Thanks to the pandemic, it has never been more important to have audiovisual content available 24 hours a day, accessible to everyone on the planet. Television networks, cable, and streaming channels have been dedicated to supplying this gigantic demand.
Amid this phenomenon, Israel has stood out as the third-largest
provider of content to the US, behind only the UK and the Netherlands.
How is it possible that a country with only 72 years of
existence, slightly larger than New Jersey, lost among enemies in the Middle East, with a population of just
9 million inhabitants, and with less than 30 years of experience in TV
production, is capable of such a feat?
SHORT HISTORY OF THE ISRAELI TV
At the birth of the State of Israel in 1948, the country
only had one radio station, administered directly by the
government. Meanwhile, in the 1940s the rest of the world was giving its
first steps into the brave new world of the television broadcast. Countries
such as the US, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union started television
broadcasts at that time.
But Israel's population only gained access to television
broadcasts much later, when, in 1960, its neighbors Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus
began to have television. Its programming was entirely in Arabic, very popular
among Israeli Arabs. This had the Israeli government quite worried. But it
wasn't until 1963, when Levi Eshkol became prime minister, that they decided
that it was necessary to establish a television channel in Israel. The new station
only started official broadcasts 3 years later, in March 1966, and initially,
the programming was only educational.
COLOR TV
The Israelis' next battle was to watch color TV. Despite
having already available equipment to broadcast the color images for a long
time, the Israeli broadcaster took 10 years to do so. Meanwhile, TVs in Jordan
and Egypt began broadcasting in color in 1974.
The reason for the Israeli delay was political. Israeli
Prime Minister Golda Meir described color television as "artificial and
unnecessary”. And the official justification for the delay was that the Israeli
government considered importing color televisions to be a frivolous luxury that
would increase social differences.
Only in 1977 did the Israeli government allow color
broadcasts on state television during the historic visit of Egyptian President
Anwar El Sadat to Israel.
Public pressure demanding color TV finally succeded in
1981, but the process only normalized in 1983.
THE NEXT FIGHT – COMMERCIAL TV
In 1978 the government appointed a special committee to
explore the possible establishment of a second channel free from government
supervision and commercial. In October 1986 the second channel went on air. But
it only started to work fully in 1990.
CABLE TV
In the late 1980s, illegal cable television transmissions
became popular in Israel's major cities. They were stations broadcasting from
private homes to subscribers. The content was mostly home video films. These local
stations disappeared with the introduction of regulated cable television in
1989. By mid-1994 some 720,000 Israeli homes were connected to cable TV. And in
2000 satellite television was introduced in Israel.
THE SEARCH FOR EXPRESSION CHANNELS
Behind Israel's audiovisual mass media growth process,
there was a struggle between two Israels – the one of the Kibbutzim and
socialist spirit that existed before 1967, and one that came to be after the
Six-Day War, when Israel felt safe in its new borders and wanted all the
benefits of the modern capitalist world.
I see in this a certain parallel between the Jews of the
Diaspora, who for centuries were locked in their ghettos and synagogues,
immersed in their sacred books and traditions. And, finally, at the beginning
of the 20th century, with the secularization of a great portion of the Jewish
communities in Europe, Jews who had lived in exile for centuries from the
Gentile cultural universe, suddenly had access to these channels of personal
expression. Eagerly they excel in the fine arts, literature, cinema, radio, and
even on television. The twentieth-century cultural landscape was strongly
populated by Jewish artists. In just a century of escaping the Shtetl, Jews
have become major producers of culture in every field. Centuries of deep
intellectual incubation have regurgitated priceless artistic works to the
world.
LESS THAN 30 YEARS OF TV PRODUCTION
Israeli production of television audiovisual content is
extremely recent – less than 30 years. And it wasn't necessarily a gradual
evolution.
The 1980s produced quite an insipient TV programming in
Israel. The main shows of the decade - BLI SODOT, EREV CHADASH, HAMIS'ADA
HAGDOLA, KISHKASHTA, and KROVIM-KROVIM, among others, were mostly educational
programs aimed at children; there were also some Sitcoms, comedy sketches shows,
and documentaries.
The '90s provided little development: the number of comedy shows
increased, children's programs continued to happen, and some reality TV came
about to add to the programming. In the series area, the first dramatic
production appeared. It was called - INYAN SHEL ZMAN (A MATTER OF TIME) and it
was about the teenage world, talking about themes such as high school, teenage
love, sex, and drafting into the army.
Finally, from the year 2000, the production of series
increased a lot, at least 9 of them made it to the small screen - HA-BORER,
DEUS, ESTI HAMEKHO'ERET, HA'NEPHILIM, HASHMINIYA, THE RAN QUADRUPLETS, and
SRUGIM. In 2003 one of them became the great watershed. Its name – BE TIPUL. A drama
revolving around the personal and professional life of a psychologist. The
series featured him seeing patients five days a week and, on the sixth, he is
the one who seeks supervision and psychological treatment for himself.
