York, and the British Film Institute London.
In the mid-2000s, Gitai served as a member of the jury at t the 62nd Venice Film Festival in 2005.
A former architecture student who turned to filmmaking following a harrowing near-death experience, Gitai entered the world of film as a documentarian and gradually gravitated toward more fictional celluloid subjects.
His sometimes-controversial works often strive to make sense of the endless cycle of violence in the Middle East, and his acute sense of social conscience often bleeds through even into his fictional works.
Gitai has been active from 1973–present.
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