Rabin in His Own Words
A film by Erez Laufer
“Rabin in His Own Words brings a painful and engaging observation on Israel through the character of a leader that dreamt to achieve peace and on the tragedy that took his life and the hope. The film is a moving cinematic achievement of smart and precise use of the archival materials.” Jury Statement
Winner of Haifa International Film festival 2015 for Best Documentary
Without commentators or mediators, director Erez Laufer brings to the screen the story of one of Israel's most prominent leaders Itshak Rabin in his own words.
Through a combination of rare archive footage, home movies and private letters, his personal and professional dramas unfold before the viewer's eyes - from his childhood as the son of a labor leader before the founding of the state, through a change of viewpoint that turned him from a farmer into a soldier who stood at some of the most critical junctures in Israeli history, Commander of Israel Army during Six Day War, through a brilliant diplomatic career as Israeli ambassador to the United States and his entry into the Israeli political arena, through his later years as Prime Minister he made moves for Peace that enraged a large portion of the public, until the horrific moment when his political career and life were suddenly brought to an end.
Recommendations:
Excellent “In His Own Words is a deeply involving look at the man’s entire life, using archival footage, home movies, private letters but most of all filmed interviews Rabin gave, to let us hear him tell his own story just about from cradle to grave.” — Kenneth Turan, LA Times
Colorful storytelling “Rabin’s consistent, thoughtful self-criticism and colorful storytelling animate what might otherwise be a pat, or at least familiar, history of Israel in the 20th century. By making it specific, Laufer makes it new.” — Diana Clarke, Village Voice
Mandatory Viewing “A thoroughly fascinating, captivating, well-edited and provocative documentary. It should be mandatory viewing for anyone even remotely interested in politics and history.” — Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
Important "Eloquently captures the two sides of Rabin -- The fierce warrior and the delicate peacenik" — Curt Schiller JTA
A very good in depth biography "One of the most complete and intensive biography/documentary films I’ve seen years. — John Dela, Aced Magazine
Essential viewing "Combining fascinating audio recordings and archival footage, this revealing documentary is essential viewing for anyone interested in Israeli history." Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
Hauntingly beautiful piece of cinema "...One that has all the elements: drama, inspiration, competition, victory, defeat, betrayal and looming above it all, tragedy. It's a hauntingly beautiful piece of cinema that you won't soon forget." — Igor Shteyrenberg, Miami Jewish Film Festival
Festivals and Screenings:
Haifa International Film Festival, Israel
Hot Docs, Toronto, Canada
Lincoln Plaza Cinema, New York
Laemmle’s Royal, L.A.
Living Room Theaters FAU , Boca Raton, Fl.
Movies of Delray, Delray Beach, Fl.
Movies of Lake Worth, Lake Worth, Fl.
The Last Picture Show, Tamarac, Fl.
Cleveland International Film festival OH
San Francesco Jewish Film Festival, CA.
U.K Jewish Film festival, London UK
Boston Jewish Film festival, MA
Moscow Film Festival, Russia
Sidney Jewish Film Festival, Australia
Melbourne Jewish Film Festival, Australia
Suffolk Int'l Jewish Film Festival, NY
Other Israel Film Festival, NY
Jewish Film Institute
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival GA
Portland Jewish Film Festival OR
Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival CA
Hartford Jewish Film Festival CT
Israeli Film Festival Chicago IL
Jewish Historical Society of Delaware DE
Seattle Jewish Film Festival OR
Tampa Jewish Film Festival FL
Boulder Jewish film festival CO
Berman Center Bloomfield MI
Davie Jewish Film Festival FL
Santé Fe Jewish Film Festival NM
Toronto Jewish Film Festival Canada
St Louis Jewish Film Festival MO
Berlin Jewish Film Festival Germany
Israeli Film Festival Carleton University Canada
Albuquerque Jewish Community Center Film Series NM
Ohio Mandel JCC Film Festival OH
Tulsa Jewish Film Festival OK
Falmouth Jewish Film Series MA
Jacob Burns Film Series, Westchester NY
East Bay Jewish Film Festival CA
Omaha Jewish Film Festival NE
Weinstein JCC Film Series, Richmond, VA
Westchester Jewish Film festival NY
Rehoboth Beach Jewish Film Festival DE
About the Film
Israel
100 minutes
Hebrew, English subtitles
Directed and Edited by Erez Laufer
Produced by Orly Topel and Vivi Halpern
Kol-Miney Productions
Original Music: Yehuda Poliker
Sound Design Erez Eyni Shavit
Reading Rabin’s Letters Dan Shapira
Produced for Yes Docu with the support of the New Fund for Cinema and TV
Trailer
Screenings
To arrange for a public screening, contact Nahum Laufer below.
Contact
For more information please contact Nahum Laufer.
Email: laufern@netvision.net.il
Fax: 972-3-5291726
Mail: Shlomo Hamelech 93 #5, Tel-Aviv 6451228
