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The Good Fence

Hillel Rate

Producer

Lev Orlov

Lab Edition:

12

,

2024

Production

Lev Orlov Films

Country

Israel

SYNOPSIS

Avner yearns to include his daughter’s name on the community’s monument, despite her suicide and burial outside of the cemetery’s fence. When his son, a left-wing activist, faces accusations of unlawful activities, Avner releases him on bail and allows him to serve house arrest at home. The Orthodox community reacts strongly to the son’s presence, forcing Avner to choose between his daughter and his son.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

"The Good Fence" combines socio-political drama with a personal family story, highlighting society’s, and even a family’s, blindness to the "other." This is my story and my father’s, and, in my opinion, it’s the story of everyone who has chosen a path different from their parents. As a non-practicing Jew raised in a religious home, I experience firsthand the tension between my own worldview and the one I was raised with. I lost my father about a year and a half ago. Our relationship was complicated because I opposed many of his values. His passing was unexpected, and we didn’t have a chance to say goodbye or part amicably. This script is my attempt to give voice to the loss I experienced and that many who leave their religious affiliation still feel. It’s an opportunity to address the tension between traditional and modern views and a call to the hard work of Sh’lom Bayit, making peace with one’s home.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Hillel Rate, an independent Israeli filmmaker graduated with honors from the Maaleh School of Cinema and Television and completed his master's degree (MFA) cum laude in documentary cinema from Tel Aviv University. In addition, He works with festivals around the world as a jury and selection committee member. His short films have been screened at festivals around the world including among others, the Jerusalem IFF, Doc Aviv IFF, Hot Docs Canadian FF and Astra FF. Hillel's films deal with firsthand stories and focus on marginalized figures in Israeli society. He believes that through personal stories and intimate experiences, it is possible to create narratives that have a broad social impact. His point of view and visual tone are subtle, full of compassion and respect for his characters.

ABOUT THE CO-WRITER

PRODUCER

Lev Orlov

Lev Orlov is an independent film producer based in Tel Aviv and head of Lev Orlov Films. A graduate of the Innovative Producing Studies at Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, he produced award-winning short films that have featured in festivals worldwide.
Currently, Lev focuses on producing fiction, documentary, and animation films with promising young Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers. His first feature film, Clouds of Dust (IS-PL-FR-CO), directed by Inbar Horesh and written by Bar Cohen and Inbar Horesh, is currently in pre-production.

​PRODUCTION COMPANY PROFILE

○ Lev Orlov Films, Tel Aviv
orlov.lev95@gmail.com
○ +972544951604

​PRODUCTION BUDGET

○ Total budget: 800,000 USD

LANGUAGE

Hebrew

GENRE

Drama

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