Only Israel would claim Oscar-tapped films as its own

I tend to like Yossi Sarid's writing, but this article was problematic for a number of reasons. First, the claim that "only in Israel do we latch on to every achievement abroad," is simply false. People in many countries celebrate the success of their fellow countrymen. Second, and more interesting, is the claim that "Artistic and cultural creations belongs to their creators, and to them alone." Perhaps this is true on the level of intellectual property, but where did these creators come from? Sarid posits too harsh a distinction between individual and collective. He erroneously understands the individual as a pre-formed, natural substance that is determined in all its qualities prior to its education and upbringing, which is always a collective labor.

I wonder if the West can afford to be Democratic and Liberal as it is, it seems that the West is on the path of self destruction. Hope I am wrong.

Most small countries would act in precisely the same way. This reflects the moral arrogance of the left, who seem to be brought up on the notion that Jews need to be better then everybody else, and if they're not, then they must be condemned

It is somewhat stunning that Y. Sarid could seriously think that these traits are particular to Israel. From time to time we hear of the amazing provincialism of some Israelis. But I had not thought it was aggravated to this degree. We get it, Y. Sarid is Israeli and has not lived in the diaspora. But, still, this article shows that he simply has no understanding of life in other countries. Amazing.

Yes, we are proud in Israel when one of our own wins such a prestigious nomination. In that we are no different from any other country or people in the world. Agami is an outstanding Israeli film and it is an honour for Israel as well as the two directors, actors and producers that it reached the highest pinnacle in the world film industry. The nomination is the prize - something most people in Israel don't seem to understand. As for Mr. Copti's comments - they were obviously made in anger and pain for personal reasons but he obviously deeply embarrassed the other members of the delegation including his fellow director. The reactions to his comments made by some of our most "brilliant" politicians, were typically stupid and ignorant.

try only in every country ....

In my previous Post I mispelled Picasso's greatest achievement: Guernica. It is a French Art, with a Spanish motive, shared by all humanity. But it is still French, though Picasso was Spanish.

We have this way of thinking of Israel as unique. It is not. It is normal and average- for good and bad. Australians would do the same about an Aboriginee film, Greeks would do the same with a Roma film. It is natural to try to include yourself in successes and distance yourself from failures. Livnat is still a jackass but she is in good company.

It is really shocking to experience such a lack of realism and such a lack of knowledge of the real world around in a person who has shaped much of the political crisis in which Israel is today. The whole political crisis was predictable because of the amateurish way Oslo et al have been thought on Israeli side. All in ovo. We can speak about a real oportunity window for Israel to reach peace at the time point of Oslo, which was spoiled by the blue-eyedness of Sarid et al. But please, do not attempt at self-criticism. Dumbly throwing damnations over the fellow countrymen is still a good tradition of the leftists. I know this, since it is in my family. My grandmother came to visit us in Germany with 70 and was stunned to see that all the while they, my grandparents, were planing the failed new-world, people in the west built houses and economy. Wow.

If an Aussie excels at sport or the arts Aussies claim the victory/success as their own. So in your books Australia is a "sad place".

You say that the donors are "the American People", which is absolutely correct, because it is money paid by the taxpayer. But I wonder whether the taxpayer would agree to give the money if given a choice by way of a national referundum where a real choice exists.

Copti is a descendant of Arab Christians who regard themselves as Palestinian. By what right does Israel claim him as hers?

I know for a fact that media (and the public) in many other countries react exactly in the same way. Portraying Israel as unique (in this respect, of course) is entirely misleading.

and Israeli media prefer not to mention: Ajami was co-funded with German money ... But don't get upset - if it gets a prize, we won't drape our black-red-gold around it.

we take the money and the freedom to film we decline the support

Canada won 14 gold medals in the recent winter Olympics. This was the largest number of gold medals won ever by any country in winter Olympics. In Canada these medals became the symbol of pride and patriotism for the whole country. Every single Canadian behave and felt as though he or she won the medal. There could not have been a more blatant display of claiming these medals for the whole Canadians. Yes, the prime minister of Quebec and Canada did publicly congratulate the athletes who won. Yossi has lost it! His arguemnts to criticise and demean Israel are becoming absurd. It is the most natural thing for a country to feel and display pride for the international success of its citizens.

The American people may be the ultimate donor but the administration in power is who you have to deal with. He will be in power for another three years, you know, so you better get used to dealing with him.

