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10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

June to shut down production.
Tniversity of Southern California
Hier vigorously denies that fear of
School of Cinema-Television, he has
offending supporters, or officials in
won an Academy Award in his own
Jerusalem, where the Wiesenthal Center
right and was also the director-writer
hopes to erect a Museum of Tolerance,
for The Long Way Home.
played a part in scuttling the project.
"We worked very hard on this film
He says that before making the
for 14 to 15 months, and I am very
final decision, he consulted with col-
disheartened that it will not be
leagues, trustees and "intellectuals and
shown," said Harris.
journalists in Israel. They all agreed it
"We tried to give a positive, but
was a non-starter," he says.
also accurate, portrayal of Israel, and I
Trank says the film was budgeted at
think we gave a very balanced picture,
about
$1 million. Of this amount, some
of which I am very proud."
$300,000 to $400,000 was for the pur-
Harris said he tried to present a
chase of historical and archival footage,
cross-section of Israeli opinions in the
which will be salvaged and incorporated
film, including the voices of writers, set-
in the new documentary; covering the
tlers, kibburzniks, businessmen, Ortho-
same five decades in
dox leaders, philoso-
Israel's history:
phers and ordinary
Out-of-pocket loss-
people of various eth-
_
es
come
ro about
nic backgrounds.
$250,000,
says Hier,
"These are very
and some $300,000
articulate, passionate
will have to be added
and attractive people,
to complete the new,
who express the
as yet untitled, version.
dynamism of Israel
Wiesenthal Center
and grapple honestly
trustee
Mery Adelson,
with the country's
who
exercises
oversight
problems," he said.
of
Moriah
Films,
could
Harris said Hier
not be reached for com-
and Trank did not see
Sir Martin Gilbert will script a
ment. But the veteran
the final cut of the
new film based largely on his
Hollywood and media
film, but acknowl-
book "Israel: A History"
executive, say Hier and
edges that it was in
Trank, was fully sup-
trouble since the first
portive of their decision, even at the cost
cut early this year.
Another trustee, Rosalie
of $250,000.
Hier acknowledges that when the
Zalis, says that funds for the film divi-
filmmakers first presented their basic
sion come from specified individual con-
concept, he was willing to give it a try.
tributors, and are separate from the gen-
"But when I saw the first cut, I was
eral Wiesenthal Center operations.
100 percent convinced it wouldn't
"When I was in Israel last May, I was
work," he says.
told that the film was in trouble," she
"The film was full of talking heads,
says. "Nobody likes to lose money, but
of people who had played no major
given the reputation and track record of
roles in the actual historical events,
Moriah Films, it would be stupid to risk
debating in cafes," he maintains. "We
that by coming out with a bad film."
wanted a film that would excite young
The script for the new film is being
people who knew little about Israel's
written by noted Oxford historian
past," he adds.
Martin Gilbert, based largely on his
"In our previous documentaries, we
book Israel: A History, in collaboration
had real historical depth, and we did
with
Hier and Emmy award-winner
that by showing great archival footage
Scott
Goldstein. Trank is the director.
of the leading figures who actually
It
is
hoped that one of Hollywood's
shaped the events."
most distinguished actors will serve as
The other major problem was that
narrator.
Dream did not have a narrator who
The new documentary will not
would provide continuity and histori-
prettify Israel's history or current
cal background, says Trank.
problems, insists Hier. "We won't pro-
"Without a narrative or coherent
duce a feel-good Jewish National Fund
timeline, what we got was a film that
film," he says. "That wouldn't have
kept jumping from one topic to
any
credibility."
another, and two hours of different
The documentary, to be completed
scenes strung together. Some worked
in four to five months, will be, if any-
and some didn't," he says.
thing, "more honest and hard- hitting"
When numerous attempts to fix the
than the aborted project, promises
film didn't work out, Trani: said he
Trank. LI
made the artistic and fiscal decision in

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