Filmmaker Ori Sivan was the main screenwriter for the
series. The program has been adapted into local versions in the United States,
Argentina, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Portugal, Poland,
Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova, Netherlands, Japan,
Canada, Russia, Italy, France, and Brazil. Always with great success.
THE NEXT GREAT NOVELTY
HATUFIM – PRISONERS OF WAR series premiered in Israel in
2010 and was created by Gideon Raff. It tells the story of three Israeli
soldiers, captured during a secret mission in Lebanon and held as prisoners, mysteriously
released nearly 20 years later. The critically acclaimed program aired in about
20 countries in its original Hebrew format with subtitles. The series gained an
adaptation in the US that became a worldwide success.
HOMELAND tells the story of an American soldier, Nicholas
Brody, played by actor Damian Lewis. Captured by al-Qaeda for several years, he
is eventually returned to the US, and CIA agent Carrie Mathison, played by
Claire Danes, suspects he has been tricked into acting covertly against the US.
HOMELAND debuted in 2011 and has since won numerous awards. Its eighth and
final season was broadcast in 2020.
FOREIGN PRODUCTIONS
Perhaps because of the continuous demand for new material,
some of the streaming giants lately have put aside concerns about adaptation
and are preferring to directly broadcast the original material in the language
in which it was produced – even though it is widely known that the American
market is averse to content in a foreign language. This was a big step forward,
bold, and reckless.
In this category, two recent productions from Israel stand
out. FAUDA and SHTISEL, spoken in Hebrew, Yiddish, and Arabic. They are an
absolute success, and their new seasons are awaited with anxiety and
anticipation.
STHISEL
Is called a dramedy set in the Orthodox Hasidic community of
Jerusalem. The main characters are Akiva (played by Michael Aloni), an artist desperately
seeking love; and his father, Rav Shulem, (comedian Dov Glickman), the neighborhood
children's school principal, who recently lost his wife. The plot of the series
revolves around these two and their families.
I even wrote about the first and second seasons of the
series in 2019, as it surprised and pleased me a lot. Although at the time I
lived in Jerusalem in the 1970s, I had a real dislike for the Haredim
(ultra-Orthodox) in the Mea Shearim and Geula neighborhoods, I enjoyed the show
so much that I made a point of meeting one of its authors and directors, Ori
Elom, in June 2019 when he and actors Michael Aloni, Dov Glickman, Neta Riskin,
and Ayelet Zurer were here in Los Angeles talking to fans and the Jewish community.
After waiting for almost 2 years, it was with happiness
that I finally watched the third full season of SHTISEL. In a zoom-chat, I
participated, a friend commented on how much he identified in the scripts of
this third season, inspiration in Bashevis Singer’s books and also in Chagall's
paintings.
I fully agreed with him. I remember that the characters in
the series, in one of its episodes, even mention Singer. And the final scene of
the season, in which living and dead characters gather in a symbolic supper,
everything has to do with Chagal's fantastic paintings.
The other Israeli series that also won hearts and minds
around the world, is opposed to Shtisel and passes miles away from Chagal and
Singer...
FAUDA…
… Means chaos in Arabic and is an Israeli series that is
successful everywhere, even among neighboring Arabs, some of the enemies of
Israel. One of its creators and star, Lior Raz, Israeli agent Doron Kavillio,
lived in Los Angeles, where he was Arnold Schwarzenegger's bodyguard. He was
born in Ma'ale Adumim but raised in Jerusalem. The son of an Iraqi immigrant,
Raz grew up speaking Arabic with his father and grandmother. He was a commando
in the Israeli navy and served in “Shin Bet”, a mix of Israeli secret service
and the FBI. Israelis, after serving 3 years in the country's armed forces
every year, do one month of reserve service. It's what they call “miluim”. In
Raz's case, for 20 years he was part of the “Duvdevan” unit, specializing in
anti-terrorism.
In 1990, when Raz was 19, his girlfriend Iris Azulai was
stabbed and killed by a Palestinian terrorist.
With his military experience, his personal life, and his
passage through Hollywood, Lior Raz could easily create the series together
with Avi Issacharoff, an Israeli journalist specializing in the Palestinian
issue. For over 20 years, Lior has been preparing for this role.
Another aspect of the series that is remarkably interesting
is the presence in the cast of Arab actors.
UNORTHODOX
Contrary to what most SHTISEL and FAUDA fans might think,
Netflix's UNORTHODOX is not an Israeli miniseries. It is a German American
production that debuted on Netflix in March 2020.
The series is inspired by Deborah Feldman's 2012
autobiography, "Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic
Roots." The four-part miniseries was created and written by Anna Winger
and Alexa Karolinski, and directed by Maria Schrader.
Award-winning and applauded by audiences and critics, it
tells the story of Esty, a Jewish woman from the ultra-Orthodox community of
Williamsburg, New York. After marrying to satisfy her family's expectations,
she flees to Berlin, running away from the oppressive reality of her community.
The reason everyone thinks that UNORTHODOX is an Israeli
miniseries is due to the presence of Shira Haas, an Israeli actress, who
captivated everyone with her portrayal of Ruchami Weiss in SHTISEL.
