Here We Are Q&A - Boston Israeli Film Festival 2021

00:25 - I’M THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF BOSTON JEWISH FILM, AND THE BOSTON ISRAELI FILM FESTIVAL. IT’S CLOSING DAY OF OUR THIRD ANNUAL FESTIVAL AND THIS IS A FESTIVAL THAT HAS LOOKED LIKE NONE BEFORE IT. I HOPE YOU’VE ALL ENJOYED THE FILMS AND THE CONVERSATIONS FROM YOUR HOMES.

00:42 - I WANT TO THANK OUR FESTIVAL SPONSORS WHO MADE THIS WHOLE FESTIVAL POSSIBLE, THE FESTIVAL’S PRESENTING SPONSOR, THE FINE FAMILY FOUNDATION, AND CJP. AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF ISRAEL TO NEW ENGLAND AND IAC, A SPECIAL THANKS TO REELABILITIES FILM FESTIVAL FOR PARTNERING ON THIS SCREENING. THE FESTIVAL ENDS TODAY BUT THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF COMING UP OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

01:09 - REELABILITIES FILM FESTIVAL WILL TAKE PLACE IN MAY.

01:14 - WE HAVE A SUMMER CINEMATHEQUE RETURNING WITH ONLINE SCREENINGS, SO PLEASE SIGN UP FOR OUR E-MAILS. WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIP EVENTS HAPPENING OVER THE NEXT MONTH.

01:23 - SO SIGN UP FOR OUR E-MAILS AND FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT IS COMING UP FROM BOSTON JEWISH FILM. IT IS SO EXCITING TO BE HERE TODAY CLOSING THE FESTIVAL WITH A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS REMARKABLE FILM. IT WAS NOMINATED FOR 10 OPHIR AWARDS, THATS THE ISRAELI ACADAY AWARD. IT WON FOUR, INCLUDING FOR BEST ACTOR SO IT IS WITH IMMENSE PLEASURE THAT I GET TO INTRODUCE SHAI AVIVI, THE LEAD ACTOR OF THIS FILM WHOS ACTUALLY A 3 TIME OPHIR AWARD WINNER WE’VE SEEN SHAI ON SCREEN AT BOSTON JEWISH FILM MANY TIMES INCLUDING MOST RECENTLY IN ONE WEEK AND A DAY AND LONGING SHAI WILL BE INTERVIEWED TODAY BY AMIR TADMOR, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AT THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF ISRAEL TO NEW ENGLAND AND HAS BEEN A HUGELY HELPFUL PARTNER ON A PERSONAL LEVEL A HUGE THANK YOU TO AMIR FOR ALL YOU’VE DONE FOR THIS FESTIVAL THIS YEAR >> ARIANA: IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES, AMIR WILL BEGIN TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM YOU, THE AUDIENCE.

SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BE SURE TO ENTER THEM IN THE Q&A SECTION ON THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN. ALSO IF YOU NEED LIVE TRANSCRIPT, CLOSED CAPTIONING, YOU CLICK ON THE CC BUTTON ON THE BOTTOM FOR THAT.

02:35 - SO THANK YOU SHAI AND AMIR, I’M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION. ENJOY. >> SHAI: THANK YOU, ARIANA.

02:45 - >> AMIR: THIS IS SO EXCITING AND I’M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FANTASTIC BOSTON JEWISH FILM TEAM, YOU, ARIANA, SUSAN, JOYCE, JOEY, NYSSY, MARIE AINSLEY, WES AND MANY OTHERS WHO WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK TO BRING THE BOSTON ISRAELI FILM FESTIVAL TO LIFE FOR THE THIRD TIME WITH FABULOUS LINE UP AND PROGRAMMING. THE ISRAELI CONSULATE IN BOSTON IS PROUD OF HAVING SUPPORTED THE JEWISH AND ISRAELI FILM FESTIVALS THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND.

03:25 - AND WE APPRECIATE THIS PARTNERSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP WITH YOU ALL. SHAI, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR JOINING US TODAY VIRTUALLY.

03:35 - AND CONGRATULATIONS, MAZEL TOV ON WINNING THE OPHIR.

03:41 - THE ISRAELI ACADAMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR ON YOUR PERFORMANCE IN HERE WE ARE >> SHAI: THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.

03:51 - >> AMIR: IN THIS FILM AS WELL AS ON YOUR LATEST PERFORMANCES IN LONGING AND ONE WEEK AND A DAY, ALL OF WHICH SCREENED AT BOSTON JEWISH FILM, AND FOR WHICH YOU ARE ALSO NOMINATED FOR OPHIR AWARDS, YOU PLAYED FATHERS TRYING TO CONNECT WITH THE SONS, DESPITE VARIOUS OBSTACLES.

04:12 - WHAT DRAWS YOU TO THESE ROLES? >> SHAI: I THINK MY AGE.

04:19 - (LAUGHTER) THE ISRAELI CINEMA PASSED ME ON THE ROLES OF THE YOUNG LOVER WHEN MY HAIR BECAME GRAY, DISTINGUISHED GRAY, I AM LAUGHING – HALF LAUGHING.

