Carmel
Israel, France, Italy / 2009 / 93 min.
Director: Amos GITAI
[Introduction]
The film begins in the 1st Century A.D.during the Judean War when the Roman Empire captured the jewish people of Jerusalem.Proceeding consecutive scenes of battles accompanied by a recital of "The Wars of the Jews" by Jeanne MOREAU, the scene shifts to a modern day military camp of the Israeli Army, and GITAI himself, concerned about a son serving in the military, appears. Afterward, the film's focus become the story of GITAI's mother told by blending drama and real imagery with the reading of letters. Transcending the boundary of documentary and fiction,"Carmel," freely moves about time from antiquity to the present day; it is a tour de force which marvelously links the history of the Jews with that of an individual.
Born in 1950 in Haifa, Israel. Began making 8mm films independently in 1973 while studying architecture in university. From 1977 onward, made documentaries for ITV, the Israeli state-run television station. In 1982, the controversy over his work "Field Diary" caused him to leave Israel and relocate to Paris. "Esther" (85) was GITAI's first feature-length directorial effort. He returned to Israel in 1993. His filmography includes: "Berlin-Jeruselem" (89), "Yom Yom (Day After Day)" (98), "Kippur" (00), "Kedma" (02), "Free Zone" (05), "Disengagement" (07), among others. Following London, New York, Moscow, Paris, and others, an extensive special screening of his works was also held at Tokyo in 2010, and extending into 2011.
