ZangerHB 7:HB.qxd 09/05/2012 14:45 Page 1 P Place, Memory and Myth in This very important book takes its readers on a fascinating journey from la ContemporaryIsraeli Cinemaexamines geography to history and from history to place. In doing so, it provides a c several Israeli fictional and non-fictional e films, and how their portrayal of profound analysis of space in Jewish and Israeli culture, and the films that , landscape and territory provides a shaped them. The gaze at history, memory and film through the prism of M unique perspective on Jewish and Israeli geography and space powerfully illuminates what has not been fully e identity. Zanger demonstrates how space m diagnosed in either culture or cinema, what has yet to be pronounced or in film is not only a ‘container’ for events o Anat Zanger is a Senior Lecturer at the analysed. The spatial analysis set out in the book foregrounds historical r in the plot but an event in and of itself, Department of Film and Television, y since space and place are significant time, historical narrative and the cardinal myths of Israeli culture – such and Chair of the MA Program in Film a elements in the on-going negotiations and Television, at the Faculty of the as the Garden of Eden, the desert, exile and wandering, and Jerusalem. n regarding Jewish and Israeli identity. Arts, Tel Aviv University. She is author The multifaceted picture of the cinematic present thus provides a portrait d Films capture more than just the outward of Film Remakes as Ritual and of the Israeli place: the current situation and its roots in Israel’s recent M appearance of a place: they also record a Disguises (Amsterdam University Press, past and in the remote pioneering era. y web of unruly traces of economic, social t 2006) and has published articles in h and political systems. many journals. Nurith Gertz, The Open University of Israel Space and place have always been i n significant elements in Israeli identity. As C conditions change, the perception of o ANAT Y. ZANGER these elements alters. Almost 2,000 years A strikingly original analysis of Israeli cinema, Zanger’s study illuminates n of Jewish exile created a gap between the the complex interaction between physical space and collective identity. t e idea of ‘the Israeli place’ and how the Offering close readings of representative films from Israel’s past and m modern State of Israelhas actualized that present, the book is informed in equal parts by history and theory. It p idea. Since Israel’s establishment, the o inherent friction between the idea and lucidly delineates the transformation of landscapes into symbolic settings r a the actuality continues to increase. Israeli of trauma and memory. r cinema contains layered expressions of y Jacket image: Saint Clara, Ari Folman Anton Kaes, University of California, Berkeley I this friction, and at the heart of this and Ori Sivan (1996). Courtesy of s unresolved quarrel, place and space r Transfax Film Productions and a function in this book both as the subject Paralight Film Productions. e matter of the analysis and as a theoretical BOOKS OF RELATED INTEREST li tool. A critical analysis of Israeli films will C trace the division as well as the C Z INEMA AND IONISM i connection between the cinematic frame n The Development of a Nation through Film e and the Zionist one. This innovative m perspective enables us to discern themes Ariel L. Feldestein a significant both to contemporary culture (maps, borders, checkpoints and military F S F I ILM AND THE HOAH IN RANCE AND TALY A zones) and Jewish mythology (garden, Giacomo Lichtner N desert, water, Jerusalem and sacred A T space). Y The author includes references to . Z Israeli literature and art, and