04:40 - THE DIRECTOR OF THE FILM IS NIR BERGMAN, AND WHEN I HEARD THAT NIR IS DOING A FILM AND CALLING ME TO AUDITION, I WAS VERY THRILLED, BECAUSE NIR IS KNOWN AS ONE OF THE GREAT DIRECTORS AND GREAT ACTOR DIRECTORS IN ISRAEL. SO I WAS WILLING TO WORK WITH HIM. AND HERE COMES THE AUDITION. SO I RAN TO IT. >> AMIR: YES, AND RECENTLY NIR WAS – IN A CONVERSATION IN WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY AND HE SAID THE MOMENT HE SAW YOU ON AUDITION HE KNEW THATS IT SO AS OPPOSED TO LONGING AND ONE WEEK AND A DAY WHERE YOU HAVE – WHERE YOUR SONS ARE PRACTICALLY DEAD AND YOU’RE TRYING TO MOURN.

05:40 - AND OVERCOME THIS THIS TIME YOUR SON URI IS ALIVE AND HAS AUTISM. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR PREPARATION FOR THE ROLE? DID YOU SPEAK WITH FATHERS OF SONS WHO HAS AUTISM? >> SHAI: I DID NOT GO AND TALK TO FATHERS WHO HAVE SPECIAL SONS, BUT WE WENT TOGETHER AND NOAM, WHO PLAYS MY SON, URI, AND NIR OF COURSE AND ME, WENT TO A FAMILY WHERE WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF THEIR LIFE. AND IT WAS VERY, VERY POWERFUL AND THERE THE MOTHER WAS DOMINATING.

LIKE SHE HAS – SHE AND HER BOY HAS LIKE – IT SEEMS LIKE A MYSTIC CONNECTION, YOU KNOW. LIKE A BUBBLE IN THE REALITY THAT THEY HAVE ONLY ONE ANOTHER AND IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE. HE LISTENS TO ALL SOUNDS AND THINGS AND STRANGE PEOPLE – AND HE LOOKED AT HER AND SHE LOOKED AT HIM AND IT WAS NO – IT WAS AMAZING CONNECTION TUNNEL BETWEEN THEM. AND I THINK IN THE MOVIE, WE TOOK A BITE OF THIS RELATIONSHIP TO MAKE THEM THE SAME – THE SAME PIPE BETWEEN THEM.

07:10 - THIS WAS MY PREPARATION. IN THE FIELD OF SEEING OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW. >> AMIR: SO THE OTHER CONNECTION WITH FAMILIES WHO LIVED WITH SPECIAL KIDS IS THE SCREENWRITER, DANA IDISIS WHO HAS A BROTHER WITH AUTISM.

07:33 - SHE ALSO WROTE A SERIES ON THE SPECTRUM – >> SHAI: AMAZING. SERIES >> AMIR: AND ALSO SHE DIRECTED THE DOCUMENTARY FILM TURNING 13, ABOUT HER BROTHER.

07:48 - WAS SHE ON SET AND HOW DID SHE INFLUENCE THE SHOOTING? >> SHAI: SHE WASN’T ON SET AND AFTER THE FILM WAS FINISHED AND WE TALKED A BIT.

08:01 - WE SAY HI BEFORE THE SHOOTING. AND AFTER THE FILM WAS MADE AND SHE SAW IT, SHE WROTE ME ONE OF THE MOST HAPPIEST AND THRILLING WHATSAPP THAT I GET EVER. AND SHE AND ESPECIALLY HER FATHER, MY CHARACTER BASED ON HIM, WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE MOVIE AND WITH ME. AND YOU KNOW I DIDN’T PUT IT ON MY MIND WHEN WE DID THE FILM, BUT WHEN WE FINISH IT AND I GOT THE WHATSAPP, I FELT – I DON’T KNOW IF HONORABLE IS THE WORD, BUT I FELT THAT THEY PUT A PIECE OF THEIR HEART IN MY HANDS.

AND AS I SAW IN THE WHATSAPP I TREATED IT WELL… SO >> AMIR: IT IS – ARGUABLE THAT THIS IS A COMING OF AGE FILM. WHOSE TRANSITION FROM YOUTH TO ADULTHOOD IS THE FOCUS OF THIS GROWING UP THEME, THE FATHER OR THE SON OR MAYBE THE MOTHER? >> SHAI: ABOUT GROWING UP? >> AMIR: ABOUT GROWING UP OR ABOUT COMING OF AGE, YES. >> SHAI: I THINK IT’S ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS IN THE MOVIE THAT THE FOCUS IS ABOUT THE BOY GROWING UP. BUT I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S THE REAL STORY, BUT IT’S A VERY POWERFUL STORY TO SEE THAT THE FATHER HAS TO GROW UP.

AND TO RELEASE HIS SON AND TO MOVE ON. TO MOVE ON WITH HIS LIFE. HE WAS STUCK. AS WE SEE HIM IN THE FIRST PART OF THE MOVIE, WE SEE HIM AS A SAINT. HE IS DEFENDING HIS SON LIKE, YOU KNOW, AN AMAZON, AND STEP AFTER STEP YOU SEE MAYBE IT’S NOT THE ONLY ANGLE TO LIFE. AND MAYBE ALSO OTHER PEOPLE ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE BOY. AND MAYBE THE BOY CAN MANAGE HIMSELF IN LIFE, AND THIS OVERPROTECTING, AS YOU KNOW, IS VERY CHILDISH. AND THE FATHER IS GROWING UP IN THE END.

