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Rachel Leah Jones

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Rachel Leah Jones (born 1970) is an American-Israeli documentary film director and producer.[1] Her documentary film Advocate about the controversial human rights lawyer Leah Tsemel, which she co-directed and co-produced with cinematographer Philippe Bellaïche, premiered at 2019 Sundance Film Festival,[2] and won top prizes at Kraków Film Festival, Thessaloniki Documentary Festival[3] and Docaviv Festival.[4]

Early life and education

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Jones was born in Berkeley, California and raised in Tel Aviv. She has a BA in Race, Class, & Gender Studies and the Politics of Representation from Evergreen College in Olympia, Washington, and an MFA in Media Arts Production from the City University of New York.[5][6][7][which?] Over the years, Jones has worked extensively on socially and politically engaged documentaries about Israel/Palestine and has been affiliated with progressive media outlets such as the (anti-)Occupation Club in Tel Aviv, the joint Israeli/Palestinian Alternative Information Center in Jerusalem and the critically acclaimed public TV/radio program Democracy Now! in New York.[1]

Career

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From 1992 until 1998, Jones worked in several positions in the non-profit sector, including as a fundraiser, writer and photo editor at the Alternative Information Center, a non-governmental organization that disseminates information on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, with progressive analysis; as a fundraiser for HILA, a joint Mizrahi-Arab-Ethiopian NGO that advocates for non-discriminatory public education; and as the political projects coordinator for the Jerusalem Link, a joint Israeli-Palestinian women's organization working for social justice and empowerment of women in both societies.

Documentary films

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In 1994, Jones began her career in documentary filmmaking, working as a line producer and assistant director on multiple films, working primarily on films by Duki Dror, among them the award-winning Raging Dove;[8][9] and films by Simone Bitton, including the film Wall, which won the Special Jury Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, among other international awards.[10][11]

The first documentary feature directed and co-produced by Jones was 500 Dunam on the Moon in 2002, which tells the story of Ein Hod, a Palestinian village that was captured and depopulated by Israeli forces in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.[12][13] The film was screened at international film festivals,[14] including the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival,[15] Human Rights Watch Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival. It won the Jury Award for best documentary at the Festival de Trois Continents, and was broadcast on France 2 television.[6]

Jones' next major effort was of more autobiographical significance.[16] In Gypsy Davy, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2011,[7][17] she tells the story of how "A white-boy with Alabama roots becomes a Flamenco guitarist in Andalusian boots and fathers five children to five different women along the way," who just happens to be the father who abandoned her in her infancy.[18] In the film, Jones narrates as if she is writing a letter to her elusive father,[16] and gathers his many wives and children to also state their feelings and perceptions of the artist.[19] The film, which was well-received by critics,[20][21][22] went on to screen at many international festivals, and won the Jury Award for Best Documentary at the International Women's Film Festival In Rehovot.[23] It was later broadcast on Israel's Channel 8 and on HBO Latin America.[24]

In 2007, Jones released her next film, Ashkenaz. The film deals with public perceptions about Ashkenzi-Mizrahi relations and social status in Israel, highlighting the manner in which the hegemonic group's (Ashkenazim) identity becomes "invisibilized" in favor of being seen as "normal" rather than an ethnicity. The film received positive reviews,[25][26] was screened at documentary and Jewish film festivals around the world,[27] and was released to cinematheques across Israel, and was also broadcast on Israel's Channel 8. The controversial subject of the film led to special screenings with discussion panels, in which major cultural figures participated, especially from the non-Ashkenzi side of the social map, such as Sami Shalom Chetrit and Jamal Zahalka, who were also featured in the film.[28][29][30] The film was also cited in the academic research journal Pe'amim, published by the Ben Zvi Institute for the study of Jewish communities in the East, in an article by Reuven Snir, "Baghdad Yesterday: About History, Identity and Poetry" (in Hebrew: בגדאד, אתמול: על היסטוריה, זהות ושירה).[31]

