Fast Forward 2017 / Projections:
14. 12. 2017 / 20:15h / KIC – Dodest Scene / Podgorica
Samuel Maoz, Israel, Germany, France, Switzerland, 2017, 113′
Director: Samuel Maoz
Screenplay: Samuel Maoz
Director of photography: Giora Bejach
Editors: Arik Lahav Leibovich, Guy Nemesh
Music: Ophir Leibovitch, Amit Poznanky
Sound: Sam Cohen, Ansgar Frerich, Alex Claude
Costume designer: Hila Bargiel
Production designer: Arad Sawat
Special effects: Jean-Michel Boublil
Producer: Igor Mitrović
Cast: Lior Ashkenazi, Sarah Adler, Yonatan Shiray
Synopsis
When military representatives ring their bell with news of their son’s demise, Michael and Daphna collapse under utter desperation. Trite condolences and empty patriotic phrases of the military bureaucrats only aggravate the situation. While Daphna turns to sedatives for solace, Michael falls into a pit of rage, but then experiences something so surprising and unlikely that it’s almost like his son’s surreal military experience. Structured as three stylistically different parts, Foxtrot shows the intensity and absurdity of the culture of militarism from several perspectives. Alternatingly emotional and ironic with biting humour, this bold and visually impressive film was nominated for the Silver Lion Award in Venice. Israel’s Academy Award entry for this year.
About the author
Samuel (Shmuel) Maoz was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. At the age of 20, he was a gunner in one of the first Israeli tanks to enter Lebanon in the 1982 Lebanon War. After the war, he trained as a cameraman at the Beit Zvi theater school, and did art direction in film and TV productions. As a director, Maoz was associated with the production of documentary films, directing the ARTE production Total Eclipse (2000) with Yevgenya Dodina. In 2007, Maoz began working on Lebanon, his first feature film. The script, based on Maoz’s personal experiences, describes the traumatic experiences of a four-man Israeli tank crew in a Lebanese village early in the war. At the end of July 2009, Maoz received an invitation to the competition of the 66th Venice Film Festival, where he won the Golden Lion after having had been rejected at the Berlinand the Cannes film festivals. Lebanon was praised as one of the most compelling competition entries. That same year the film was nominated for the Ophir, Israel’s national film awards, in ten categories.
Festivals and awards
Israel’s official candidate for a Best Foreign Language Oscar
Venice Film Festival (Italy), Silver Lion award
Athens International Film Festival (Greece), City of Athens Award for Best Director
Awards of the Israeli Film Academy (Israel), award of the Israeli Film Academy for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematograph, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Music, Best Sound / Nominated for Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Casting, Best Costume design, Best makeup