Watching the IDF watching the watchers
Haaretz has an interesting article detailing the very different experiences of filmmakers working with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
David Mandil is the producer of Beaufort, which tells the story of the last unit of soldiers at the Lebanese outpost of the same name. His view is that: “The support the IDF lent us was amazing.”
Renan Schorr, whose film, Habodedim (The Lonely Ones) is currently being filmed, however, feels that, “the Defense Ministry and the IDF have an unreasonable and inappropriate monopoly over the collective IDF experience, which belongs to all of us. The army assists only those who self-censor. The IDF spokesman’s outdated, hypocritical and anti-liberal modus operandi in the production field must be exposed.”
The distinction all comes down to whether the IDF feels that the films reflects the values it promotes.
Every film of TV production that needs the defence establishment’s support, whether in borrowing military equipment or receiving logistical advice, is required to file a request with the IDF Spokesman’s Office. This request is processed by a production department and, if they feel that the script reflects the values promoted by the IDF Spokesman’s Office, it is approved and passed through the ranks until it is rubber stamped by the chief of staff.
Once the approval is granted, the filmmaker is presented with a standard contract, which includes draconian claims that bear witness to the military’s influence on Israeli culture.
Clause B of the contract, for example, under the heading “general,” states that “the IDF spokesman can withdraw permission for filming - without any prior notification - including in the midst of filming.” In clause B, under the heading “submission of photographed material,” it states “the IDF spokesman and the Defense Ministry are allowed to reject parts of the raw material and/or script and/or the finished product.”
If the filmmaker accepts the contract terms, IDF Spokesman’s Office soldiers then escort him throughout the filming period. They keep a watchful eye, are present at every scene and at every interview, and ensure the filmmaker abides by all the agreed-upon conditions.
Major Shavit, who has been head of the production department at the IDF Spokesman’s Office for four years, describes some of the conditions for aiding a production. “The army and the nation’s values can’t be harmed. And if we see that there is such harm, we draw the filmmakers’ attention to this and say that if they want, they can fix it, so we can cooperate and assist them. We support criticism and dilemmas, but we won’t support a movie, which promotes something that goes against our values.” She justifies this attitude on the basis that every production that receives IDF assistance also, “receives the IDF signature.”
Gal Ohovsky, producer of Yossi & Jagger, which tells the story of a secret love affair between two male officers at a military post, doesn’t believe that the IDF should be making decisions like this. “The IDF is not a private body, it represents all of Israel’s citizens,” he says, “and the right thing to do is to supply everyone with the same service.”
IDF Spokeswoman Miri Regev is currently working with cable and satellite networks to launch new channel airing strictly IDF content. Needless to say, this channel will not air any values that run contrary to the IDF Spokesman’s Office.
Wednesday 07 Mar 2007 | Paul | Israel
