Lia van Leer
Encyclopedia
Lia van Leer is a pioneer in the field of art film programming and film archiving in Israel
. She is the founder of the Haifa Cinematheque
, the Jerusalem Cinematheque
, the Israel Film Archive and the Jerusalem Film Festival
.
n city of Bălţi
, then in Romania
, now in Moldova
. Her father, Simon Greenberg, was a wheat exporter and her mother, Olga, was a WIZO
volunteer. She attended a public high school and spent summer holidays in the Carpathian mountains. In 1940, her parents sent her to Palestine to visit her sister Bruria, a dentist, who had immigrated in 1936 and was living in Tel Aviv
. She never saw her parents again. In July 1941, the Germans occupied Beltsy and murdered her father and other Jewish community leaders. Her mother and grandmother were deported to Transnistria
and died in a concentration camp. Lia moved to Jerusalem in 1943 to attend the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
. In 1952, she married Wim Van Leer, a Dutch engineer, pilot, playwright and film producer, and settled in Haifa. They founded the country's first film club in 1955.
"There was no television back then", Lia said, "and we had a 16 mm projector that had come as a gift from my father-in-law. Each Friday we would have friends over to watch movies. Our house became the most popular in Haifa." This film club became the Haifa Cinematheque. The Van Leers' private collection of films was the basis for the Israeli Film Archive, founded in 1960.
In 1973, a Brazilian businessman, George Ostrovsky, donated a large sum of money to build a cinematheque in the Hinnom Valley below the Old City
walls. Teddy Kollek
and the Jerusalem Foundation mobilized more funding from friends in the Hollywood and around the world. The Jerusalem Cinematheque opened in 1981, and Lia van Leer was named its first director.
After the death of her husband in 1991, Lia inaugurated the Wim Van Leer Award for High School Students to encourage young filmmakers. In its first year, eight films were submitted; in 2008, 90 films contended for the prize.
for her lifetime achievement & special contribution to society and the State of Israel. She won a prize for her volunteer work from Israeli president Chaim Herzog
in 1988.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. She is the founder of the Haifa Cinematheque
Haifa Cinematheque
Haifa Cinematheque is a Cinematheque that located at the Auditorium of Haifa is a the shows center of the Caramel Center. Every year a quarter of a million visitors watching the various performances....
, the Jerusalem Cinematheque
Jerusalem Cinematheque
Jerusalem Cinematheque is the Cinematheque and National Movie Archive, which works in Jerusalem.The Cinematheque was founded in 1974 by Lia van Lear, and housed in a glossary. in 1981 passed a new building in Hebron rd. near to the Valley of Hinnom. Cinematheque building four halls screening...
, the Israel Film Archive and the Jerusalem Film Festival
Jerusalem Film Festival
The Jerusalem Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, Israel. The festival was the brainchild of Lia van Leer, who inaugurated it on May 17, 1984...
.
Biography
Lia van Leer (Greenberg) was born on August 8, 1924 in the BessarabiaBessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
n city of Bălţi
Balti
Balti can refer to:* Balti language, a language spoken in Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir* Balti people, Muslims of Ladakhi/Tibetan origin from Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir...
, then in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, now in Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
. Her father, Simon Greenberg, was a wheat exporter and her mother, Olga, was a WIZO
WIZO
Wizo is a punk rock band from Sindelfingen, Germany. The band was formed in 1985. Their messages run from political to humorous, and they are strongly opposed to Nazism, fascism, racism, and "all of that crap"...
volunteer. She attended a public high school and spent summer holidays in the Carpathian mountains. In 1940, her parents sent her to Palestine to visit her sister Bruria, a dentist, who had immigrated in 1936 and was living in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. She never saw her parents again. In July 1941, the Germans occupied Beltsy and murdered her father and other Jewish community leaders. Her mother and grandmother were deported to Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
and died in a concentration camp. Lia moved to Jerusalem in 1943 to attend the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
. In 1952, she married Wim Van Leer, a Dutch engineer, pilot, playwright and film producer, and settled in Haifa. They founded the country's first film club in 1955.
"There was no television back then", Lia said, "and we had a 16 mm projector that had come as a gift from my father-in-law. Each Friday we would have friends over to watch movies. Our house became the most popular in Haifa." This film club became the Haifa Cinematheque. The Van Leers' private collection of films was the basis for the Israeli Film Archive, founded in 1960.
In 1973, a Brazilian businessman, George Ostrovsky, donated a large sum of money to build a cinematheque in the Hinnom Valley below the Old City
Old City
-Neighborhoods :*Old City , Azerbaijan*Old City *Old City *Old City , Pakistan*Old City Multan, Pakistan*Old City , Tennessee, United States*Old City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
walls. Teddy Kollek
Teddy Kollek
Theodor "Teddy" Kollek was mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 to 1993, and founder of the Jerusalem Foundation. Kollek was re-elected five times, in 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983 and 1989...
and the Jerusalem Foundation mobilized more funding from friends in the Hollywood and around the world. The Jerusalem Cinematheque opened in 1981, and Lia van Leer was named its first director.
After the death of her husband in 1991, Lia inaugurated the Wim Van Leer Award for High School Students to encourage young filmmakers. In its first year, eight films were submitted; in 2008, 90 films contended for the prize.
Awards
In 2004, Lia van Leer was awarded the Israel PrizeIsrael Prize
The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
for her lifetime achievement & special contribution to society and the State of Israel. She won a prize for her volunteer work from Israeli president Chaim Herzog
Chaim Herzog
Chaim Herzog served as the sixth President of Israel , following a distinguished career in both the British Army and the Israel Defense Forces .-Early life:...
in 1988.
See also
- List of Israel Prize recipients