Image of Victory
Image of Victory (Hebrew: תמונת הניצחון) is a 2021 Israeli film directed by Avi Nesher. The film includes a reenactment of the battle and subsequent loss of the Nitzanim Kibbutz during the Israeli War of Independence and is based upon real events. It is claimed to be one of the biggest and most expensive productions in the history of Israeli cinematography.
| Image of Victory | |
|---|---|
| Hebrew | תמונת הניצחון |
| Directed by | Avi Nesher |
| Written by | Avi Nesher |
| Produced by | Ehud Bleiberg |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Amit Yasur |
| Edited by | Isaac Sehayek |
| Music by | Tom Oren |
Production company | United King Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 128 minutes |
| Country | Israel |
| Languages | |
The movie was nominated for 15 categories in the 2021 Ophir Awards and won three of them: Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, and Best Costume Design.
Plot
The film's plot takes place between late 1947 and June 1948, and focuses mainly on the days before the Battle of Nitzanim and on the battle itself (7 June 1948), at the end of which the Nitzanim kibbutz is successfully conquered and the surviving defenders are taken prisoners.
A young Egyptian journalist, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal (Amir Khoury), accompanies an Egyptian volunteer fighting force heading to aid the Palestinian Arabs, as a director of a propaganda film to capture an "image of victory" of the Egyptian Army. They set camp at a village at the foot of the kibbutz within which, the members, together with a platoon from the Givati Brigade, are preparing to defend.
Actors and Characters
| Actor Name | Character Name | Character Background |
|---|---|---|
| Joy Reiger | Mira Ben-Ari | Nitzanim kibbutz member |
| Amir Khoury | Mohamed Hassanein Heikal | Egyptian journalist sent to capture an "Image of victory" for the Egyptian side |
| Ala Dakka | Khalif | Commander of the Egyptian force |
| Eliana Tidhar | Ada | Kibbutz member, migrant from Argentina, Hadassa's cousin, works at the kibbutz's Children's House |
| Tom Avni | Yareakh Bleiberg | Kibbutz member, dairy farmer |
| Meshi Kleinstein | Hadassa | Kibbutz member, migrant from Argentina, Ada's cousin |
| Elisha Banai | Elyakim Ben Ari | Kibbutz member, Mira's ex-partner |
| Netta Roth | Naomi | Kibbutz member |
| Elad Levi | Khaim "J'amous" (Buffalo) | Soldier in the Israeli force |
| Yadin Gellman | Avraham Schwarzstein | Commander of the Israeli force |
| Gil Cohen | Khabani | Soldier in the Israeli force |
| Adam Gabay | Ben Gigi | Sergeant of the Israeli force |
| Amit Moresht | "Kilometer" | Soldier in the Israeli force |
| Nir Knaan | Zigi | Kibbutz member, migrant from Germany, pianist, Holocaust survivor |
| Yonatan Barak | Abba Kovner | Politruk |
| Hisham Sulliman | Cinema logs producer | |
| Abdallah El Akal | Salman | |
| Itamar Zohar | Romek | Kibbutz member |
| Noam Segal | Dani Ben Ari | Son of Elyakim and Mira |
| Kamal Zaid | Yousuf |
External Links
- The English language trailer for Image of Victory on Vimeo
- Image of Victory at IMDb
- "Avi Nesher's 'Image of Victory' is a triumph of cinema - review", Hanna Brown, 24 September 2021, The Jerusalem Post
- "East Bay Jewish film fest: An Egyptian journalist, a young mother and a defeat in early Israel", Dan Pine, 9 March 2022, The Jewish News of Northern California