The underlyiing point of Sarid's article is that he is anti-zionist, anti-nationalist, and that he wishes to claim that nationalism is primitive. However, He is wrong, and he will not win any oscars for his performance. In the UK, we are very proud of any achievements in sports and cultural matters, although sports are few and far between. Each time an British tennis player is in wimbledon, it is a national obsession. Even for british muslims and Jews, we want a brtisih victory. same goes with international football, olympics, eurovision, and yes, oscars too. And this is the same in virtually every nation, be it Iran, Turkey, Greece, USA or UK. So why is Israel so disgraceful for being proud of its achievements?

The aim of the Oscar producers is to entertain public and to avoid anything that might annoy it, like blunt "controversial" political statements. Therefore what the future winner may say in the acceptance speech is always in consideration when the jury decides who will take the first prize. I guess Mr. Copti stepped on his own tail with yesterday's announcement.

and any film nominated to the Academy Awards is not representative of the state government but rather a creative interpretation. There has been over the decades so many films and documentaries on the Middle East conflict and in any good film there are various perspectives. Usually artists who may delve in sociopolitical themes emphasize the tragic aspects of conflicts. In Nazi occupied Paris a German officer viewed one of Pablo Picasso's most famous paintings, " Guernica" (1937) in his studio, a painting depicting the German and Italian bombings in Basque, Spain and the consequences of war, so the Nazi official asked Picasso, " You did that?" and Picasso responds, " No, you did." If Picasso was a Jew, we know what would have happened. He wouldn't have been spared as Picasso was.

Canada won 14 gold medals in the recent winter Olympics. This was the largest number of gold medals won ever by any country in the winter games. In Canada These medals became the symbol of pride and patriotism for the whole country. Every single Canadian behaved and felt as though he or she won the medal. There could not have been a more blatant display of claiming these medals for the whole Canadians. Yes the prime minister of Quebec and Canada did publicly congratulate the athletes who won. Yossi has lost it! His arguemnts to criticise and demean Israel are becoming absurd. It is the most natural thing for a country to feel and display pride for the international success of its citizens. And it happens in evry country not just Israel!

Rest assured it's not just an "Israeli thing". Here in Spain the media hammer us constantly with news about Penelope Cruz or Pedro Almodovar's latest bid for the Oscars. In any event, as a cinema lover myself, I have to say Ajami had a very difficult shot at winning, as it competed against four fantastic films. Campanella was a fair winner, as could have been Haneke and Audiard or even Claudia Losa. One last note: for people outside Israel, the politics of it all gets lost. We watch the movies and the try to enjoy them for what they are. And at that, Israeli cinema makers and Israelis as a whole should be extremely proud of the kind of moviemaking coming out of the country.

"people in Germany, Peru, France and Argentina slept soundly last night, even though a film by one of their countrymen was vying for the prize." Yossi, really! How do you know that? Did you conduct some sort of poll in these countries. You have a habit of trivializing what is good about Israel and exaggerating the bad. Please take your depression elsewhere were tired of your constant vitriol against your own country.

He was part of the film ,no? and the Jewish actors as well, and the Israeli taxer payer , with the the Israeli money grants allowed. If the director had such an objection why did he not object to the Israeli Film Industry putting up the nomination as Israeli's nominee in the first place?????? He should have asked the PA to nominate him and let the Israeli Jewish director and associates object. By the way, films are generally introduced by their country as their countries nomination. Next time he wants to film, let him represent the PA. Not all Israeli Arabs from Jaffa agree with him either.

Yossi Sarid ? in my eyes ? is 100% correct!! I am an Israel who was born in the United States and spent my formative years on the East Coast. I NEVER NEVER EVER EVER shouted ?USA ? USA ? USA ? USA? at a Hockey Match (I don?t know how to skate so I am not affected.) I don?t feel horrible when the Knicks lose and I am not overjoyed when the Yanks win the pennant. I don?t miss the Brooklyn Dodgers and I don?t hate the Los Angels team. The whole thing is meaningless to me. After all, I can?t hit a curve ball and a home run is jus out of my league. Actually ? you?re right Yossi. After hearing the words of hate from 50% of the film?s Directors, I agree that it is not an Israeli film. There is nothing I have to learn from it. After all, it does not relate to me. There is nothing in Israel that I have to be ashamed about. After all, it?s not an Israeli film. In their haste to get their name in print, people forget that words mean something also.