HOW DO EXPLAIN ALL THIS SUCCESS?
The artist from Israel knows how to tell a good story. No
wonder they wrote the greatest bestseller of all time, the Bible. But there are
certainly other interesting and unique reasons responsible for this phenomenon.
In 2019 when SHITSEL's main cast actors -- Michael Aloni,
Dov Glickman, Neta Riskin, Ayelet Zurer, and their creator Ori Elom were in Los
Angeles, they were asked what makes Israeli series so appealing to millions of
viewers around the world?
Neta Riskin said that success took the cast by surprise.
During the first filming, shooting the scene in which she was assaulted at
home, they had little time to do it and she was not satisfied with the result,
to which the continuity person soothed her saying: "Relax, no one will
watch what we’re doing here!"
Michael Aloni said that was what they thought: who would
watch a series about a community of Orthodox Jews, living in this little
neighborhood in Jerusalem, without shooting, car racing, violence, and, above
all, no sex! For him, the most erotic scene in the series is the one in which
Elisheva takes off her wig and shows her gray hair to Kive. Michael also said
that in the Haredim neighborhoods in Jerusalem no one has a television or
internet. This is forbidden between them. But many watched the series on their
cell phones.
Israeli series, in general, have smaller budgets. It was
for lack of money that the third season of Shtisel took so long to arrive. To
overcome the limitations of the budget, they invest deeply in character
development. Whether in the orthodox universe of SHTISEL or the violent
conflicts between Israeli forces and terrorists in FAUDA, the construction of
the characters and their environment is exquisite.
Any good script teacher tells us that we should write about
what we know. And Israeli authors are doing just that. The more honest your
script, the more effective.
And I think that when you, as a writer, are faithfully about
your microcosm you succeed in touching the hearts of people around the world.
We are all human beings essentially with the same dramas and hope.
THE SECRET INGREDIENT
But there is a secret ingredient that gives these Israeli
series a special taste. Something that other shows around the world often don't
have – this element is called “chutzpah”.
I looked in a dictionary and found some adjectives that
help to define it - supreme self-confidence, courage, determination, audacity,
daring, outrage, impertinence, insolence, fearlessness, conceit, shamelessness!
All of this is “chutzpah”, and nothing more perfectly
defines the Israelite's spirit and soul. Without “chutzpah” Israel would never
have survived this long.
Israeli series also have “chutzpah”. They are not afraid to
push the envelope and go for it. They are bold. They are not afraid to
criticize themselves, their own country. They often generate controversy and
radical opinions because of this.
And, most incredible, it gets the most unexpected social
results. Dov Glickman, Shule Shtisel, told that he was in Paris with his wife
and, while having coffee on a Parisian boulevard, he was approached by 3 Muslim
ladies from Lebanon. They watched the series and said that the problems that
the Haredim face daily are the same as those of the Muslim community in
Lebanon. And, they even said that, who knows, the series would be a way for
both peoples to find peace.
If SHTISEL caused this kind of reaction among Lebanese
viewers, FAUDA generated unexpected reactions in an even more surprising
audience.
When visiting the UAE, Lior Raz was warmly received by
several Arab interlocutors. He sat with Palestinians, Iranians, Syrians,
Lebanese, Kuwaitis, and people from the Emirates in one place, and felt at
home. They were all very receptive. According to him, the magic of the show was
to win over people on both sides of the conflict. Extremists among Israelis,
after FAUDA, felt empathy for the Palestinians. And on the other side, the
Palestinians told him that it was the first time they felt compassion for the
Israelis. They connected with the narrative and could see the other side.
This is only possible because the script avoids clichés.
Palestinians and Israelis are presented as people of flesh and blood, living
real dramas.
THE FUTURE
At the moment the production of content was greatly harmed
by the pandemic and broadcast channels and streaming platforms in the US and
the world are eagerly seeking content. Israeli series has certainly benefited
from this. As a result, recently, streaming platforms are buying international
rights and signing co-productions from some of Israel's top providers.
Apple TV+ alone has added five unprecedented Israeli
productions and adaptations to its roster in recent months, including a limited
series about Hedy Lamarr starring Gal Gadot, which was originally supposed to
air on Showtime. So, whoever likes this type of content, be prepared. There’s more
to come.
I searched and found some titles, and I'll pass them on
here to you.
They are EUPHORIA and OUR BOYS series from HBO, FALSE FLAG
from Hulu, STOCKHOLM, and AUTONOMIES from Topic, TEHRAN, and LOSING ALICE from
Apple TV +, CONFESSE from the web, as well as VALLEY OF TEARS and ON THE
SPECTRUM. I haven't seen any of these yet. The only one I've watched and
recommend is Netflix's miniseries WHEN HEROES FLY, with Michael Aloni from
SHTISEL; about four Israeli army veterans traveling into the Colombian jungle
to rescue a person they thought was dead.
#Israel #Fauda #Shtisel #Betipul #Hatufim #Terapia Session #Homeland #Series #Streaming #Cape #WladimirWeltman
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário