The exclusive rights to 5 critically acclaimed films about 5 of Israel’s most influential and iconic Prime Ministers were acquired by ChaiFlicks, the leading streaming platform that specializes in Jewish and Israeli content in North America, Australia, and New Zealand. The five films, which will debut on ChaiFlicks June 15 and drop over the following 5 weeks, were acquired from Menemsha Films and Go2Films.
Bill Weiner, Co-founder of ChaiFlicks said: “To have these films all in one place to be viewed in the context of a limited series gives our subscribers an unprecedented opportunity to understand and appreciate these leaders in a new light.”
Hedva Goldschmidt, Go2Films managing director added: “We are excited to present our films Golda, Menachem Begin: Peace and War, and Ben Gurion: Epilogue on ChaiFlicks. These inspiring films about leadership in times of crisis, strongly resonate with the reality of our lives today. We are happy to bring them to wider audiences through the best possible partners at ChaiFlicks, the leading platform for quality Jewish content.”
The Five Films are:
Ben Gurion, Epilogue – Directed by Yariv Mozer
The film brings to life a lost interview with one of modern history’s greatest leaders, David Ben-Gurion. It is 1968, he is 82 and lives in the desert. Ben-Gurion’s introspective soul-searching provides a surprising vision for crucial decisions Israel needs to make today. At this time of the global leadership crisis, the film also brings thought-provoking insights about the role of leaders in today’s complex world.
Golda – Directed by Sagi Bornstein, Udi Nir, Shani Rozanes
Shortly before her passing, Golda Meir was interviewed for Israeli television. After shooting ended, the cameras kept rolling, recording an intimate talk with the first and only woman to ever rule Israel. As she lit one cigarette after the other, Golda spoke freely, pleading her case for her term as Prime Minister – five turbulent years that secured her place in history, albeit at a high personal cost.
Menachem Begin: Peace and War – Directed by Levi Zini
This powerful film was produced in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt and presents a surprising and unfamiliar portrait of Israel’s sixth prime minister. Menachem Begin led Israel for six dramatic and tumultuous years, which produced waves that are still felt deeply within the fabric of Israel’s social and political landscape. The film merges rare archival footage shown for the first time, as well as current interviews held with key figures during Begin’s term.
Rabin In His Own Words – Directed by Erez Laufer
Rabin In His Own Words is an “autobiography” of sorts, the story is told entirely in Rabin’s own voice. Through a combination of rare archival footage, home movies and private letters, his personal and professional dramas unfold before the viewer’s eyes – from his childhood as the son of a labor leader before the founding of the State of Israel, through a change of viewpoint that turned him from a farmer into an army man who stood at some of the most critical junctures in Israeli history, through his later years during which he served as Prime Minister and made moves that enraged a large portion of the public, until the horrific moment when his political career and life were suddenly brought to an end.
Sharon – Directed by Dror Moreh
In January 2006, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke, leaving him unconscious for the rest of his life. Only six months earlier, he executed the Disengagement Plan, uprooting thousands of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip. Sharon was the last person from whom one expected such measures. He never explained why he acted in total contradiction to his convictions, his entire life’s project. Through exclusive and intimate footage, award-winning filmmaker Dror Moreh (“The Gatekeepers”) solves this mystery for the first time through interviews with the people closest to Sharon and reveals the real Sharon, from his commando past, through accusations of war crimes, all the way to the role he crafted for himself as leader of the Jewish people.