Pretty much everyone here is correct - being proud of your country and its achievements is a human, healthy, almost universal instinct, and not something ELSE we need to hate ourselves for. In fact, what really is Israeli is that - instead of being proud that we made it to the 'finals', we only get down in the dumps that we didn't "win". A little firgun for each other would be a big step forward for us. (Note: that could mean you too, Yossi!)

We have a tennis player in the UK who is Scottish when he loses, and British when he wins. I think with Israel claiming stuff it is not whether the recipient is actually Jewish or not. And like us distinguishing between nhome nations if they lose Isral has the canard self hating Jew, or Leftist.

Apparently anybody up for an award who is Jewish, or who happens to be Jewish and makes a major discovery or an earth shattering invention. Then it is a success for Israel, regardless of where the recipient, inventor lives. If you are a successful Jew then it is a success for Israel even though most live in the United states, use American money or work for American businessess. Just look at then number of talkbackers when a boycott of Israel is proposed immediately tell us to stop using our computers because there is an Intel factory in Israel. Yet when you tell them to stop using a jet engine, or vaccinations, or antibiotics, concrete, tarmac, gas masks etc etc etc etc thats different.

"Taking the money, but not giving a hoot about the opinion of the "donor"..... Now our Israeli friends may experience for the first time how "good" that feels...:)" The Obama admin is not the donor, dimbulb. In fact, the Obama admin acts in opposition to the donor (the American people) in many respects. The donor has aided Israel for several years. Obama never made his policies clear regarding the "donations" until after entering office. At the moment, he's not the most popular president, you know.

Taking the money, but not giving a hoot about the opinion of the "donor"..... Now our Israeli friends may experience for the first time how "good" that feels...:)

and this reminds me of haiti, where israelis make a big issue of their support and help, while so many other nations did help as much and more yet kept a low profile.

I desagree completely with Yossi Sarid. You have only to see how leaders in ALL countries react to successes or defeats in Olympic games. Also in France the President and the PM phone in case of victory, like in 1998 during World soccer championship. The same for Nobel Prizes awards. Every citizen is proud of this kind of reward. Yossi Sarid has his mind biased against his own country.

For sure, "ascribing individual success to the collective" shows provincialism Pretending that this happens only in Israel ALSO shows provincialism. Yossi Sarid should know better. Read the papers from any country in the world. For that matter, read the local pages of the "New York Times"

i saw it and it used amateurish technics in place of strong writing. 6 out of 10 is not oscar worthy

Sorry, but the writer of this article is completely ignorant of how the citizens and governments of other countries react to their films being nominated etc. The way it happened in Israel is EXACTLY the way it happens in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Brazil, etc. etc. etc. Go ahead and hate your country. But please, don't claim to understand what is going on in your case, or in any other similar cases around the world. Clearly you don't have a clue.

As an admirer of yours over the years, I must say you are dead wrong on this issue. Nations support their artists and justifiably expect a sense of appreciation and identification. And it is no different in Israel. Copti could have contributed to reconciliation and strengthening of ties. He co-directed this film with a Jewish Israeli,and they achieved a great accomplishment together. The Arabic in the film is distinctly Israeli with an infusion of cultural and linguistic influences. His pain was Israeli as well,as was the very particular cultural and religious mosaic of Jaffa. His brothers may or may not be dealing in drugs, although in Jaffa the problem is rampant. In the criminal world Jews and Arabs live in harmony. As one who worked in social service in Jaffa with both populations, I understand the severity of his pain together with the inalterable dangers of drug trafficing by/to minors.Very few street kids in Jaffa, to my sorrow, bury their dogs. Most are involved in animal abuse

Only in Israel??? I can assure you the Greeks, like me, do exactly the same and so do all nations, especially smaller ones. I find nothing wrong with that, it is not a small achievement for such a small nation to produce so much culture, especially during a 60 year war. Be proud, complain less and be sure that Israel is exactly the same as all other smaller countries when it comes to taking collective credit for individual achievements. The education and the freedom of speach and expresion is what allows such successes.

We paid for the movie - they received over 2 million for the production - yes it is an Israeli money - If he does not apologize we should ask for the money back - he can say whatever he wants - but we don't have to pay for it !!!

