Nadav Lapid (Hebrew: נדב לפיד) is an Israeli screenwriter and film director. Film critics consider him to be among the most internationally acclaimed filmmakers from Israel.[1][2][3]
Nadav Lapid | |
|---|---|
 Lapid holding Golden Bear at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival | |
| Born | |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Education | Tel Aviv University Paris 8 University Sam Spiegel Film and Television School |
| Awards | Locarno Festival Special Jury Prize (2011) Golden Bear (2019) |
Early life
editLapid was born in Tel Aviv, Israel,[2] to a family of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. He is the son of writer Haim Lapid and film editor Era Lapid, he studied philosophy at Tel Aviv University, moving to Paris after his military service in the Israel Defense Forces. He returned to Israel to pursue a degree at the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School in Jerusalem.[4]
Career
editLapid's debut feature film Policeman won the Locarno Festival Special Jury Prize at the Locarno International Film Festival in 2011.[5] His 2014 film The Kindergarten Teacher was featured in the 2014 Critics' Week. Lapid was named as a member of the jury of the Critics' Week section of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.[6]
He became a recipient of the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2019.[5] Nadav Lapid’s film Synonyms won the Golden Bear award at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2019.[7] Lapid won the IFFI Best Director Award for the film at the 45th International Film Festival of India in November 2014.[8]
Reception
editLapid is considered by the film critics to be among the most acclaimed filmmakers from Israel.[1] He has gained reputation for "thematically and formally challenging work".[9] His work frequently involves criticism of Israeli nationalism and identity.[10][11] Lapid, commenting on the reception of his work, states that we "need someone to be in the opposition, to upset the power structure of cinema, to want to lock horns with it".[11]
The Kashmir Files
editIn November 2022, Lapid was invited to head the jury at the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. Assessing the fifteen entries in a closing speech, he, on the behalf of the jury, singled out The Kashmir Files for pointed criticism: it was "vulgar propaganda", he said, and an "inappropriate [submission]", which had shocked his fellow jury members.[12]
Lapid's remarks gave rise to a controversy in Indian politics, drawing backlash from the supporters and the members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which had promoted the film, but receiving support from political opposition.[12] Naor Gilon, Israel's ambassador to India castigated Lapid over Twitter, finding his remarks as presumptuous and insensitive; other diplomats from Israel supported Gilon.[12][13] In subsequent interviews, Lapid stood by his remarks;[14][15] his fellow jurors – except Sudipto Sen – endorsed his observations in a joint statement.[16][17][18]
Personal life
editLapid is married to Naama Preis, an Israeli actress; they reside in Paris, France.[3]
In December 2023, alongside 50 other filmmakers, Lapid signed an open letter published in Libération demanding a ceasefire and an end to the killing of civilians amid the 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, and for a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to be established for humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages.[19][20][21]
Filmography
edit- Road (short film) (2005)
- Emile's Girlfriend (2006)
- Policeman (2011)
- Ammunition Hill (short film, features in Footsteps in Jerusalem) (2013)
- The Kindergarten Teacher (2014)
- Why (short film) (2015)
- Diary of a Wedding Photographer (2016)
- Synonyms (2019)
- Ahed's Knee (2021)
References
edit- ^ a b Hoberman, J. (30 July 2015). "J. Hoberman Reviews Nadav Lapid's Insular New 'The Kindergarten Teacher'". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
[Lapid's] two features [..] have made him the most internationally acclaimed Israeli filmmaker in recent memory… and perhaps ever.
- ^ a b Hawa, Kaleem (31 March 2022). "Nadav Lapid's Cinema of Shame". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
Nadav Lapid has the uncertain honor of being the most acclaimed Israeli film director. A perennial favorite at festivals around the world, [..]
- ^ a b Anderman, Nirit (2 March 2019). "This Award-winning Filmmaker Is Praised by His Fellow Israelis. And It's Making Him Uncomfortable". Haaretz.
In recent years he [Nadav Lapid] has become one of the most esteemed Israeli directors in the world.
- ^ "Nadav Lapid: Israel's Feted Director Speaks His Mind – In His Films and Outside". The Wire. PTI. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Synonymes". Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin. 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
- ^ "Jury 2016". Semaine de la Critique de Cannes. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ Escritt, Thomas (16 February 2019). "Israeli director Nadav Lapid's 'Synonyms' wins Berlinale". Reuters. Berlin.
- ^ "Nadav Lapid: Israel's feted director speaks his mind - in his films and outside it". The Times of India. 2022-11-30. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
- ^ Slater, Shane (2021-09-16). "TIFF 2021: Ahed's Knee Review". That Shelf.
- ^ Lapin, Andrew; Bachner, Michael (2022-03-23). "An Israeli director battles the country's culture ministry in a provocative new film". The Times of Israel.
- ^ a b Anderman, Nirit (2019-03-02). "This Award-winning Filmmaker Is Praised by His Fellow Israelis. And It's Making Him Uncomfortable". Haaretz.com.
- ^ a b c Schmall, Emily; Kumar, Hari (29 November 2022). "Israeli Filmmaker's Critique of Popular Bollywood Film Draws Fierce Backlash". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "'You Should Be Ashamed': Israeli Envoy Slams Filmmaker Who Set Off Firestorm in India". Haaretz. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "'In Countries That Are Losing Ability to Speak Truth, Someone Needs to Speak Up': Nadav Lapid". The Wire. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
- ^ "Israeli filmmaker Lapid stands by his comments, says can recognise 'propaganda disguised as a movie'". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
- ^ "IFFI's Foreign Jurors Back Lapid on 'Kashmir Files', Say Their Criticism Is Artistic, Not Political". The Wire. 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Banning 'The Kerala Story' Serves No Purpose, That Is Not The Way of Democracies". The Wire. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
- ^ Bhattacharya, Snigdhendu (2 May 2023). "'The Kerala Story' And The Growth Of Hindutva Propaganda Movies In India". Outlook.
- ^ "Gaza : des cinéastes du monde entier demandent un cessez-le-feu immédiat". Libération (in French). 28 December 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Newman, Nick (29 December 2023). "Claire Denis, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Christian Petzold, Apichatpong Weerasethakul & More Sign Demand for Ceasefire in Gaza". The Film Stage. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ "Directors of cinema sign petition for immediate ceasefire". The Jerusalem Post. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
External links
edit
- Nadav Lapid on Facebook
- Nadav Lapid at IMDb