HE MADE THE MOVE – MADE THE STEP TO RELEASE AND AS WE KNOW GROWING UP IS A LOT OF ABOUT RELEASING. >> AMIR: RIGHT. SO YOU JUST SAID THAT AHARON’S LIFE WAS KIND OF STUCK AND YOU SEE IN THE FILM HE KIND OF HAS LOST OPPORTUNITIES TO BE A WELL-KNOWN ARTIST. YOU CAN SEE IT WHEN HE VISITS EFFI.

11:02 - IN THE SHIVA IN YOUR MIND WAS AHARON’S LIFE WASTED OR AHEAD OF HIM? >> SHAI: I THINK I FELT ALL THE MOVIE LIKE AHARON AT THIS TIME, YOU KNOW HE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THERE IS NO LEFT, NO RIGHT, NO FUTURE, NO PAST. THERE IS ONLY PROTECTING. YOU KNOW, LIKE A WILD ANIMAL ON HER CATTLE, I’LL SAY – ON HER BABY. AND IN THIS STAGE WE’RE SURVIVING. IN THE FRONT YOU DON’T – HAVE THE LEISURE TO THINK ABOUT ART OR LOVE EVEN. YOU ARE IN SURVIVING MODE.

SO THIS WAS THE MODE OF ME, THE MODE OF AHARON IN THE MOVIE IS MOST OF THE FILM. YOU SEE I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, WE SHOOT IN THE NIGHT ON THE VERY CROWDED ROAD, BUSY ROAD WITH CARS.

12:04 - AND IT’S THE SCENE WHERE I SHOUT AT HIM AND IT FIRST SEEMED THAT I SEPARATE FROM HIM, AND HE STAYS ON ONE – HOW YOU SAY – BANK OF THE ROAD AND I MOVED TO THE OTHER BANK AND I SEE THAT HE IS THERE AND I WENT BACK AND I WAS SO INTO IT, THAT I GO BACK WITHOUT LOOKING RIGHT OR LEFT.

12:32 - AND IT’S IN THE MOVIE, THEY SHOW A TAXI ALMOST GO ON ME BECAUSE I WAS IN THIS TUNNEL MODE, YOU KNOW, IN SURVIVING MODE. AND IT WAS REAL BECAUSE WE DIDN’T STOP ALL THE TRAFFIC THERE.

12:50 - SO THE PRODUCER SAW IT AND LOST THEIR BLOOD, WHEN THEY SAW – BUT WITH GOD’S HELP, I DON’T KNOW HOW I LIKE DID THIS CURL WITH MY LEGS, AND THE TAXI WENT LIKE THIS.

13:06 - THEY DECIDED TO PUT IT – TO PUT THIS SHOT IN THE MOVIE.

13:10 - SO I WAS LIKE IN SURVIVING MODE. I CAN DIE AND STILL PROTECT HIM.

13:18 - >> AMIR: WE WERE WALKING RIGHT ON THE EDGE.

13:23 - SO CHARLIE CHAPLIN APPEARS THROUGHOUT THE FILM. LIKE HIM YOU WERE A COMEDIC ACTOR FOR MUCH OF YOUR CAREER MOST NOTABLY ON THE SATIRICAL SKETCH SHOW HAHAMISHIA HAKAMERIT THE KAMERI QUINTET–IN A RECENT CONVERSATION, THE ONE I MENTION AT WESLEYAN NIR BERGMAN DESCRIBED YOUR CHARACTER AS A KIND OF A SAD CHARLIE CHAPLIN. HOW DID YOUR COMIC BACKGROUND INFLUENCE AND CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR RECENT SERIES OF ROLES AND WHAT’S YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHAPLIN? >> SHAI: FIRST OF ALL, CHARLIE CHAPLIN, WAY, WAY, WAY BEYOND, BUT THE MOVIE CONNECTED THEM.

THE MOVIE MAKE – YOU KNOW, LIKE A LITTLE – AND VERY THIN STRINGS BETWEEN AHARON AND CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND TO BRING THIS SMALL GESTURES, COMIC GESTURES WHEN I CAN – WHEN I COULD IN THE MOVIE. AND ALL THE LOOK, YOU KNOW, OF HALF BUM WITH THIS PUFFY HAIR AND WITHOUT MY BEARD WHICH MAKES ME A DISTINGUISHED MAN WITH MY HIGH HAIR PUFFY AND WITHOUT A BEARD I LOOK LIKE – LET’S FACE IT – HOMELESS.

14:53 - AND A STRANGE PERSON AND FUNNY AND ODD, SO THIS I THINK – A BIT TOUCH OF THE FAMOUS CHARACTER OF CHAPLIN – HOW YOU SAY IT IN ENGLISH – NOMAD. THAT CHARLIE CHAPLIN BROUGHT TO OUR LIFE. CINEMATICAL LIFE >> AMIR:SO CHAPLIN WAS A SILENT FILM ACTOR AND YOUR ACTING IN THIS ROLE IS SO EFFECTIVE AND SO SUBTLE, SAID SO MUCH WITHOUT WORDS. AND BERGMAN ALSO SAID HE THINK HE HAD NEVER SEEN YOU SO FRAGILE ON SCREEN.