Copti got jumped on for his statement, before the winner was announced. Since Livnat claimed his movie for Israel, who does the non-win belong to? Lighten up, it's a movie. It's not the real life and death stuff either Ajami or the overall winner movie were about.

Every and each country is proud of achievements of its citizens abroad ,like a tennis player Borg or a pop group Abba in case of Sweden. Why should Israel be different ,except in eyes of the old Stalinist Sarid ?

YOu see Yossi Sarid as pessimistic, I see him as a realist and an honest person. Each to his own.

Nearly every country claims their "winnings" as part of a national collective. The North Americans do it a bit less with the Oscars since the Oscars is ABOUT American films. Sure there is the "best foreign film" category but its too about the American film market. Watch American TV on Nobel prizes or Olympic games and that national ethos "We won" is not to be overlooked.. Looking at this last Academy Awards... The German media I think spent more effort on "pushing" the White Band than the Israeli did on Ajami. Many institutions released special materials and the media today expressed the kind of disappointment they show when Germany loses an "important" soccer game or Olympic event.... Israel is a miniscule country with few friends but many enemies. Why should it not see its film and arts are part of its national character? Or is that something reserved only "others"?

in Danish-made movies winning Oscars: http://politiken.dk/kultur/film/article918345.ece This pride is typical of small countries and certainly not something unique to Israel.

I really don't know of countries--particularly small ones--that don't get excited when their films (or sports teams succeed) in international venues. What do you think the OLYmpics is all about?

It's the same thing in Argentina, so get some real news to write about....

When i hear Israelis complaining the "only in Israel" tantra, i see the peasant around my city in Italy always complaining... "its raining, damn government!". Just to put us in proportion... it is not only in Israel, but in most if not all countries... Nations are proud of their achievements in the movies and theater, in music of their citizens... its natural and though unbelievable it is so primitive as being an instict of our nature of social animal.

Small entities are always proud when there own succeed in a big pond. That is most certainly the case in Canada. Even large countries do the same, remember the reaction to "Slum Dog Millionaire". This is just another example of Israelis criticizing Israel or other Israelis. That is a national support in which Israelis are pre-eminent.

We have the exact same situation here in South Africa -- the attempt to claim a little "yichus" no matter the circumstance.

I'm an American who lived in Britain for 16 years, and I can tell you that the English/Scots/Welsh are completely obsessed about "their" actors and directors winning coveted Academy Awards, even though they have their own vibrant film industry. They always keep track of who the British nominees are, for instance going crazy last year when "Slumdog Millionaire", made by British director Danny Boyle, won so many Oscars. It's not only Israelis who feel this way.

And as a citizen I say that a movie director shouldn't get money from the government to use it against Israel. There is private money for such purposes.

The countries listed by the gold medals, and others, collected? Have you now joined those who single out Israel for enything negative, commited also by all other countries, who are no saints either?

Every country in the world claims it's achievements for itself. I suppose if it was something negative or to the right politically you would have no problem claiming it as Israeli. For good or bad the conditions nourished in that country certainly influence what comes out of it and fortunately in Israel it is mostly for the good,

Actually, in Lebanon we do the same thing. Only when things go wrong do we clean our hands of it. It's a neighborhood thing, I guess.

Sky news has been full of the British nominees... Only in Israel do people say 'only in Israel'...

Yossi, you seem like such a downer. It's so great not knowing anyone as pessimistic as you. Lighten up a bit.

"Only in Israel do we latch on to every achievement abroad. Only in Israel is every success ascribed to the collective." No, it's the same in Winnipeg. If an artist even lived here for a month and then became famous, he's one of us. It's called island mentality. We are a prairie island in a colonized country, Israel in a cultural island. time to re-integrate into the region....

Yossi Sarid with due respect but I think since you left politics that you lost your sense of reality and zionistic pride. I as a Dutch Jew can assure you that whenever a Dutc movie was nominated for and Oscar or whenever a Dutch iceskater wonn an Olympic medal the Dutch people and government claimed the nomination and price as theirs and Dutch only. So please give us Israeli Jews a brake and accept that anywhere else in the world the reaction would be the same when a minorty claims the money from the State to make a movie and then publicly states he is not a part of the society nor does he represent that country. In Holland this person would have been prosecuted in the press as here and the government would have demanded the money back. This is what have happened in Holland which is exactly the same as happened here dear Yossi.