Films & Events
Defamation
Two generations after the Holocaust, what does anti-Semitism look like? In his continuing exploration of modern Israeli life, director Yoav Shamir (Checkpoint, Flipping Out) travels the world in search of the most modern manifestations of the “oldest hatred and comes up with some surprising revelations. Shamir was inspired to investigate the meanings behind the phrase after being called anti-Semitic in a film review. His exploration includes interviews with Abraham Foxman, the president of the Anti-Defamation League, and with controversial historian Norman Finkelstein. Shamir joins scholars giving a lecture on their book “The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy.” He tags along on a field trip with Israeli teenagers to the German concentration camp Auschwitz. He talks to New York Orthodox Jews and their African American neighbors, rabbis, professors, and even his grandmother in Israel. Defamation is a thorny, provocative, surprising, and humorous film that questions our perceptions and terminology, and explores the boundaries between legitimate criticism and anti-Semitism.
Sponsor:
KPLU
Cast & Crew
Director: Yoav Shamir
Producer: Karoline Leth, Philippa Kowarsky, Sandra Itkoff, Knut Ogris
Editor: Morten Hojbjerg
Screenwriter: Yoav Shamir
Cinematographer: Yoav Shamir
Music: Mischa Krausz
Filmography: Flipping Out (2008); 5 Days (2005); Checkpoint (2003)
World Sales: Cinephil
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(1 review)
user reviews
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A great documentary!, Jun 10, 2009
By Zheng Wang
“A good documentary presents interesting opinions, raises challenging questions, and educates us on important topics. "Defamation" does all of those with ease and humor. Beyond the issue of anti-semitism, this is also a discussion about dealing with the past. Do we continue to carry the burden from”
… full review
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