Esther (1986 film)
This article may contain an excessive number of citations. (October 2018) |
Esther | |
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Directed by | Amos Gitai |
Written by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Facets Multi-Media |
Release date |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
Countries |
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Language | Hebrew |
Esther (Hebrew: אסתר) is a 97-minute 1986 Austrian-British-Dutch-Israeli Hebrew-language independent underground dramatic historical experimental art film directed by Amos Gitai, his directorial debut. The film tells the story of Esther from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Esther and stars Simone Benyamini, Zare Vartanian, Mohammad Bakri and Juliano Mer-Khamis.
Synopsis
When King Ahasuerus (Zare Vartanian) of Persia drives out of his court Queen Vashti for refusing to show up before him, a frantic search for young virgins is unleashed throughout the kingdom, extending from India to Ethiopia. Esther, an orphan who was raised by her Jewish uncle, Mordecai (Mohammad Bakri), has entered the King's harem, having chosen her as his wife without knowing she was Jewish. At court, she has thwarted an attack against the King thanks to information provided by her uncle. For the service rendered, Esther and Mordecai have become the only free court characters not to prostrate themselves in front of anyone. However, when Mordecai refuses to bow to Minister Haman (Juliano Mer-Khamis), the latter commands the death of all of the Jews of the kingdom under the seal of the King. This is discovered by Esther and Mordecai, who devise a plan to save their people. Mordecai acts in advance against Haman ordering the vengeful extermination of all of those who want the death of the Jews.[1][2][3]
Cast
- Simone Benyamini as Esther
- Zare Vartanian as Ahasuerus
- Mohammad Bakri as Mordecai
- Juliano Mer-Khamis as Haman
- Shmuel Wolf
- Rim Banna
- Fouad Awad
- Tarik Kopty
- George Khleifi
Production
The film marked the directorial debut of Amos Gitai,[4] who also wrote the screenplay.[5] It was shot by Henri Alekan and Nurith Aviv (with Ilan Yagoda assisting), and cast by Levia Hon .
Developed at Herzliya Studios and financed by Interkerkelijke Omroep Nederland and Film4 Productions, the film was distributed by Facets Multi-Media.
Release
The film was screened at the May
Critical response
Stephen Holden of The New York Times opined that "[t]hough not especially entertaining, it is quite handsome and bristling with ideas."[4] In Israel, however, some reviewers were more negative. Daniel Warth of Ha'ir, while noticing similarities to the works of Pier Paolo Pasolini, Bertolt Brecht, and Miklós Jancsó, stated that the film "is an artistic pretension which remains nothing but an aesthical drill with unsophisticated political declarations."[7]
References
- Citations in article
- ^ Sources:
- Kronish, Amy W. (1996). World Cinema: Israel. World Cinema, Volume 6, Series Editor: OCLC 568122092. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- OCLC 27221790. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- OCLC 31817606. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- Kronish, Amy W. (1996). World Cinema: Israel. World Cinema, Volume 6, Series Editor:
- ^ Sources:
- Schenkar, Guilhad Emilio (12 August 2014). חי בסרט – עמוס גיתאי [Living in Films – Amos Gitai] (in Hebrew). Jerusalem: Ministry of Education’s Israeli Educational Television. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- Ginsberg, Prof. Dr. Terri; Lippard, Prof. Dr. Chris (March 2010). Historical Dictionary of Middle Eastern Cinema. Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts, Volume 36, Series Editor: OCLC 718533076. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- JSTOR 23437280.
- ^ Sources:
- .
- Fainaru, Edna; Fainaru, Dan (9 April 1986). אסתר – משוש האינטלקטואלים [Esther – The Opium of the Intellectuals] (PDF). HaOlam HaZeh (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv-Yafo: HaOlam HaZeh. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- Pélisson, Olivier. 1986: Amos Gitaï – Esther Is Born (in French). Paris: Hildegarde Society ’s Le Film français, 15 avril 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- Schwartz, Dennis (26 July 2018). "Ably Tells the Purim Story of the Jews". Ozu’s World Movie Reviews. Bennington, Vermont: Online Film Critics Society. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ a b Holden, Stephen (19 May 1989). "Reviews/Film; The Purim Story, With Modern Overtones". The New York Times. p. 16. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
- ISBN 978-0-5670-2747-4. Retrieved 10 October 2018 – via Google Books.
- OCLC 920667873. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- ^ Warth, Daniel (9 July 1986). תרגיל אסתטי [An Aesthetical Drill] (PDF). Ha'ir (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv-Yafo: Haaretz Group's Schocken Group . Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2018 – via idea.cimema.co.il.
- Sources used
- )
- Meroz, Tamar (27 March 1986). "Purim Now" (PDF). OCLC 882549941. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
- Neeman, Rachel (2 April 1986). תנ״ך עכשיו [The Bible Now] (PDF). OCLC 882549941. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
- )
Further reading
- Willemen, Paul (1993). The Films of Amos Gitai: A Montage. BFI Film Classics. London: British Film Institute. pp. 56–62. OCLC 882549941. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
- Privett, Ray (11 June 2009). Série Exil partie 1, Esther et Berlin Jérusalem [Exile Series Part 1, Esther and Berlin-Jerusalem] (in French). Condé-sur-Noireau: Éditions Charles Corlet. pp. 52–57. )
- Pras, Sylvie, éd. (August 2003). Amos Gitai (in French). Paris: )
- ]
- Variety's Film Reviews, Volume 19: 1985–1986. New York, New York: OCLC 655330431. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- Rooke, Deborah W. (June 2018). "Chapter 26: "What Shall We Do With the Tainted Maiden?": Film Treatments of the Book of Esther". In Walsh, Richard G (ed.). T&T Clark Companion to the Bible and Film. Bloomsbury Companions. London and Edinburgh: OCLC 985072500. Retrieved 30 September 2018 – via Google Books.
External links
- Esther at Amos Gitai’s Official Website Archived 22 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine
- Esther at IMDb
- Esther at AllMovie
- Esther at Rotten Tomatoes