Zahara –  Ayelet Carmi and Meirav Heiman

“Zahara” begins with an aerial view over Jerusalem, the site of events that took place some 70 years ago and inspired this film. A female figure slowly revolves around herself to finally succumb to the ground, dragging a giant, magnificent wing. She harks back to Zahara Levitov, a young pilot killed in a plane crash on a civilian mission in 1948 at the Valley of the Cross. The elderly woman coming to her rescue is based on Ruth Dayan, a public figure in Zionism who, 10 years her elder, had gone on to live for many years after. Re-imagined as mythological figures from an ancient-futuristic time, the two make their way in the streets of a modern-day Jerusalem – through alleyways, the old market and main thoroughfares – to reach the hospital where Zahra died of her wounds. The aerial shot at the end connects the circular motion seen at the beginning, of a fall from heaven, to the Zahara’s apotheosis, tying a final journey between two geographic spots and the one-time, fateful encounter between two female characters.

Ayelet Carmi and Meirav Heiman

Music : Yuval Shay-el

Sound Design: Rotem Dror

Voice and Recorder: Bracha Kol

Performers: Noa Hahn, Ilana Palada

Cinematography: David Rudoy

Drone Videography: Lior Patel

Assistant Photographer: Yoav Shani

Still Photography: Roni Kaufman, Dima Valershtein

Editing: Guy Nemesh

Costume Design: Elisha Abergil

Production Designer: Joanna Jones

Producer: Noga Rozman

Production Assistants: Estina Lavi, Yuval Bisno

Recording: Zohar Zaltz, Eshel Studios, Tel Aviv

“In Expectation” (Hebrew), a poem by Rachel Bluwstein

Thanks: Tali Tamir, Galia Bar Or, Timna Seligman, Ravit Harari, Shahar Marcus

A thank you to New Spirit, Midtown Jerusalem

And to the Contemporary Art Gallery, Ramat HaSharon