Israeli filmmaker receives prestigious residency in Berlin
Samuel Maoz, the award-winning director of 'Lebanon,' will work on his next script alongside filmmaker from Iran
Fans of “Lebanon,” the beautiful, exquisite, totally devastating Israeli war drama from 2009, will be pleased to know that its director is getting a serious leg up on his next project.
Samuel Maoz, who won a series of international prizes for “Lebanon,” has been selected for a Berlinale Residency, a position offered by the organizers of the Berlin Film Festival. As part of the residency, Maoz will spend four months finishing his next screenplay, alongside fellow residents from countries including the Netherlands, Chile and — perhaps most interestingly — Iran.
It’s unclear what interactions, if any, might take place between Maoz and the Iranian filmmaker, Rafi Pitts, a two-time nominee for the Berlin Film Festival’s top prize.
Whatever their relationship may be, it’s tempting to see Maoz’s participation as an act of atonement by Thomas Hailer, the Berlinale program manager who served as a member of the selection committee. The Berlin Film Festival rejected “Lebanon” back in 2009 — even though, as we noted, it is wonderful and incredible and just generally amazing. (It is a good movie.)
Despite that early setback, “Lebanon” went on to win prizes including a European Film Award for Discovery of the Year, as well as the top prize and two other honors at the Venice Film Festival.