Two Golds in Biarritz for Swiss fiction film “Brothers”
26.01.2009
Igaal Niddam’s film “Brothers” (production: Troubadour Films, Geneva) was honoured with two of the Grand Prizes on January 24, 2009 at the 22nd International Festival of Audiovisual Programs (FIPA): Orna Fitoussi was awarded the FIPA d’Or Grand Prize for Best Actress, Baruch Brener the FIPA d’Or Grand Prize for Best Actor. The five-member jury was presided over by Czech luminary Jiri Menzel.
In the film “Brothers” a fraternal strife sets the stage for the clash of two diametrically opposed conceptions concerning Israeli identity: Dan has lived in a kibbutz for the last 25 years and advocates a secular state. Aharon (Baruch Brener), who returns to Israel after having lived for many years in the United States, defends the right of Torah students to certain privileges in the Israeli society. In the Supreme Court he confronts Shelly (Orna Fitoussi), the plaintiff, who defends her conviction with an equal amount of passion. Igaal Niddam was born in 1938 and lived in a kibbutz during his youth before moving to Switzerland, where he has since worked as a cinematographer and film director, in particular for the French Swiss Broadcasting Service (TSR).
Zurich, January 26, 2009
Zurich, January 26, 2009