The New Israeli Cinema: A Masterclass with Dr. Ariel Schweitzer

Since the early 2000s, with the passing of the “Cinema Law” by the government, Israeli cinema has occupied a prominent place in Israeli culture as well as on the international film scene. While contextualizing this new era within the larger history of Israeli film, Dr. Schweitzer will discuss trends and themes that emerged over the past twenty years—new women's cinema, LGBTQ+ films and the representation of other marginalized communities; new depictions of religion; the bold trilogy of films centred around the First Lebanon War; the blossoming Israeli documentary movement and more. Featuring clips from works by such filmmakers as Ari Folman, Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz, and Eytan Fox.

Film historian, critic and member of the editorial committee of the legendary French film magazine, Les Cahiers du cinéma, Dr. Schweitzer is one the most acclaimed scholars on Israeli film and the author of The New Israeli Cinema (Le nouveau cinema israélien), which features a preface by filmmaker Ari Folman (Paris, 2013, Tel-Aviv, 2017) and The Israeli Cinema of Modernity (Le cinéma israélien de la modernité) (Paris 1997 / Tel-Aviv, 2003). He is also a professor in the Cinema Department at Tel Aviv University.