Advocate, which had its world premiere at Sundance on January 27, 2019, and its Israeli premiere at Docaviv on May 23, 2019, proved to be her most controversial work to date. The film, co-directed and co-produced with Philippe Bellaïche, tells the story of Leah Tsemel, an Israeli human rights lawyer known for representing Palestinian defendants, especially in high-profile terrorism cases.[32] When the film won the Jury Award at Docaviv, which was supported by Mifal HaPayis, a government agency, a storm of right-wing political pressure broke out, demanding that the agency renege on its financial obligation to the festival.[33] When Minister of Culture Miri Regev joined the call to cancel its support, calling the film "anti-Israel", Mifal HaPayis announced it would no longer fund the award.[34][35] In response, dozens of leading artists, writers, filmmakers, journalists and professional associations slammed the decision as a curbing of free speech, mounted protests, called for boycotts, and published columns and editorials protesting the governmental interference in cultural productions.[35][36][37][38][39][40][41]

The film, which was enthusiastically received by film critics,[42][43][44][45][46] opened the 2019 Human Rights Watch Film Festival, and plucked top prizes at the Kraków Film Festival,[47] Hong Kong and Thessaloniki festivals. Advocate's Israeli theater premier took place on September 5, 2019, when it opened at cinematheques nationwide.[48]

Due to the public reaction to the film, Jones, who was already a well-known and highly regarded filmmaker in Israel and abroad,[43][49] a recognized member of several professional guilds,[50] and a Juror for the 2013 Jerusalem Film Festival - quickly became the center of the high-profile media coverage of Advocate, at home and internationally.[51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59] The film has been called both a symbol[60] and a standard bearer[61] by critics.

Television

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From 2001 to 2002, Jones was an editor and camerawoman for the nationally syndicated US television program, Democracy Now!, hosted by Amy Goodman, working during that time on the transition of the program from radio to television. She produced several documentary programs, including two episodes of the French television series L'Invitation au Voyage, about Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish and Israeli novelist Aharon Applefeld, hosted by Laure Adler, and holy land segments of Science of the Bible, for National Geographic in 2005; and in 2004, "Another Israel", a reporting segment for the France 2 program Un Oeil sur le Palenete.

Publishing

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Jones has worked as a translator and editor in the publishing industry, mostly between 2001 and 2006. Among the books she translated are: Self Portrait: Palestinian Women's Art (Lerer, Yael Ed.; 2001, Andalus, Tel Aviv); Breaking Ranks: Refusing to Serve in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (Chacham, Ronit, Ed.; 2002, Other Press, New York); Reporting From Ramallah: An Israeli Journalist (Amira Hass) In An Occupied Land (also edited by Jones; 2003, Semiotext(e), New York); Mother Tongue: A Mizrahi Present That Stirs In The Thickets Of An Arab Past (Nizri, Yigal Ed.; 2005, Babel, Tel Aviv); Cities of Collision: Jerusalem and the Principle of Conflict Urbanism (Misselwitz, Philippe & Rienitis, Tim, Eds.; 2006, Birkhauser Press Basel-Boston-Berlin).

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Notes
2019 Advocate Director, producer Documentary[62]
2018 Enter the Donkey (working title) Director, producer, editor Documentary (pre-release)
2017 The Red House Editor Documentary short
2016 Sally Valley Director, producer Documentary
2015 Take Editor Documentary short
2011 Gypsy Davy Director, producer, editor Documentary
2010 Targeted Citizen Director, editor Documentary short
2007 Ashkenaz Director, screenwriter Documentary
2002 500 Dunam on the Moon Director, producer, editor Documentary[63]

Television

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Year Program Role Notes
2005 L’Invitation au Voyage Producer France 5 documentary series; episodes 5 and 6
Science of the Bible Producer National Geographic program
2004 Capte/Absolut: Ism Director, Camera Arte culture magazine segment
Un Oeil sur la Palenete Producer France 2; segment, "Another Israel"
2001–2002 Democracy Now! Camera, Editor