15:43 - NOAM IMBER WHO PLAYS YOUR SON ALSO BROUGHT PHYSICALITY TO THE ROLE OF URI. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? >> SHAI: FIRST I WANT TO SAY I’VE NEVER BEEN SO FRAGILE AND MY HEART WAS OUT IN THIS MOVIE BECAUSE OF NIR. AS I SAY, AMAZING ACTOR DIRECTOR, AND THE OTHER REASON IS THAT NOAM, MY SON, IN THE MOVIE, WENT FROM THE AUDITION, WHEN I PUT MY EYES ON HIM, MY HEART WAS OPENED AND MELTED.

16:23 - AND IT STAYED MELTED ALL THE MOVIE. AND I THINK THIS BROUGHT ME – BECAUSE YOU KNOW I’M NOT SO OPEN. A LOT OF ACTORS WENT TO HIDE IN THE PUBLIC PLACE OF ACTING AND YOU KNOW THEY HIDE THEIR REAL SELF AWAY FROM THE PROJECTORS.

16:48 - AND TO BRING MYSELF LIKE THIS, IT WAS, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE THE TWO OF THEM, THE FEELING SO SAFE AND SO TREATED WELL BY NIR AND TO SEE THIS AMAZING, AMAZING NOAM.

17:07 - YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAW THE MOVIE, I SAW ME TOUCHING HIM AND I SAW – IT’S THE SAME WAY THAT I TOUCH MY OWN SON, MY 14-YEAR-OLD SON. YOU KNOW. SO I THINK I FELT AT HOME. >> AMIR: SPEAKING OF HOME, THE CENTER OF AHARON AND URI’S LIFE IS TIVON IN NORTHERN ISRAEL YOU KNOW I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE NEARBY KIBBUTZ SHA’AR HAAMAKIM, THIS SCENERY IS MY CHILDHOOD LANDSCAPE CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SHOOTING THERE AND THE CHOICE OF LOCATIONS FOR THE FILM? >> SHAI: I WASN’T INVOLVED IN THE CHOICE OF THE LOCATION, BUT I CAN SAY THAT THIS MOVIE WAS A BIT – MAYBE MORE THAN A BIT LIKE A JOURNEY FILM.

WE MOVED A LOT IN THE MOVIE FROM THE NORTH WHERE YOU LIVED, NEAR TIVON, AND TO EILAT IN THE SOUTH. AND WE REALLY DID A BIT OF THE ROAD BY SHOOTING IT. IT’S SORT OF A JOURNEY FILM.

18:30 - I THINK IT MADE US, YOU KNOW, AS A MOVIE, ONE UNIT. EVERY MOVIE IS ONE UNIT, BUT THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO A JOURNEY, ALSO PHYSICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL AND MENTAL JOURNEY WITH THE CREW. WE WERE A SMALL CREW, AND SURVIVING MODE, EVERY ONE OF US. >> AMIR: YOU’RE PERFECTLY LEADING ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION.

19:01 - YOU TALK ABOUT IT’S KIND OF A JOURNEY MOVIE, BUT IT’S ALSO A RUNNING AWAY MOVIE. THIS REMINDS ME OF THIS BOOK, IN ENGLISH, IT’S TO THE END OF THE LAND.

19:18 - SO HERE WE ARE, STORYLINE, THERE IS SOMETHING REMINISCENT OF THE THEME OF THIS IDEA OF TWO PEOPLE RUNNING AWAY FROM REALITY. FROM THE TRAIN ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM THE NORTH TO ELIAT COMMITTING TO THE BELIEF THAT THEY JUST CAN CONFRONT IT. AND IT DOES EXIST THAT URI HAS TO GO TO THIS HOSTEL. SO AND THE WAY WE SEE REALITY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM IS THROUGH YOUR PERSPECTIVE. THE FATHER IS THE SAVIOR. THE WORLD IS OUT TO GET HIM AND URI.

CAN YOU DISCUSS THIS PERSPECTIVE OF THE FILM? SOME PARTS FEEL ALMOST WHIMSICAL AND ROMANTIC UNTIL WE ARE FORCED TO FACE REALITY. >> SHAI: I THINK IT’S INTERESTING WHAT YOU SAY BECAUSE IT’S NOW – FIRST OF ALL, I DIDN’T READ GROSSMAN’S BOOK BECAUSE IT’S SO SAD. AND I DON’T WANT TO – I TRY TO AVOID SADNESS AND THIS IS A VERY TOUGH STORY. AND I DIDN’T READ IT, BUT ALL RUNAWAY BOOKS AND MOVIES HAVE A ROMANTIC SIDE. HIS IS FATHER AND SON, BUT IT’S ALSO A BIT ROMANTIC IN THE SENSE OF RUNNING AWAY.

AND ALSO IT HAS A TRAGIC SIDE BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT REALITY WILL HIT THEM. AND IT CAN BE LIKE YOU KNOW RUNNING AWAY LIKE BONNIE AND CLYDE OR A ROMANTIC RUNAWAY YOUNG 16-YEAR-OLD COUPLE, BUT YOU KNOW THAT THE CINEMA WILL NOT BE SO MERCIFUL TO THEM AND WILL CONFRONT THEM WITH THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE.

