Beyond the Sea

"Beyond the Sea" is an Israeli film directed by Jacob Goldwasser, released in 1991. This family drama explores the relationship between Holocaust survivors and Israel at its inception, focusing on the dilemma of whether to stay in the country or emigrate, as seen through the eyes of a child.

Plot:
The film stars Arik Moskona and Dafna Rechter as Menachem and Rosa Greenberg, a hard-working Holocaust survivor couple. Their friend, Morris Greenspan (Moti Giladi), made his fortune in questionable business dealings in Canada and is a persuasive figure pushing the Greenbergs to emigrate for a better life.

Their son, Chaim "Chaimon" Greenberg (Uri Alter), is caught in the midst of the conflicts escalating in his parents' household due to financial difficulties and the mysterious interference of their friend. Miri (Mili Avital), his sister, is an impressionable teenager captivated by the charms of Shulz "The Ontrovletnik" (Pushit) (Yair Lapid), another character in the film.

Additional characters include Oshik Levi as a taxi driver and a friend of the parents, Shai Idelson as Chaimon's close friend and the son of the taxi driver, and Sini Pitaru as Lazar, from the kibbutz, representing the Zionist contrast to Morris's diaspora tendencies.

Ultimately, after a crisis threatens Chaimon's world, the family decides to remain in Israel.

Production and Distribution:
The screenplay was written by Haim Marin, the third film directed by Jacob Goldwasser based on Marin's scripts. The script was completed in 1986 but faced difficulties in attracting investors, delaying its production for several years. Finally, with the assistance of the Foundation for the Promotion of Quality Films and additional funding from Israeli television, the film was produced.

The story was loosely inspired by Goldwasser's own childhood, as he immigrated to Australia with his parents at the age of 12, only to return to Israel a year later. The film was shot by cinematographer David Gurfinkel in Kibbutz Nir Eliyahu.

Awards:
"Beyond the Sea" won the majority of the Ophir Awards (the Israeli equivalent of the Oscars) in 1991, including Best Film, Best Director (Jacob Goldwasser), Best Actor (Arik Moskona), Best Actress (Dafna Rechter), Best Supporting Actress (Mili Avital), Best Screenplay (Haim Marin), Best Editing (Anat Lubarsky), Best Art Direction (Emanuel Amarmi), and Best Music (Shlomo Gronich). The film was also selected as Israel's submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.