Awards

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Year Award Category Work Result
2002 Festival de Trois Continents Jury Award for Best Documentary 500 Dunam on the Moon Won
2011 Cinema South Film Festival Juliano Mer Khamis Documentary Award Gypsy Davy Won
Documentary Edge Film Festival Best Culture Vultures Gypsy Davy Won
2012 Doc NYC Viewfinders Grand Jury Prize Gypsy Davy Nominated
Sundance Film Festival Jury Award: World Cinema - Documentary Gypsy Davy Nominated
International Women's Film Festival In Rehovot Best Documentary Gypsy Davy Won
2019 Sundance Film Festival Jury Award: World Cinema - Documentary Advocate Nominated
Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival Politiken's Audience Award Advocate Nominated
DocAviv Film Festival Best Israeli Film Advocate Won
Dokufest Human Rights Dox Advocate Nominated
Hong Kong International Film Festival Jury Prize: Best Documentary Advocate Won
Golden Firebird Award Advocate Nominated
Kraków Film Festival Golden Horn: Best Feature-Length Documentary Advocate Won
Thessaloniki Documentary Festival Golden Alexander Advocate Won
FIPRESCI Prize Won
Transatlantyk Festival: Lodz Kaleidoscope Advocate Nominated

Note that all awards and nominations for Advocate are shared by Philippe Bellaiche.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Rachel Leah Jones | Momento !". www.momento-films.com. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  2. ^ "advocate". www.sundance.org. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  3. ^ "Advocate: Film on Israeli Lawyer Wins at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival". Greece Is. 2019-03-12. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  4. ^ "Winner of the Israeli Competition: Advocate – Docaviv 2019". דוקאביב 20 Docaviv. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  5. ^ "Advocate | Human Rights Watch Film Festival". ff.hrw.org. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  6. ^ a b "Rachel Leah Jones". Trabelsi. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  7. ^ a b Indiewire Staff; Staff, Indiewire (2012-01-08). "Meet the 2012 Sundance Filmmakers #18: Rachel Leah Jones, "Gypsy Davy"". IndieWire. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  8. ^ "Rachel Leah Jones". Trabelsi. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  9. ^ "Advocate". IFP Fiscal Sponsorship. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  10. ^ Wall (2004) - IMDb, retrieved 2019-09-08
  11. ^ Wall | dafilms.com, retrieved 2019-09-08
  12. ^ Bohlen, Celestine (17 June 2002). "A Tale of Two Middle East Villages". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  13. ^ Seikaly, Sherene (Autumn 2004). "Jones: 500 Dunam on the Moon". Journal of Palestine Studies. 34 (1): 94–95. doi:10.1525/jps.2004.34.1.94. S2CID 154783881.
  14. ^ "nwFilmCenter". oldsite.nwfilm.org. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  15. ^ Vance, Kelly (18 July 2012). "San Francisco Jewish Film Festival". East Bay Express. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  16. ^ a b ג'ונס, רחל לאה (2012-03-21). "והלב, הוא רוצה לאבא: על הסרט "ג'יפסי דייווי"". ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  17. ^ "2012 Sundance Docs in Focus: GYPSY DAVY". what (not) to doc. 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  18. ^ "'Gypsy Davy' Writer/Director Rachel Leah Jones talks Flamenco and Filmmaking". True/False Film Fest. 2014-03-31. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  19. ^ "Gypsy Davy: Sundance Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  20. ^ "Gypsy Davy: Sundance Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  21. ^ Dennis Harvey (2012-01-31). "Gypsy Davy". Variety. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  22. ^ "LFM Reviews Gypsy Davy @ DOC NYC » LFM: Libertas Film Magazine". www.libertasfilmmagazine.com. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  23. ^ "הוכרזו זוכי פסטיבל הנשים 2012: "ג'יפסי דייווי" התיעודי הטוב". אידיבי סרטים (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  24. ^ otteragency.com. "The D-Word: Gypsy Davy - documentary film". www.d-word.com. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  25. ^ "ושללו את שולליהם". הארץ. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  26. ^ "אל תקרא לי אשכנזי". www.makorrishon.co.il. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  27. ^ "אשכנז". cinemaproject.org.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  28. ^ "Alma". www.alma.org.il. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  29. ^ דיכטר, שולי. "התאבדות אשכנזית - הסרט. המלצה והזמנה לדיון". שולי דיכטר (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  30. ^ "מזרחים". ארץ האמורי (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  31. ^ Snir, Reuven (2010). "בגדאד, אתמול: על היסטוריה, זהות ושירה" (PDF). פעמים. 125–127: 101.
