Can a leader succeed in influencing the world? Or is he a human being like anyone else, only a grain of sand tossed to the waves of history with no ability to affect it? Tolstoy pondered this question in War and Peace.

78-year-old Ehud Barak is the controversial former prime minister, decorated and criticized commander on the battlefield, and one of the leading figures of the Zionist movement. He is also the initiator of Israel's assassination plan of Yasser Arafat.

In this remarkable film, Barak observes with disillusioned clarity his own history and the history of the State Israel. Twenty years after the failure of the 2000 Camp David summit, Barak looks back on his life and analyzes the Israeli reality with a critical eye.

Respected craft-master filmmaker RAL TAL (THE MUSEUM, THE GARDEN OF EDEN, CHILDREN OF THE SUN), known for his narrative fiction style in his formalist approach to documentary cinema, delivers an outstanding philosophical essay, and proposes a deep cinematic reflection on history and decision-making, while trying to figure it all out - "What if?"


What If? Ehud Barak on War and Peace

Israel 2021, 85 min, Feature Documentary

Written & Directed by: Ran Tal
Produced by: Lama Films - Amir Harel, Ayelet Kait; Ran Tal
Editing: Nili Feller
Cinematography: Giora Bejach
Visual researcher: Hagit Ben Yaakov
Research and artistic consulting: Shira Perry
Design and animation: Dovev Alperson, Design Ninjas
Music: Haim Frank Ilfman
Sound Design and Mix: Aviv Aldema
Sound recording: Tully Chen
Color grading: Yoav Raz
North American Distributor: Film Movement
Line producers: Matan Gaida, Karin Etedgi
Poster design: Lahav halevy
Supported by: Rabinovich Film Fund Cinema Project, The Israeli Ministry of Culture and Sports, Other Israel Film Fund, The Israel Film Council, Keshet Broadcasting
Language: Hebrew with English subtitles

DVD - For Home Use Only :
$29.90

Synopsis


Can a leader succeed in influencing the world? Or is he a human being like anyone else, only a grain of sand tossed to the waves of history with no ability to affect it? Tolstoy pondered this question in War and Peace.

78-year-old Ehud Barak is the controversial former prime minister, decorated and criticized commander on the battlefield, and one of the leading figures of the Zionist movement. He is also the initiator of Israel's assassination plan of Yasser Arafat.

In this remarkable film, Barak observes with disillusioned clarity his own history and the history of the State Israel. Twenty years after the failure of the 2000 Camp David summit,...

Festivals

  • Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival, Armenia, 2021
  • Other Israel Film Festival, US, 2021
  • Cambridge Film Festival, UK, 2021
  • UK Jewish Film Festival, 2021

Additional info

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Festivals

  • Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival, Armenia, 2021
  • Other Israel Film Festival, US, 2021
  • Cambridge Film Festival, UK, 2021
  • UK Jewish Film Festival, 2021
  • Geneva Jewish Film Festival, Switzerland, 2021
  • Australia International Jewish Film Festival, 2022
  • Calgary Jewish Film Festival, US, 2021
  • Austin Jewish Film Festival, 2021
  • Miami Jewish Film Festival, US, 2022
  • Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, US, 2022
  • Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival, US, 2022
  • Jerusalem Film Festival 2020 - Feature Documentary Competition – World Premiere
  • Moscow International Film Festival, Official Competition, 2021