Film reform storm continues; Minister of Culture: “The number of movie ticket buyers in Israel is insulting. I was embarrassed”
A stormy debate was held in the Knesset Education and Culture Committee, With Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar, A number of other Knesset members and representatives of the creators' unions who complain against the reform proposed by the minister, which is supposed to incentivize films with commercial potential, At the expense of independent and artistic films: “The reform is intended to serve an agenda that suits the minister regarding elitism versus popularity.”
The storm surrounding the reform proposed by Culture Minister Miki Zohar in the film industry: In today's discussion (D) In the Knesset Education and Culture Committee, Zohar made it clear that he stands behind the reform, Despite the widespread protest by the creators, But he announced: “We do not take any action without the ideal of legal counsel, I hereby announce that I will transfer another extension to the Council to submit its conclusions in order to make the best decision”.
Aside from Zohar, they participated in the discussion, initiated by committee member Simon Davidson (Yesh Atid), Various representatives from the Creators' Guild Forum, Representatives of the Families of the Abductees and Missing Persons, and Knesset Members Ze'ev Elkin (The State Right), Tsega Melko (Likud), Meir Cohen (Yesh Atid) and Efrat Reiten (Work).
At the beginning of the discussion, Director Liran Atzmor told Miki Zohar: “You're having this discussion so you can check off a bug”R?”. Zohar answered in response: “In other words, my lord has already made it clear that he intends to petition the Bill.”Before the details were clarified?”. Minister Zohar stated that “There is one area of culture that is fading and that is cinema. Atzmor wondered: “When was the last time you were in the cinema??”, And producer Assaf Amir continued: “You don't even know that cinema is more successful than anyone else”. “I wish we had won medals at the Olympics like we do in the cinema at the Tribeca Film Festival”, The plaster of Atzmor.
Later on, the discussion heated up, And Atzmor was removed from the hall by the Knesset ushers. Creator and cast member Prague Benvenisti was also removed from the venue. Aliza Lavie, the chairman”Chairman of the Israeli Film Council, held that “There is no cultural diversity in festivals”. Producer Haim Mekelberg replied in response: “Shame on you, This is not true”, He later admitted that “The idea underlying the reform was excellent and necessary, But all the details of the program and its content were negligently compiled”.
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Miki Zohar
(Photography : Oz Mualem)
Since it was introduced last April, The Planned Reform In the film industry, Guerra Fierce Protest On the part of Israeli filmmakers – And not only on their part. The point of contention lies in the changes proposed by the reform in the Ministry of Culture's support regulations – Especially when it comes to a new scoring system, that will change the functioning of the film funds so that they will only feed films with commercial potential.
Director Tal Granit explained to the attendees that “This is the most fruitful and varied year in Israeli cinema in years, With works that dealt with Bedouin society, The ultra-Orthodox and more. Art cinema can also be commercial. Waltz with Bashir’ F. Zero in Human Relations’ Bring millions to Israeli cinemas. The reform is intended to serve an agenda that suits the minister regarding elitism versus popularity.”. Zohar answered in response: “So what am I here?, The elitist or the popular? Make a movie at your own expense, Not at the taxpayer's expense”.
Later, Zohar confronted actress Ricky Bleich, the chairman”R. Chess Union”From – The Association of Actors and Actresses in Israel. “I will never forget that you called me cheeky”, Zohar contacted her, And Bilich answered: “You may have deserved it?”. Afterwards, Bleich said:: “As in the Libraries Law, Culture can't be measured by ratings alone. Art is challenging and strives for complex and more difficult to digest questions. In order to bring a large number of viewers to the cinema, you need to create content that makes you feel good, And this is not the role of the Minister of Culture. Who will now be cast in the works, The same players every time? Who will receive orders when everything is based on ratings?? Who will photograph a piece about a destroyed house in a development town? Israeli society needs to be given a platform of culture, With more difficult creations, Easier, More Entertainment”. Zohar answered that”This is how democracy works, There is a policy that I am supposed to implement. If you want, So run for the Knesset and change it”.
Director and documentary creator Karin Keiner, For her part,, Slamming Zohar: “You want to stop the documentary so as not to expose the story of 7.10 to the public.. You will not stop us from telling the Israeli story”.
“You may have deserved it?”. Ricky Bleich
(Photography : Dana Koppel)
Actress Sarah von Schwarze shared with those present at the discussion that “I've been crying for a week now and I don't know what to say to my 20-year-old daughter Lia, who dreams of a career in the field and her sisters went to study abroad”Because it's cheaper. She insists on staying in Israel despite the difficulties. Our job is to tell a story that will be remembered, You can bet only on money in a casino or on the stock exchange. If you cut down the whole tree, So the commercial industry was also cut off. I beg you to sit hand in hand with professionals and listen, Make Informed Changes and Work Together”. Response, Zohar answered her: “We stopped working together as soon as they didn't agree with me, And then suddenly I'm no longer a partner for you”.
Knesset members Ze'ev Elkin and Meir Cohen also expressed their opposition to the reform proposed by Zohar. “Allowing the field of culture to rely on an economic basis as a substitute for the arts is a bitter mistake. There are often other audiences that need to be found and it takes time. With all the desire to move forward, We must not give up consulting with the professional echelon in order to hear their recommendations. The world will not collapse if it takes a few more weeks”. To this Zohar replied: “Totally agree”. MK Cohen, However, He claimed that “The reform is unnecessary. When I wanted to make cinema accessible in Dimona, I didn't instruct the filmmakers to reduce their content, Rather, I opened a cinematheque there”.
Finally, Minister Zohar explained that despite the high tones and the protest from the creators' unions, The final version of the reform has not yet been formulated. “They say I don't know anything about cinema, But I know about business and numbers, And the number of ticket buyers in Israeli cinema is nothing short of insulting, And I was embarrassed by it compared to the global data”, said. “We do not take any action without the ideal of legal counsel, and hereby announce that I will transfer another extension to the Council to submit the conclusions on the addition of the addition, To make the best decision”.
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