Five Hours from Paris
Encyclopedia
Five Hours from Paris is a 2009 Israeli comedy film
by Leonid Prudovsky. It premiered as an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival
on 12 September 2009. A French cinema chain caused controversy when they cancelled its release following the Gaza flotilla raid
and instead screened a French documentary about Rachel Corrie
, an American protestor killed by an Israeli bulldozer in 2004.
, yet his fear of flying
stands in the way of him booking a 5-hour flight from Tel Aviv
. He then forms a deep emotional bond with a married Russian
immigrant, Lina, who plans to immigrate to Canada
.
. Anne-Marie Faucon, co-founder of the chain said in an interview “It was a protest of our whole company,” (..) “We show many Israeli films, we organize a lot of debates on what happens in the world, but this time we reacted very strongly and in a very emotional way.” Richard Prasquier
, president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions
countered that it represents a continuing trend of the “delegitimization of Israel” among the French intelligentsia.
French newspapers condemned the banning, with Le Monde
stating it represented censorship and that it was a sign of a dangerous trend. The newspaper continued “It is counterproductive. It helps to weaken Israeli voices and eyes who are the most uncompromising about their government. If there is one country in which artists explore with talent and lucidity their state, their society, their leaders and their politics, it is Israel.” Ronit Elkabetz
, a veteran actress in French and Israeli cinema also condemned the ban during an interview with the French media.
The ban also led to Israeli-Dutch filmmaker, Ludi Boeken withdrawing his film Saviors in the Night from Utopia's cinemas. Boeken made the move “in solidarity with the censored.”
The French culture minister, Frédéric Mitterrand
also condemned the ban, expressing in a letter to Faucon “my incomprehension and my disapproval”.
Utopia's organisers replaced Five Hours from Paris with a documentary Rachel
about Rachel Corrie
, an American protestor killed during a protest in Gaza
in 2004. The film was made by Simone Bitton
, a Moroccon-born French-Israeli doctor and self-described pacifist that served with the IDF
as part of the nation's conscription programme.
The public pressue and Boeke's withdrawal subsequently led Utopia to change their decision. The company revealed "We are certainly ready to include the film in our next screening schedule, as the original message we sought to get across via the cancelation has [been achieved],".
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
by Leonid Prudovsky. It premiered as an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival
2009 Toronto International Film Festival
The 34th annual Toronto International Film Festival, was held held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 10 and September 19, 2009. The opening night gala presented the Charles Darwin biography Creation...
on 12 September 2009. A French cinema chain caused controversy when they cancelled its release following the Gaza flotilla raid
Gaza flotilla raid
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...
and instead screened a French documentary about Rachel Corrie
Rachel Corrie
Rachel Aliene Corrie was an American member of the International Solidarity Movement . She was killed in the Gaza Strip by an Israel Defence Forces bulldozer when she was standing or kneeling in front of a local Palestinian's home, thus acting as a human shield, attempting to prevent the IDF from...
, an American protestor killed by an Israeli bulldozer in 2004.
Plot
Yigal is a taxi driver with a burning desire to visit ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, yet his fear of flying
Fear of flying
A fear of flying is a fear of being on an airplane , or other flying vehicle, such as a helicopter, while in flight. It is also sometimes referred to as aerophobia, aviatophobia, aviophobia or pteromerhanophobia....
stands in the way of him booking a 5-hour flight from Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. He then forms a deep emotional bond with a married Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
immigrant, Lina, who plans to immigrate to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Cast
- Vladimir Friedman as Grisha
- Dror Keren as Yigal
- Dorit Lev-Ari
- Helena Yaralova as Lina
Utopia boycott
Utopia, the French chain of art cinemas caused a wave of controversy when it announced it was removing the Israeli film from scheduling in light of Israel's involvement in the Gaza flotilla raidGaza flotilla raid
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Anne-Marie Faucon, co-founder of the chain said in an interview “It was a protest of our whole company,” (..) “We show many Israeli films, we organize a lot of debates on what happens in the world, but this time we reacted very strongly and in a very emotional way.” Richard Prasquier
Richard Prasquier
Richard Presquier is the president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions.- References :...
, president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions
Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France
Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France is an umbrella organization of French Jewish organizations. CRIF opposes anti-Semitism and policies that they perceive to be anti-Semitic....
countered that it represents a continuing trend of the “delegitimization of Israel” among the French intelligentsia.
French newspapers condemned the banning, with Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
stating it represented censorship and that it was a sign of a dangerous trend. The newspaper continued “It is counterproductive. It helps to weaken Israeli voices and eyes who are the most uncompromising about their government. If there is one country in which artists explore with talent and lucidity their state, their society, their leaders and their politics, it is Israel.” Ronit Elkabetz
Ronit Elkabetz
Ronit Elkabetz is an Israeli actress and filmmaker. She works in both Israeli and French cinema. She has won three Ophir Awards and has received a total of seven nominations.- Biography :...
, a veteran actress in French and Israeli cinema also condemned the ban during an interview with the French media.
The ban also led to Israeli-Dutch filmmaker, Ludi Boeken withdrawing his film Saviors in the Night from Utopia's cinemas. Boeken made the move “in solidarity with the censored.”
The French culture minister, Frédéric Mitterrand
Frédéric Mitterrand
Frédéric Mitterrand , a Franco-Tunisian citizen, is the French Minister of Culture and Communication. Throughout his career, he has been an actor, screenwriter, television presenter, writer, producer and director.-Biography:...
also condemned the ban, expressing in a letter to Faucon “my incomprehension and my disapproval”.
Utopia's organisers replaced Five Hours from Paris with a documentary Rachel
Rachel (film)
Rachel is a 2009 documentary film by Simone Bitton detailing the death of Rachel Corrie from "an Israeli point of view". Its first North American public screening was at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival....
about Rachel Corrie
Rachel Corrie
Rachel Aliene Corrie was an American member of the International Solidarity Movement . She was killed in the Gaza Strip by an Israel Defence Forces bulldozer when she was standing or kneeling in front of a local Palestinian's home, thus acting as a human shield, attempting to prevent the IDF from...
, an American protestor killed during a protest in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
in 2004. The film was made by Simone Bitton
Simone Bitton
Simone Bitton is a French-Israeli documentary filmmaker. Her films have been nominated for or won the César Award, the Marseille Festival of Documentary Film Award, and the Sundance Film Festival, Special Jury Prize ....
, a Moroccon-born French-Israeli doctor and self-described pacifist that served with the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
as part of the nation's conscription programme.
The public pressue and Boeke's withdrawal subsequently led Utopia to change their decision. The company revealed "We are certainly ready to include the film in our next screening schedule, as the original message we sought to get across via the cancelation has [been achieved],".