21:17 - AND HERE HAVE TO BE DONE IS GROWING UP. YOU KNOW, IT’S NOT TRAGIC, I THINK IT’S VERY OPTIMISTIC, BUT REALITY TELL THEM GROW UP. YOU HAVE TO MOVE ON. YOU HAVE TO STOP RUNNING AND MOVE ON. >> AMIR: YEAH, SO ONE OF THE SYMBOLS OF GROWING UP IS GROWING BEARDS.

21:44 - ONE OF THE MOST CHARMING SCENES, AHARON AND URI ARE SHAVING TOGETHER IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR WHILE DANCING TO THE RECURRING ITALIAN SONG SO I HAVE A QUESTION FROM A BEARDED PERSON TO A BEARDED PERSON.

22:00 - LATER URI SAYS THAT BAD PEOPLE HAVE BEARDS, AND AT THE END OF THE FILM AHARON IS BEARDED. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SYMBOLISM.

22:11 - SOMEONE WHO IS REGULARLY BEARDED? >> SHAI: FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE TO REMIND, YOU KNOW, I DIDN’T WRITE THE SCRIPT, SO I HAVE ONLY MY INTERPRETATION.

22:24 - BUT, YES, YOU KNOW, LIKE ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED CHARACTERS IN THE MOVIES IS ELI WALLACH THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY, THE MEXICAN LOOK WITH THE MUSTACHE. . THIS ARCHETYPE IF YOU ARE SHAVED, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE STRAIGHT. AND THIS IS IN URI’S MIND, AND THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TO SHAVE ALL THE TIME.

22:54 - AND YOU ARE VERY RIGHT. IT’S A SIGN OF MATURE. IF YOU’RE STAYING SMOOTH, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE LIKE A BABY. A BABY DOESN’T HAVE A BEARD. AND WHEN URI IN THE TWO WEEKS IN HIS HOSTEL, I LET MY BEARD GROW UP.

23:17 - ONCE HE’S NOT THERE, SO MY BEARD WOULDN’T FRIGHTEN HIM.

23:22 - AND THE SECOND, I THINK, IT’S THE JEWISH SYMBOL OF MOURNING YOU SAY. WHEN SOMEBODY IS DEAD – YOU LET THE BEARD GROW UP, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU’RE MOVING.

23:42 - MOVING FROM LIFE, NOW YOU ARE MOANING – >> AMIR: MOURNING. >> SHAI: I HOPE YOU ARE SURVIVING MY ENGLISH. >> AMIR: I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.

24:05 - THE FIRST ONE IS THAT IS ABOUT THE DELAY IN THE FILM DISTRIBUTION. EVEN THOUGH ISRAEL IS LEADING THE WORLD IN COVID-19 VACCINATIONS, THE REOPENING OF CINEMAS IS LAGGING BEHIND. HOW IS IT TO WAIT FOR SUCH A LONG TIME WHILE YOUR FILM IS SHELVED IN ISRAEL DUE TO COVID? >> SHAI: I HAVE TO ANSWER THIS IN TWO WAYS. FOR ME, IT’S NOT SO TERRIBLE BECAUSE YOU KNOW I HAVE – LIKE I HAVE CANDY IN MY CLOSET. AND I KNOW IT’S THERE. AND THE MORE – THE MORE I WAIT, THE SWEETEST IT WILL BE.

24:57 - BUT FOR THE PRODUCERS – I WORKED ON THE FILM ONLY THREE MONTHS, BUT THEY ARE ON THIS JOURNEY FOR FIVE YEARS. SO THERE NO LIKE THIS MOMENT OF GOING OUT.

25:10 - YOU KNOW, THE CLIMAX, AND IT’S VERY TOUGH TO THEM.

25:18 - I HOPE NOW AFTER VACCINE AND ALL THE BALAGAN IN ISRAEL THE GENERAL BALAGANATION I HOPE CINEMAS ALSO WILL OPEN AND WE ALL HAVE THIS MOMENT OF BREATHING.

25:36 - >> AMIR: I JOIN YOUR PRAYERS, YOUR SECULAR PRAYERS.

25:40 - AND WE OF COURSE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING YOU IN PERSON HERE IN BOSTON. >> SHAI: HALLELUJAH.

25:49 - >> AMIR: HALLELUJAH. SOMETHING ABOUT A DIFFERENT ROLE YOU HAD RECENTLY, KIND OF A SUGAR DADDY WITH LOSING ALICE, WHICH A VERY GOOD PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER THAT WAS BOUGHT – CAN YOU SAY A LITTLE ABOUT THIS? IT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER ROLES YOU PLAYED IN RECENT FEATURES.

26:16 - >> SHAI: SO MAYBE ISRAELI TELEVISION IN THIS CASE DIDN’T PASS MY LOVER PHASE AND GAVE ME A CHANCE.

26:26 - FIRST OF ALL IT’S AMAZING SERIES. WE SAW IT HERE AT OUR HOME ME AND MY WIFE MICHAL AND IT WAS THRILLING. AND IT’S A SMALL PART – SMALL BUT AS YOU SAY SUGAR. I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH.

