Sipur Ahava Eretz-Israeli

Before the Canada-premiere screening of An Israeli Love Story here in Toronto, the director Dan Wolman emphasized to the audience that his film is a love story primarily, and after the film during the QA session - when someone asked a politically-charged question - Mr. Wolman would not go there, stressing again that his film is a love story. Some may have seen that as a cop out, as the setting of this love story is around the time when the State of Israel was established, in an area where there were sometimes-hostile neighbours who regularly made their presence known. But I stand behind Mr. Wolman 100% - it is a love story above all, with a backdrop that just happens to be politically and culturally exciting. As Mr. Wolman also pointed out before the film, this love story could have happened anywhere in the world, meaning that it possesses many elements of a classic love story, for example, girl becomes infatuated with guy, and they at long last unite but there are big bumps in the road. OK, it occurs in volatile Mandatory Palestine, and sure that plays a role in directing the course of the love story. But what epic love story isn't fraught with tumult, and when are young lovers not vulnerable to the whirlwinds.

What was especially fascinating to me about the love story was that even though the couple were Israeli, and even though they were neighbours, that one was brought up on a kibbutz and the other on a moshav created overwhelming differences in the young couple that love would conquer or not, but it would be a challenge. Another classic love story element - when the honeymoon period ends with dissimilarity rearing its ugly head.

I saw An Israeli Love Story with an Israeli-Canadian who hasn't been back to Israel for a while, and she was thrilled nostalgically by the film. She marveled at how authentic it was, from the way people talked to how they lived to the food they were eating. Israel is so different now, she said, but she thought the film captured the soul of Israel in addition to being effective as a period piece, bringing the Israel of another era to life in 2016 despite having been made on a shoestring budget.

An Israeli Love Story was composed with a lot of love - passionately and skillfully made, and passionately and skillfully acted. Bravo to everyone involved.

At one point the heroine asks an actor to sign her album, and he remarks that it's a beautiful album-- which is an apt way to describe this movie. The movie is based on the true memories of one woman, from the hard days of pre-state Israel. It originated as a monodrama, and the story is very much from the woman's point of view. She wants to marry a member of a kibbutz-- a community where everyone votes on everyone else's budget, housing, and so on-- and she complains that she wants to be with him but not with everybody else. The movie too pushes everybody else a bit to the side; the performance of the lead actress, who had already played the part on the stage for years, compensates for the sketchiness of the other characters. And there is also a continual, appealing picture-album of period settings in 1940s Galilee, with pleasant music that provides relief from the sometimes grim happenings. Even in Israel (as the original author remarked at a pre-release screening) young people don't connect with this history of blood, sweat, and tears; and here we have an effective reminder, or an attractive introduction for those who need one.

Director Wolman has made many films in various genres but is little known in the United States, a great pity. This project started when Wolman was approached by by Pnina Gary, who'd written a monodrama about a relationship she had during the period before and after Israel became a state. The play was very successful, performed in various countries in different languages.

The film fills out the story with other characters and insights into Arab-Jewish relations during that period.

Wolman is definitely an actor's director, in that the acting is quite natural and the film feels relaxed and very real. a beautiful journey. Adi Bielski still performs in the stage version playing multiple characters, but on film she registers complex emotions which almost allows the audience to read her mind. This is nothing short of a brilliant performance, and thanks to her and her co-stars, makes this old story new again. It also has an excellent soundtracks, fully utilizing surround to envelop us. I saw this in a large theatre with an excellent sound system, and it simply came alive.

Wolman himself introduced this film at the Rutgers Jewish Film Festival this year, and answered questions. He has been honored all over the world for his work. Amazon Prime has a few of his movies available, and I hope more get into circulation in this country.

At this writing, the director is working on two projects. I can't wait to see them.