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Of Dogs and Men

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2024 Israeli film
Of Dogs and Men
על כלבים ואנשים
Directed byDani Rosenberg
Written byDani Rosenberg
Ori Avinoam
Itay Tamir
Produced byAlexander Rodnyansky
Itai Tamir
Donatella Palermo
StarringOri Avinoam
Yamit Avital
Nora Lifshitz
Lihu Nitzan
Edited byNili Feller
Music byYuval Semo
Distributed byRAI
Release date
  • 5 September 2024 (2024-09-05)
Running time82 minutes
CountryIsrael
LanguageHebrew

Of Dogs and Men (Hebrew: על כלבים ואנשים) is a 2024 Israeli docudrama directed by Dani Rosenberg. It centres on the aftermath of the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel.

It is an international co-production with Italy's public broadcaster, RAI. It premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2024.

Plot summary

Dar (Avinoam), a 16-year-old girl returns to Kibbutz Nir Oz following the devastating Nir Oz attack. She searched in vain for her beloved dog, Shula, who went missing during the attack. Dar begins to have dreams where Shula befriends a Palestinian boy in the Gaza strip. Dar also deals with the tragic reality that her mother was abducted on October 7 and is believed to be a hostage in the Gaza strip. In her conversations with soldiers, forensic pathologists, volunteers and a kindergarten teacher she learns more about the horror of the attack on the kibbutz.

Cast

  • Ori Avinoam as Dar, a 16-year-old girl
  • Yamit Avital as a Kindergarten teacher
  • Nora Lifshitz as a dog rescuer
  • Swell Ariel Or as diary voice of Dar's mother

Production

Filming took place at Kibbutz Nir Oz only weeks after the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel. The kibbutz was the scene of the Nir Oz attack on October 7, where an estimated 180 out of 400 residents were killed or taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip. Kibbutz survivors were also filmed for the project and speak directly to the camera. The dialogue in the film is mostly improvised and there was no set construction.

Release

It premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2024 in the Orizzonti section. Artists For Palestine Italia launched an unsuccessful petition campaign to pull Israeli films, including Of Dogs and Men and Amos Gitai's Why War, from the festival. Producer, Alexander Rodnyansky criticised the petition as "misguided and shortsighted". Rodnyansky added that the film did not have prior screenings and that "No one who signed the petition has watched the film, Of Dogs And Men is anything but a piece of war propaganda or a call for vengeance." He thanked the festival's director, Alberto Barbera who, "instead of shying away from controversial and even explosive issues, chose to embrace them and make the festival a place where all points of view are represented and respected." Barbera told Deadline Hollywood: "The films that were asked to be withdrawn by the 300 filmmakers are not anti-Palestinian films in any way, quite the opposite…"

It was also part of the lineup of the New York Jewish Film Festival, where it was screened on 23 January 2025.

It will also screen at the Woodstock Film Festival on 17 October 2025.

Reception

Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter praised the film as "thoughtful and quietly powerful." He praised Rosenberg's approach for respecting "the victims instead of exploiting their memories." Likewise, Ilaria Bellantoni of Italy's weekly news magazine Panorama described the film as "achingly beautiful."

Jonathan Romney of Screen Daily gave the film a mixed review: "Rosenberg is to be lauded for approaching this material with emotional restraint. But the film’s gentle drift and its tendency to art cinema lyricism, delicate music included, mutes its effect considerably, even risks aestheticising the trauma."

References

  1. ^ Romney, Jonathan (29 September 2024). ‘Of Dogs And Men’: Hamburg Review Screen Daily. Retrieved on 24 January 2025
  2. ^ Lodderhose, Diana (3 September 2024). ‘Of Dogs And Men’ Director Dani Rosenberg & Producer Alexander Rodnaynsky Talk Making The October 7 Drama, The Petition Calling To Boycott Israeli Films & Why Their Project Is “An Important Statement About Peace” — Venice Deadline. Retrieved on 24 January 2025
  3. ^ Mintzer, Jordan (6 September 2024). ‘Of Dogs and Men’ Review: A Thoughtful and Quietly Powerful Israeli Docudrama Explores the Aftermath of Oct. 7 The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 24 January 2025
  4. De Marco, Camillo (6 September 2024). Review: Of Dogs and Men Cineuropa. Retrieved on 24 January 2025
  5. Blumenfeld, David; Hoomash, Carmit; Eaton, Alexandra; Throop, Noah; Reneau, Natalie (2023-10-15). "Video: 'A Day of Horror:' Kibbutz Massacre Survivors Recount Hamas Attack". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  6. Vourlias, Christopher (22 May 2024). Hamas Attack Aftermath Film ‘Of Dogs and Men’ From Dani Rosenberg, AR Content Boarded by RAI Cinema International Distribution (EXCLUSIVE) Variety. Retrieved on 24 January 2025
  7. Macnab, Geoffrey (4 September 2024). Alexander Rodnyansky on financing October 7 drama ‘Of Dogs And Men’ and “misguided” protests against the film Screen Daily. Retrieved on 24 January 2025
  8. Wiseman, Andreas (2 September 2024). Venice Chief Alberto Barbera On Apple’s ‘Wolfs’ Strategy, The Petition Calling For A Boycott Of Israeli Films & Journalists’ Ire Over The Lack Of Talent Access Deadline. Retrieved on 24 January 2025
  9. Of Dogs and Men Film at Lincoln Center. Retrieved on 24 January 2025
  10. Of Dogs and Men Woodstock Film Festival. Retrieved on 24 January 2025
  11. Bellantoni, Ilaria (6 September 2024). Bello da far male. A Venezia va n scena "Of Dogs and Men" Panorama. Retrieved on 24 January 2025

External links

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