26:48 - AND IT’S ANOTHER VERSION OF – AS YOU SAY, ANOTHER STRANGE TWISTED VERSION OF A FATHER. >> AMIR: RIGHT. A DIFFERENT KIND OF FATHER FIGURE. >> SHAI: NICE ONE.

27:04 - >> AMIR: YEAH, I ENCOURAGE ALL THE AUDIENCE TO CHECK OUT LOSING ALICE ON APPLE TV OF COURSE. SO WE CAN MOVE ON NOW TO THE Q&A, TO THE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.

27:19 - >> SHAI: ALL RIGHT. >> AMIR: SO WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR – ANONYMOUS QUESTION, SHAI, YOU ARE ALSO A FATHER IN REAL LIFE. CAN YOU SHARE SOMETHING ABOUT HOW, WHERE OR IF THIS ROLE IN HERE WE ARE TOUCHED YOUR FATHERHOOD? >> SHAI: I THINK MY FATHERHOOD TOUCHED THE ROLE. AS I SAID BEFORE, I USED MY LOVE OF MY SON, THE WAY I TOUCH HIM, THE WAY I HOLD HIM, THE WAY IT WAS EASY TO DO IT WITH NOAM.

28:02 - I DIDN’T HAVE TO ACT SO MUCH, BUT I THINK I BROUGHT MY FATHERHOOD – I HAVE A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY. AN AMAZING ONE. AND I BROUGHT MY FATHERHOOD TO THE MOVIE.

28:19 - IT WENT THE OPPOSITE WAY. >> AMIR: YEAH, SO IN RELATION TO THAT, LISA – SHE SAYS I TEACH STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND KNOW MANY FAMILIES WITH AUTISM. SHE SAID THAT BOTH OF YOU WERE AMAZING IN YOUR HONEST PORTRAYAL OF FAMILIES AND THE CONFLICT OF INDEPENDENCE.

28:42 - I WAS ESPECIALLY MOVED BY THE SCENE IN THE TRAIN STATION.

28:47 - SO IT’S NOT A QUESTION, BUT I WILL ADD, THIS IS A VERY STRONG SCENE, OF COURSE. DID YOU HAVE TO DO IT MANY TIMES TO GET IT RIGHT? TO GET THE RIGHT EMOTIONS? >> SHAI: I THINK WE DID IT ABOUT TWICE.

29:03 - AND NIR, YOU KNOW, SHOOT AT IT – IT DIDN’T CUT IT ALMOST – TO PIECES. HE LET IT BE. AND WE WENT INTO IT. I KNEW IN THE BACK OF MY MIND THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE PASSING ARE EXTRAS. THAT GET PAID FOR THIS, BUT FOR ME IN THIS MOMENT, AS I TOLD YOU, SOMETIMES IN THIS CONVERSATION, I OPENED THE TUNNEL TO HIM.

29:33 - AND YOU KNOW THE WORLD – I SAW THEM. OKAY. AND I SEE THE HOSTILE AND NOT UNDERSTANDING AND MAYBE THINK I’M A BAD FATHER. AND THEY DON’T KNOW A THING ABOUT WHAT’S IS HAPPENING. AND WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE TO BE – WE DID IT – WE SURPRISED OURSELVES. WE DIDN’T REHEARSE.

30:01 - WE DID IT ON CAMERA, AND WE DID IT ABOUT TWICE I THINK.

30:04 - SO IT WAS ALL THE POWER PUT ON THE CAMERA, ON THE MOMENT.

30:12 - YEAH. IT WAS VERY STRONG TO DO AND TO SEE. >> AMIR: I WAS ALWAYS WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SHOE THAT FALLS INTO THE RAIL. HE WAS ONE SHOE MISSING.

30:28 - >> SHAI: THE INSURANCE COVERED IT. >> AMIR: SO WE HAVE A SIMILAR QUESTION FROM MYRNA AND SHARON.

30:34 - PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS URI.

30:37 - THIS IS NOAM IMBER WHAT DID HE DO TO PREPARE FOR THE ROLE IF YOU KNOW AND TO LEARN HOW TO PORTRAY A PERSON WITH AUTISM? DOES HE HAVE ANY PERSONAL CONNECTION TO SOMEONE WITH AUTISM? >> SHAI: FIRST OF ALL, I DON’T KNOW THE PROCESS, BUT I KNOW HE AND NIR WORKED A LOT ABOUT GIVING URI THIS SO ACCURATE IN THE PRECISE SHAPE. YOU KNOW, THE THING – IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE THEM WALKING TOGETHER. AND IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE NOAM LIKE KEEPING IT FROM TOP TO TOE.

31:16 - HE DID AMAZING WORK. AND HE IS ONE OF THE ISRAELI YOUNG TALENTED ACTORS. AND IS NOW FLOURISHING. THIS ROLE IS – IT’S REALLY AMAZING.

31:33 - AND I ENJOYED SEEING HIM AND NIR WALKING AND KEEP LIKE SKIPPERS ON THE ROUTE, NOT GOING TOO MUCH RIGHT, TOO MUCH LEFT. NOT TO MAKE IT TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL, TO MAKE IT ACCURATE LIKE, LIKE A LASER BEAM.