interweaves A VALLENTINE MITCHELL ISBN 978 0 85303 845 0 N observations from the fields of visual G studies, cultural studies, mythology and E Middlesex House 920 NE 58th Avenue R Jewish thought, as well as cinema studies, 29/45 High Street Suite 300 to create a stimulating analysis. Edgware, Middlesex Portland, OR 97213-3786 HA8 7UU, UK USA VALLENTINE www.vmbooks.com MITCHELL VALLENTINE MITCHELL ISBN 978 0 85303 845 0 3734 VM Place, Memory and Myth:Layout 1 8/5/12 12:40 pm Page i PLACE,MEMORYANDMYTH INCONTEMPORARYISRAELICINEMA 3734 VM Place, Memory and Myth:Layout 1 8/5/12 12:40 pm Page ii Thisbookispartofaprojectsupportedbythe IsraeliScienceFoundation (ISFfundno.936/08). 3734 VM Place, Memory and Myth:Layout 1 8/5/12 12:40 pm Page iii Place, Memory and Myth in Contemporary Israeli Cinema ANAT ZANGER VALLENTINEMITCHELL LONDON•PORTLAND,OR 3734 VM Place, Memory and Myth:Layout 1 8/5/12 12:40 pm Page iv Firstpublishedin2012byVallentineMitchell MiddlesexHouse 920NE58thAvenue,Suite300 29/45HighStreet,Edgware, Portland,Oregon, MiddlesexHA87UU,UK 97213-3786, USA www.vmbooks.com Copyright©2012AnatZanger BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData Zanger,Anat. Place,memoryandmythincontemporaryIsraelicinema. 1.Motionpictures--Israel--History.2.Memoryinmotion pictures.3.Landscapesinmotionpictures.4.Mythologyin motionpictures.5.Ethnicityinmotionpictures. 6.Jewish-Arabrelationsinmotionpictures. I.Title 791.4'3'095694-dc23 ISBN:9780853038450 LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Acatalogrecordhasbeenappliedfor Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinor introducedintoaretrievalsystem,ortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans, electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwisewithoutthepriorwritten permissionofthepublisherofthisbook. PrintedandBoundbyCPIGroup(UK)Ltd,CroydonCR04YY 3734 VM Place, Memory and Myth:Layout 1 8/5/12 12:40 pm Page v Contents ListofFigures vii Preface xiii Acknowledgements xxv 1. AnIntroduction:OnPlaceandItsMemory 1 PartIPlacingtheImage 2. Maps 25 3. BordersandCheckpoints 41 4. MilitarySacredZone 57 PartIIImagingthePlace 5. UndertheWater 79 6. TheDesertorTheMythofEmptySpace 99 7. TheDisappearingGarden 119 PartIIIImagesinRewind 8. Jerusalem’sSkyline:BetweentheSacredandtheAbject 153 9. TheOrangePeelPath 195 Bibliography 211 Filmography 235 Index 241 3734 VM Place, Memory and Myth:Layout 1 8/5/12 12:40 pm Page vi 3734 VM Place, Memory and Myth:Layout 1 8/5/12 12:40 pm Page vii Figures 1. ForeignworkerslayingdowninstantturfinPreliminaries [Mikdamot],AnatEven(Israel:AnatEvenandZe’ev Smilansky,2005).Courtesyofthedirector. xiii 2. Venice’scarnivalatmosphereinTopHat,MarkSandrich (USA:RKORadioPictures,1935).CourtesyofRKO/BFI. 8 3. ThearrivalofAschenbachatVenice.DeathinVenice[Mortea Venezia],DirkBogardeandLuchinoVisconti(ItalyandFrance: AlfaCinematograficaandWarnerBrosPictures,1971). CourtesyofAlfa/BFI. 10 4. AbloodstainsuddenlyappearsonaslideinDon’tLookNow, NicholasRoeg(UKandItaly:ParamountPictures,1973). CourtesyofDLN/BFI. 11 5. PrivatePrivas(Ya’acovBoudo)picksupthemapinMoishe Air-Conditioner[MoisheVentilator],UriZohar(Israel: AvrahamDesheandUriZohar,1966).CourtesyofUnited KingFilms,MosheandLeonEdrey. 28 6. Ziegler(NissimAzikri)introducestheimaginarymapatthe excavationsiteinTheBlaumilchCanal[Te’alatBlaumilch], EphraimKishon(Israel,GermanyandUSA:CanalFilm Production,1969).CourtesyofUnitedKingFilms,Moshe andLeonEdery. 31 7. TheceremonyattheimaginarygeographyofTelAvivin TheBlaumilchCanal[Te’alatBlaumilch],EphraimKishon (Israel,GermanyandUSA:CanalFilmProduction,1969). CourtesyofUnitedKingFilms,MosheandLeonEdery. 33 8. BehindthewallinGazainClose,Closed,Closure[Seger], RamLoevy(IsraelandFrance:RamLoevyCommunications andLapsus,2002).Courtesyofthedirector. 