The Israeli director Samuel Maoz delighted Venice with his latest film "FOXTROT" and it will be special accent in 22nd Sofia Film Fest's programme
With the Grand Jury Prize Silver Lion and two more prizes from Venice 2017, with eight Israeli film academy awards and huge cheers from dozens of film forums all over the world, "Foxtrot" was the Israeli entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. Its first meeting with the Bulgarian audience will be in March
22nd Sofia Film Fest will offer a special program "FOCUS ISRAEL" - expect details soon!
When one author wins a Golden Lion with his debut film, it does not matter when he will be able to make his next work - it will always be the subject of special attention from the film world. Eight years after the frenzy that he provoked with "Lebanon", the Israeli director Samuel Maoz presented his second feature film "Foxtrot" in Venice. Once again he conquered the jury, which awarded him with a Silver Lion Grand Prix. The story of a family mourning their son who died during his service in the Israeli Defense Forces generated political controversy, despite that the film was chosen as the Israeli entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards. Bold and thrilling Maoz's story leaves without words all prestigious cinema editions in the world, most of which give him the most highest ratings.
Michael and Daphna are struck by terrible anguish when army officers appear at their door with a message of the death about their son Jonathan. Michael struggles to wrap his mind around what's happening, the well-meaning but invasive soldiers, the family members hovering around him and while his sedated wife is resting, he is overwhelmed by a whirlwind of anger and experiencing an unexplained twist in life that can only be compared to the surrealistic military service of his son ...
“Israeli director Samuel Maoz portrays grief and soldiering as a surreal, inescapable dance with destiny… A unique voice in world cinema, Samuel Maoz has made only two feature films in his career. The first, "Lebanon", took the viewer on a tense, claustrophobic ride inside a tank with four scared Israeli soldiers and won the Gold Lion in Venice in 2009. Back in Venice competition eight years later, "Foxtrot" is his second film and exponentially more anguishing. It takes its place among the boldest, angriest critiques of contemporary Israel, specifically the army's use of immature young people to carry out its political agenda.
Foxtrot, which is a dance as well as an army code word, depicts contemporary Israel as a very surreal place, but one causing genuine pain and psychological damage. The film's originality lies in its difficult, intense narration, but Maoz doesn't seem to worry about losing some puzzled viewers along the way with comprehension issues... The characters seem to have a date with destiny because no matter what they do, they always end up in the same spot, like the forward and backward steps of the foxtrot…" „The Hollywood Reporter“, Deborah Young
The special program "FOCUS ISRAEL", for which more information will be available soon, is implemented in partnership with the Embassy of Israel in Bulgaria.