  32. ^ Ciotti, Paul (April 27, 1988). "Israeli roots, Palestinian clients: Taking the Arab cause to court has earned Jewish lawyer Lea Tsemel the wrath of her countrymen" Los Angeles Times
  33. ^ "Artists protest Israeli lottery's decision to pull money from film - Israel News - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com. July 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  34. ^ "Mifal Hapayis walks back support for documentary - Israel News - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com. 28 June 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  35. ^ a b "Culture Minister Slams Award-winning Documentary on Israeli Lawyer Who Defends Palestinians". Haaretz. 2019-06-04. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  36. ^ "Docaviv responds to Israeli Culture Minister's attack on Advocate". Cineuropa. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  37. ^ "Des artistes protestent contre la décision de la loterie israélienne de retirer de l'argent d'un film - Israel News". Miroir Mag (in French). 2019-07-03. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  38. ^ פלוטקין, יובל (2019-07-04). "30 סופרים הודיעו: אם נזכה בפרס ממפעל הפיס, נתרום למימון הסרט על לאה צמל". ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  39. ^ טוקר, אינה (2019-06-30). "איגודי היוצרים הפגינו מול מפעל הפיס: "זה לא קזינו - לא מהמרים על התרבות"". ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  40. ^ טוקר, אינה (2019-07-01). "בעקבות סערת מפעל הפיס - שני שופטי פרס ספיר התפטרו". ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  41. ^ "תגובת איגודי היוצרים לפרשת הסרט "לאה צמל - עורכת דין"". איגוד הבמאיות והבמאים (in Hebrew). 2019-06-30. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  42. ^ "'Advocate': Film Review | Hot Docs 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  43. ^ a b "Review: Advocate". Cineuropa. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  44. ^ דבורה, ארז (2019-06-30). "ביקורת סרט - "לאה צמל, עורכת דין" : ככה נראית דמוקרטיה". ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  45. ^ "Advocate review: bittersweet portrait of a tenacious Israeli lawyer | Sight & Sound". British Film Institute. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  46. ^ "Rebel with a lost cause". MTR. 2019-05-24. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  47. ^ "Advocate comes out on top in Krakow's International Documentary Competition". Cineuropa. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  48. ^ "לאה צמל עורכת דין – סינמטק תל אביב" (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  49. ^ "יוצרות מראות". Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  50. ^ "חדשות האיגוד | איגוד העורכים". editors.org.il. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  51. ^ בוגן, אמיר (2018-11-29). "סרט על עורכת הדין של המחבלים התקבל לסאנדנס". ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  52. ^ "משתגעים עליה: הסערה סביב "לאה צמל, עורכת דין" מוגזמת מכל הכיווונים". וואלה! תרבות (in Hebrew). 2019-06-30. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  53. ^ "פסגת הפחד: גם מי שקורא לה "בוגדת" צריך לצפות ב"לאה צמל, עורכת דין"". www.maariv.co.il. 7 July 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  54. ^ "בין האידיאולוגיה לאדם, בין הגלימה לטריינינג: הפרקליטה לאה צמל | צבי בן-דור בנית". העוקץ (in Hebrew). 2019-06-06. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  55. ^ "סערת הסרט "לא צמל, עורכת דין": הפגנות מול בית מפעל הפיס". כאן-תאגיד השידור הישראלי. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  56. ^ טוקר, אינה (2019-06-27). "בגלל מחאה פוליטית: מפעל הפיס מפסיק את מימון הפרס לזוכה בדוקאביב". ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  57. ^ "i24NEWS". www.i24news.tv. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  58. ^ "Following backlash, Israel's national lottery cancels controversial film prize". JNS.org. 2019-06-27. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  59. ^ "As Jerusalem's Film Festival Kicks Off, So Does a New Round in Israel's Culture Wars". Tablet Magazine. 2019-07-26. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  60. ^ גילי איזיקוביץ (June 29, 2019). ""לאה צמל, עורכת דין": סרט שהפך לסמל". Haaretz. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  61. ^ "פסטיבל דוקאביב 2019 – הזוכים, ״אישה״, ״אמא, אני נחנק. זה הסרט האחרון שלי עלייך״, ״ארוס פרטי באופן קיצוני: סיפור אהבה 1974״ ״על פני המים״, ״אמי נעלמת״". סריטה. 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
  62. ^ Advocate, retrieved 2019-08-29
  63. ^ "Rachel Leah Jones". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
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