45 3734 VM Place, Memory and Myth:Layout 1 8/5/12 12:40 pm Page viii viii Figures 9. Theperformativityofthecheckpoint’sprotocolin‘Passage Request’fromShukaGlotman’sseries,Occupier’sLanguage (1995),colourphotocopy,35by40.5cm.Courtesyoftheartist. 48 10. PalestinianandIsraelisoldiersatthecrossroadinCheckpoint [Mach’somim],YoavShamir(Israel:EdenProductions,2003). CourtesyofEdenProductions,EdnaandElinorKowarskyand AmythosFilms,AmitBreuer. 50 11. ThePalestiniandomesticspacedisturbedbythepresenceof ananonymoussoldierinDetained[Assurot],AnatEvenand AdaUshpiz(2001).Photographer,DanorGlazer.Courtesy ofthedirectors. 60 12. ImaginedspaceasexperiencedbyJewishwomensettlersin TheSettlers[TelRumeida],RuthWalk(Israel:Belfilms,2003). CourtesyofBelfilmsProductionsandNoemiSchory. 62 13. Themenintheunitcelebratetheendoftheirservicewiththe filmdirectorinEverShotAnyone?[YaritaPa’amB’Mishehu?], MichalAviad(Israel:Ma’amoulProductions,1995).Courtesyof thedirector. 69 14. WaterleakingfromBatya’s(SarahAdler)apartmentceilingin Jellyfish[Meduzot],ShiraGeffenandEtgarKeret(Israeland France:LamaFilmsandLesFilmsduPoisson,2007). CourtesyofLamaProductions. 83 15. TheSirensonthebeachinJellyfish[Meduzot],ShiraGeffenand EtgarKeret(IsraelandFrance:LamaFilmsandLesFilmsdu Poisson,2007).CourtesyofLamaProductions. 85 16. Ya’araandTaliaasteenagersinOutofSight[Lemar’itA’yin], DanielSyrkin(Israel:OrianaGivoli,2006).CourtesyofUnited KingFilms,MosheandLeonEdery. 87 17. TheinfrastructureofthemikvehinPurity[Tehora],AnatZuria (Israel:AmitBrewer,2002).Courtesyofthedirector. 89 18. Naomi(AniaBukstein)andMichelle(MichalShtamler) studyingatthegirls’seminaryinSafedinTheSecrets[Hasodot], AviNesher(IsraelandFrance:ArtumasCommunication,Metro CommunicationandTuVasVoir,2007).Photographer,Eyal Landesman.CourtesyofUnitedKingFilms,Mosheand LeonEdery. 93 3734 VM Place, Memory and Myth:Layout 1 8/5/12 12:40 pm Page ix Figures ix 19. ThearrivalinthedesertinTheBand’sVisit[BikurHa-Tizmoret], EranKolirin(IsraelandFrance:JulyAugustProductionsand SophieDulacProductions,2007).CourtesyofJulyAugust ProductionsandUnitedKingFilms,MosheandLeonEdery. 100 20. Victor(ShaikeLevi)prepareslunchatthereserveunitinHalfon HillDoesn’tAnswer[Giv’atHalfonEinaOna],AssiDayan (Israel:NaftaliAlterandYitzhakShani,1976).Courtesyof UnitedKingFilms,MosheandLeonEdery. 105 21. IsraeliandEgyptiansoldiersinanoutpostatthedesertin HalfonHillDoesn’tAnswer[Giv’atHalfonEinaOna], AssiDayan(Israel:NaftaliAlterandYitzhakShani,1976). CourtesyofUnitedKingFilms,MosheandLeonEdery. 107 22. Dina(RonitElkabetz)andTawfiq(SassonGabai)inTheBand’s Visit[BikurHa-Tizmoret],EranKolirin(IsraelandFrance:July AugustProductionsandSophieDulacProductions,2007). Photographer,MeirRajuan.CourtesyofJulyAugustProductions andUnitedKingFilms,MosheandLeonEdery. 109 23. ThedoubleframingofthegardeninMrNeville’sdrawingand Greenaway’scinematicframeinTheDraughtsman’sContract, PeterGreenaway(UK:DavidPayne,1982).CourtesyoftheBFI. 123 24. Infrontofthe‘TreeofKnowledge’inGiraffes[Girafot], TzahiGrad(Israel:MH1Investments,2001).Photographer, NicoledeCastro.CourtesyofthedirectorandMH1Investments. 125 25. Theelderspeepingattheangelgirlbehindthegardenwallin TheGarden[HaGan],VictorNord(Israel:BerkeyPathé HumphriesIsrael,1977).CourtesyofUnitedKingFilms, MosheandLeonEdery. 129 26. ThetransplantationofthegardeninJames’JourneytoJerusalem [Massa’otJamesBe’eretzHakodesh],Ra’ananAlexandrowicz (Israel:LamaProductions,2004).CourtesyofLamaProductions andUnitedKingFilms,MosheandLeonEdery. 131 27. TheThousandandOneNightsinthegardenofPromenade oftheHeart[Nuzhatal-Fouad],Yehuda(Judd)Ne’eman(Israel: CelznerAlexandra,2006).Photographer,DanZeltser. Courtesyofthedirector. 135