JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s culture minister said the ministry will review whether to support the screening of a film about Yitzhak Rabin’s assassin at the upcoming Jerusalem International Film Festival.
“I intend to investigate the matter via a committee that will be formed, together with professional bodies and representatives of cultural institutions, in order to formulate a decision on this question and other questions,” said Miri Regev, the Israeli business daily Globes reported Monday.
“Beyond the Fear” takes a more sympathetic look at Yigal Amir’s life in prison, where the 45-year-old is serving a life sentence for the 1995 assassination of Rabin, then the prime minister. The documentary film chronicles Amir’s relationship with Larissa Trimbobler, who he married a decade ago and with whom he has a son.
The film was made by the Latvian-Israeli director Herz Frank, who died two years ago during production. His wife, Maria Kravchenko, completed the effort. The film reportedly was included in the festival as a tribute to Frank.
Left-wing lawmakers have called for the film to be dropped from the festival.
“I won’t investigate it and I won’t try to stop it,” Noa Rothman, Rabin’s granddaughter and a television writer, reportedly said. “But whoever holds democracy dear to his heart should be afraid of this because it is a very cynical use of free speech.”
The Jerusalem film festival will be held July 9-19.
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