Samuel Maoz
Encyclopedia
Samuel Maoz is an Israel
i film director. His
2009 film, Lebanon won the Golden Lion
at the 66th Venice International Film Festival
.
. At the age of 20, he was a gunner in one of the first Israeli tanks to enter Lebanon
in the 1982 Lebanon War
. After the war, he trained as a cameraman at the Beit Zvi
theater school, and did art direction in film and television productions.see profile in tiff.net (accessed on 5 September 2009)
At the end of July 2009, Maoz received an invitation to the competition of the 66th Venice Film Festival
, where he won the Golden Lion after having had been rejected at the Berlin
and the Cannes
film festivals.
Lebanon was praised as one of the most compelling competition entries. That same year the film was nominated for the Ophir, Israel's national film awards, in ten categories.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i film director. His
2009 film, Lebanon won the Golden Lion
Golden Lion
Il Leone d’Oro is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most distinguished prizes...
at the 66th Venice International Film Festival
66th Venice International Film Festival
The 66th annual Venice Film Festival held in Venice, Italy, was opened on September 2, 2009 by Baarìa - La porta del vento. International competition jury, led by Ang Lee, awarded Leone d'Oro to Lebanon...
.
Biography
Shmuel (Shmuel) Maoz was born in Tel AvivTel 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...
. At the age of 20, he was a gunner in one of the first Israeli tanks to enter Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
in the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
. After the war, he trained as a cameraman at the Beit Zvi
Beit Zvi
Beit Zvi is an acting school located in Ramat Gan, Israel. Graduates of the school are much in demand in the Israeli theater world.-History:...
theater school, and did art direction in film and television productions.see profile in tiff.net (accessed on 5 September 2009)
Film career
As a director, Maoz was associated with the production of documentary films, directing the ARTE production Total Eclipse (2000) with Yevgenya Dodina. In 2007, Maoz began working on Lebanon, his first feature film. The script, based on Maoz's personal experiences, describes the traumatic experiences of a four-man Israeli tank crew in a Lebanese village early in the war.At the end of July 2009, Maoz received an invitation to the competition of the 66th Venice Film Festival
66th Venice International Film Festival
The 66th annual Venice Film Festival held in Venice, Italy, was opened on September 2, 2009 by Baarìa - La porta del vento. International competition jury, led by Ang Lee, awarded Leone d'Oro to Lebanon...
, where he won the Golden Lion after having had been rejected at the Berlin
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
and the Cannes
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
film festivals.
Lebanon was praised as one of the most compelling competition entries. That same year the film was nominated for the Ophir, Israel's national film awards, in ten categories.
Filmography
- LebanonLebanon (film)Lebanon is an Israeli war film directed by Samuel Maoz. It won the Leone d'Oro at the 66th Venice International Film Festival, becoming the first Israeli-produced film to have won that honour. In Israel itself the film has caused some controversy. The film was nominated for 10 Ophir Awards,...
- Total Eclipse