#TGLIFE: An Israeli Love Story is based on a real life love story. How did the film come about and what has the reception been like in Israel?
Dan Wolman: Five years ago, I was approached by Pnina Gary who is now 90 years old. She told me her story and asked me to produce a film based on it. Basically the film is quite faithful to the historical incident. I’ve added small details which give it believability. For me it was very important to try and capture the innocence of the time. It is a very simple story. Older people came to see the film because it touches on a very important part of our history; younger ones came because of the lead actor Aviv Alush, (I guess) as today he is a very big star in Israel.
TG: The film is a mix of a private story with a national narrative. According to you what was the strength of this tale?
I think the strength lies in its simplicity. It is a very delicate story set against the turbulent period of pre-state Israel between 1947 -1948, a period seldom touched by Israeli cinema. I like stories like this which mix an intimate personal story with the national narrative. Here my challenge was not only to develop a believable plot with real characters, but to also capture the spirit of the time, the innocence that once was, the mood of a period gone by.
TG: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I’m basically a storyteller. My fascination with storytelling started when I was a teenager. I was selected by ‘Israeli Scout Federations’ to be the counsellor of a group of 10-year-olds. I was fascinated by this art form and whenever I met them, which was like twice a week, I used to tell them a short story. I used to love playing roles and doing the effects. It also made me read a lot - stories by Anton Chekov, O. Henry, Guy de Maupassant, Rabindranath Tagore and many others. In Jerusalem, there were two blind boys in one of my groups and it was interesting and challenging to get them to envision my story. In a strange way - it was like making a film. I also like theatre and I enjoy working in it, but, for me, film is the most powerful way of storytelling.
TG: You travel often to India. Have you ever thought of doing a film in or on India?
I like India and care for it. I have many friends here. I do have a story that I developed after something that happened here in India not long ago. But I don’t want to speak about it too much. I am now looking for backers for the film. I hope to shoot it soon.
TG: How easy is it to make films in Israel as compared to India?
In Israel, it is very hard to re-coup our investment. Most of the money for films doesn’t come from private investor. It comes from film foundations by the government and from television. They treat cinema as an art form and encourage the public to support it. In India, the power of commercial cinema is great, but at the same time many young talented people who are making interesting and good films, have no outlet for their films. There are no cinemas or other venues they can show them or get their money back. In Israel, TV stations are forced by the government to support the filmmakers, to invest in feature films and broadcast them after they finish regular distribution.
TG: Apart from feature films, you also make short films
I like (making) short films. Let me tell you a small incident. I was in New Delhi with my wife some time ago to participate in a film festival and the organisers had me stay at a very colonial hotel. The morning after we arrived, I walked out to the street and decided that I have to make a film. I called it Bed to Bed, a one shot, two-and-a-half-minutes film. It starts with my bed in the hotel then going through the majestic lobby and out to the street where I tilted down to show an almost naked person sleeping on the sidewalk.
(As part of the ongoing Sensorim festival, ‘An Israeli Love Story’ will be screened on February 8, 6.45 pm at Sunaparata, Panaji)