31:52 - >> AMIR: YOCHEVED AND MARY ALSO ASKS ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE MOTHER IN THE MOVIE. AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH AHARON AND HIS EX-WIFE WHICH MARY SAYS IS FASCINATING. CAN YOU SPEAK ABOUT THAT? >> SHAI: SHE – THE MOTHER, AS WE OPENED THE MOVIE, WE TALKED A BIT BEFORE, LOOKED LIKE THE WRONG GUY, NOT THE BAD GUY, BUT THE WRONG GUY. AND I’M THE RIGHTEOUS GUY AND THE GOOD GUY. AND I THINK WE DON’T – IN THE BEGINNING, BUT WE ARE EXPOSED TO IT LATER IN THE MOVIE THAT SHE HAS A LOT OF PAIN.

A LOT OF PAIN IN HER BECAUSE SHE WAS – SHE FELT SEPARATED FROM HER SON BY MY PROTECTION AND BY MY PATRONIZING AND EVEN BRUTALIZING.

33:01 - SHE’S A MOTHER, AND IN THE MOVIE, IT DIDN’T WENT TO THE MOVIE, BUT IN THE SCRIPT, I BLAME HER THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED IN BEING SEPARATED. BECAUSE SHE WENT AFTER HER CAREER AND HAS OTHER THINGS TO DO.

33:21 - BUT I THINK AS THE MOVIE GOES ALONG YOU SEE HER PAIN.

33:25 - AND OF COURSE WHEN SHE RELEASED ME, GO TO MY SIDE AND GIVE ME THE CHANCE TO DECIDE BECAUSE SHE SEE – SHE RELEASED ME. AND I THINK THERE SHE IS MOVING – SHE ALSO GOT – GRRR…

33:51 - >> AMIR: TAKE YOUR TIME. >> SHAI: SHE GREW UP AND IT IS GOOD GUYS ALL OVER AND ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS IN THE MOVIE. >> AMIR: SO IN THIS RELATION, I JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT YOU SEVERAL YEARS AGO, YOU HAD A SHOW WITH YOUR WIFE MICHAL BEOSHER VAOSHER >> SHAI: WE STILL HAVE IT. >> AMIR: I’M SORRY, I HAVEN’T BEEN IN ISRAEL FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.

34:26 - SO DID YOU DRAW ANYTHING FROM THIS TO THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MOM? >> SHAI: YOU KNOW, IT’S A STAGE SHOW, HAPPILY EVER AFTER AND IT’S ABOUT THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE. AND MAN AND WOMAN, GENERALLY, SO HERE IT WAS – IT STARTED WITH CONFLICT AND THEN IT BECAME LIKE, PEACE MAKING. AND I THINK IF YOU ARE MATURE ENOUGH IN YOUR LIFE, THIS IS THE WAY THINGS GO, TO MAKE CONFLICT – TO SOFTEN CONFLICTS.

35:08 - NOT ONLY BETWEEN MAN AND WOMAN AND HUSBAND AND WIFE, BETWEEN EVERYBODY ON THIS PLANET. TO SOFTEN THE CONFLICTS, THAT’S OUR CURE. >> AMIR: WE HAVE A QUESTION, I THINK WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT. AND THERE IS THE INTERESTING THEME OF SILENCE IN THE FILM.

35:30 - FOR EXAMPLE, SCENES FROM CHARLIE CHAPLIN’S FILMS AND THE FISH AND DOG FRIENDS OF URI. COULD YOU COMMENT ON THAT IN THE SENSE OF FINDING YOUR VOICE? >> SHAI: I THINK THAT SOMETHING VERY POWERFUL IF YOU DO THINGS YOU DO THINGS, CINEMA THIS IS THE ADVANTAGE OF CINEMA CINEMA CAN DESCRIBE THINGS WITHOUT WORDS. IT IS ANOTHER LAYER. LIKE I SAW MONTHS AGO THE GENERAL WITH THE BUSTER KEATON, AND IT’S AMAZING HOW CINEMA WITHOUT WALLS AND FACE AND THE COMPOSITIONS CAN MAKE A WHOLE WORLD, YOU KNOW.

SO NOW CINEMA THAT CAN MAKE SOUNDS ALL OVER AND THINGS ALL OVER, WHEN CINEMA USES LESS, IT BECAME VERY UNIQUE AND VERY POWERFUL.

36:37 - NOT TO USE ALL YOUR ARSENAL. I DON’T KNOW IF I ANSWERED IT, BUT IT’S A THOUGHT. >> AMIR: I HOPE SO. AND SO WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. YOU ALSO MENTIONED ABOUT HOW DANA’S FAMILY RECEIVED THE FILM? THE QUESTION IS WHAT WAS THE REACTION FROM THE SCREENWRITER’S FAMILY AND OTHER FAMILIES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES? IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.

37:08 - >> SHAI: NO, THE MOVIE DIDN’T GO OUT. I THINK THE BOSTON PEOPLE ARE ONE OF THE FIRST VIEWERS.

37:17 - >>BOTH: SPEAKING HEBREW >> SHAI: YOU ARE AHEAD OF US.

