Filmmaker out of the water

Today I woke up relatively early and continued reading the essays for the Israeli Cinema exam. Yesterday most of them were fascinating, but today much less. I was tired, first of all, and the printer had problems so i had to read from the screen, which I hate. After 5 hours I was exhausted, so I talked to a friend and we said to meet for a movie.

"Meduzot" (in Hebrew: Jellyfish) is an israeli film that won an award at the last Cannes film Festival. It was a great pride for Shira Geffen and Etgar Keret, the directors couple, which is for them the first film.

I have a few things to say about this film and i will make a list out of it, cause i'm in no state to write very well now. Too much screen time I guess. So here are my impressions from "Meduzot" (Jellyfish):

1. It's great to see an Israeli film that is not about or around war, heroism, terror, and is not a family drama.
2. It's great that an Israeli film has interesting visuals.
3. The way the tel aviv flats/hotel/street are presented in a way that is both realistic and cinematic. Accurate and rough at the same time.
4. Some stories were more interesting than others. The main story is not the most interesting. The story of the newly married couple and the other woman was more interesting.
5. The way the camera focuses on the faces of the lead actress (Batya) and the married woman was not flattering. They both have very strong expressions that almost never change, and this creates kind of a boredom for the viewer, or worse - uneasiness. One lady next to me said 60 minutes into the film: "She's so ugly!". Later I talked to my friend about it and we both felt the same, but it's not ugliness exactly, it's just the way the camera tried to be too poetic on those faces that meant to be common.
6. I enjoyed the film and I'm happy it was created.
7. The kid is sweet. But when she screamed I thought it was dumb.
8. some things were not reliable. And unnecessary.
9. It feels now (3 hours after I watched the film) that this film will not stay in my head for long.
10. The film is shallow.
11. Being abstract sometimes, and too metaphoric at times, AND tell the stories of many characters don't work well here. the result is .

Back to film studies and Israeli cinema in the eighties...

A Filmmaker blogger hooked up on the net

Since this is my third post today, I will not add any photo here. I didn't leave the house today, just learned for the exam. Reading books and essays, thinking about Israeli Cinema and about myself in the context I read about.

I had to ease my mind befor my evening yoga, and I found this interview with Tsai Ming Liang by Michael Guillen on The evening Class.

Now I can do the daily asanas.

Choosing a cameraman

Today she called me. My camerawoman. She said she starts teaching next semester, and because my shooting days are too close to the first day in university it will not be ideal. She's right. She gave me names of other good cameraman with some film experience.

Last year I took part in a cinematography workshop with Vadim Yusov (the cinematographer of Tarkovsky). It was brilliant and I did get to meet some talanteded cameramen there. So I hope this will work good, and fast. Time is running..The camerawoman also told me on the phone she thought the shooting style will be like the one in the shorts of Ozon. I had more asian films in mind (especially in the scenes where my actress ride a motorbike and the scenes that are in the stairway), but I also like Ozon's camera, at least in his shorts. Especially I love "A Summer Dress" (in the picture above), but that is not really because of the camera work, more the story and the location. And the song...bang bang...

Still study to the Israeli cinema exam. I already read about the zionistic cinema etc, now it's the Israeli new Wave. Interesting. But more about it later, still got loads to read..

Family matters and a filmmaker with no camera

Ooooo....that's been awsome. Nature, rivers, family, swimming pool. Like the Soprano's life just without the killings. Too bad this filmmaker has no camera... I really needed this vacation and now I'm back in the city, fully refreshed. I missed a screening of a friend in the cinematheque, and that was the last screening so i guess i'll have to watch his movie on dvd. It's about Stefan braun, a happy gay and furr shop owner, that lived in Tel aviv in the 50s.

Anyway, I didn't take any essays with me to the north, so I really MUST start study now. What a downhill...But that's alright. I already think about my second degree. I want to combine film studies with some technology and theory, and a friend who just came here for a visit told me the NYU has a new department she thinks I'd like. Also the MIT has something interesting, comparative media studies it's called, and I hope to pay a visit there this spring.

While in the north of Israel (the golan), I had this idea for a short i want to make. Inspired by the war-like look of many parts in the north (felt like silence before bombs really) I want now to make a film about two country leaders moments before signing on an agreement. Kind of a black comedy. I had kubrick in mind when I was mind-writing my script.

But next scripts must wait I guess. Still got 2 papers to give and 2 exams to sweat on. Brr. lets start N O W.

Neverending film studies (and a trip to the north)

Film studies can really be a pain. Here I am, packing a small bag and going to the north for a long weekend, and instead of just enjoy myself, I also must read tons of material for my exam in Israeli Cinema. I'm sure (or at least hope) the material is quite interesting, but I just want to swim the rivers of pleasure without the next exam in my head.

But, that is really a small problem. The big problem is I haven't heard yet from the camerawoman I want. I hope there is a reason for that...I will call her again today. In between waterfalls.

So I'm off now, gotta pack my things, print out some essays...no posts till Sunday...

Btw, had a terrific birthday yesterday, all included (all but cinema, that is).