It’s springtime in Los Angeles, which means raising the curtain on the 26th Israel Film Festival, this year displaying a colorful palette of more than 30 feature movies, documentaries, TV shows and student shorts.
\”Footnote” failed to win Israel’s first Academy Award, coming up short in the best foreign-language film category.
In his latest film, Israeli writer-director Joseph Cedar has created a drama of personal controversy. He explores spirit, resilience and responsibility. “Footnote” tells the story of a father, embittered by his life and angered by the success of his son. That son, though publicly applauded, is in turn challenged by the not-fully-formed third generation—his son.
As their nations warn of war, the Israeli and Iranian directors facing off at next week\’s Academy Awards share a reluctance to see politics read into their movies, both of which are portraits of troubled families. Joseph Cedar, director of Israel\’s \”Footnote,\” and Asghar Farhadi, maker of Iran\’s \”A Separation,\” stress that their works are about human issues and not conflicted governments that seem to be slipping into ever deeper diplomatic isolation.
In December 2009, Avi Nir, the chief executive of one of Israel’s largest broadcasting and production companies, invited the Hollywood agent Rick Rosen to spend a day at Keshet’s Tel Aviv office.
Joseph Cedar’s “Footnote,” Israel’s entry in the Oscar sweepstakes for best foreign-language film, has jumped the first major hurdle by making the shortlist of nine semi-finalists.
Joseph Cedar has made four movies during his 11-year career, and the first three have represented Israel in the Oscar races for Best Foreign-Language film.
Israeli director Joseph Cedars won the best screenplay award at the Cannes film festival for his movie \”Footnote.\”
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