37:28 - >> AMIR: I HAVE – WELL, THERE IS THE LAST CHANCE FOR THE AUDIENCE TO PUT THEIR QUESTIONS IN THE Q&A, BUT MEANWHILE I WILL ASK ANOTHER QUESTION I PLANNED TO ASK BUT I WASN’T SURE IF WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME. THE CHARACTERS YOU VISIT IN THE FILM HAVE HAVE INTERESTING PARALLELS OR DIFFERENCES THE CHOICE OF EFFI TO PURSUE HER CAREER. YOU TELL HER THAT SHE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE TO TAKE CARE OF HER MOTHER AND YOUR BROTHER WHOSE LIFE LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN YOURS.

WHAT DO THESE CHARACTERS SYMBOLIZE IN YOUR JOURNEY? >>SHAI: I THINK IN MY BROTHER SYMBOLIZE TO ME WHATEVER IS WRONG, YOU KNOW, NO RESPONSIBILITY, NO COMMITMENT, HE IS SAILING.

38:18 - HE DON’T HAVE NO LAND. HE HAS A BOAT. AND OF COURSE THROUGH HIS EYES, YOU KNOW, THROUGH SYMBOL OF, YOU KNOW, UGLY LIGHTNESS. IT’S NOT I DON’T SEE THE BEAUTIFUL – OF COURSE IT’S BEAUTIFUL THERE. THEY ARE FUN PEOPLE. THEY KNOW HOW TO LIVE.

38:41 - HE’S ALSO A GOOD ONE. HE’S MAYBE NOT SO RESPONSIBLE, BUT HE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE FUN, AND HE CALLS URI AND THEY FISH TOGETHER. BUT I DON’T SEE IT. I SEE ONLY THE SHADOWS AND WITH EFFI, I THINK SHE REPRESENTED TWO THINGS. FIRST, MY OPTION TO BE – TO LOVE AND TO BE LOVED THAT I DON’T ATTEND TO THE INVITATION. SHE INVITE ME, YOU KNOW, TO COMFORT, TO LOVE, MAYBE TO HAVE LIFE NOW.

39:20 - AND I SHUT THE DOOR. I GO BACK ON THE STAIRS – MAYBE – BUT NO, SHE IS SHUTTING NOW THE DOOR.

39:29 - BECAUSE I RAN AWAY. AND THIS IS – EFFI – THE OPTION TO WIDEN UP. BUT NO I CLOSED IT. I BEGGED NIR THAT WE SHOOT – THAT WE SHOOT AT THE END OF THE FILM, AFTER I RELEASED URI, THAT RELEASED URI THAT I MAKE A PHONE CALL TO EFFI.

39:59 - BUT HE REFUSES. HE WANTED TO OPEN THE POSSIBILITIES TO THE VIEWERS NOT TO PUT ONE ON THE FILM.

40:10 - MAYBE I CALLED HER. >> AMIR: MAYBE EFRAT BEN ZUR WAS BUSY. SO EFFI IS PORTRAYED BY THE VERY TALENTED EFRAT BEN ZUR, ALSO A GREAT SINGER.

40:24 - >> SHAI: A GREAT MUSICIAN SHE IS. >> AMIR: SO ACTUALLY WE HAVE A RECENT PROGRAM ABOUT EMILY DICKINSON SINCE SHE HAD DONE SUCH A FANTASTIC ALBUM ABOUT WITH EMILY DICKENSON SONGS HERE IN AMHERST SO, I THINK WE ARE DONE WITH THE QUESTIONS.

40:42 - WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT OUR CURRENT PROJECTS? >> SHAI: I’M WAITING FOR IT.

40:49 - YOU KNOW, SOME PIECES. I NOW HAVE A BIG AUDITION TO SOMETHING. >> AMIR: GOOD LUCK.

41:00 - >> SHAI: I HOPE NEXT WEEK AND NEXT YEAR WE CAN DO SOMETHING TOGETHER ALSO. >> AMIR: YOU’LL DEFINITELY BE THE FIRST WE INVITE HERE. >> SHAI: AS I TOLD BEFORE, HALLELUJAH. >> AMIR: ARIANA, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT. >> ARIANA: I JUST WANT TO MENTION THERE ARE ALL THESE COMMENTS COMING IN ON THE CHAT AS WELL JUST SAYING THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO YOUR PERFORMANCE. AND HOW MOVING IT WAS, AND I WANT TO ECHO THAT. THIS IS – WAS SUCH A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE AND SUCH A POWERFUL FILM AND WE’RE PROUD TO BE AMONG THE FIRST TO GET TO SEE IT HERE IN BOSTON.

41:37 - SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON. >> SHAI: THANK YOU, ARIANA.

41:44 - >> ARIANA: AND THANK YOU, AMIR, FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL MODERATION. AND TO EVERYONE WHO ASKED QUESTIONS, THIS WAS SUCH AN ENLIGHTENING AND BEAUTIFUL CONVERSATION. AND SUCH A WONDERFUL NOTE IN WHICH TO WRAP UP THIS YEARS FESTIVAL. I HOPE EVERYONE KEEPS WATCHING AND TELLS YOUR FRIENDS THAT THEY HAVE ANOTHER FEW HOURS TO GET TO WATCH HERE WE ARE.

42:05 - AND BE AMONGST THE FIRST. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ATTENDED OVER THIS WEEK, ALL OF OUR EVENTS AND HAS MADE THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL POSSIBLE. AND THANK YOU AGAIN AMIR AND SHAI. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

42:19 - >> SHAI: BYE ARIANA. .