1341 Frames of Love and War

<p><img alt="Laurel icon denoting the film is in competition for a Jury Prize." border="0" src="https://data.ajff.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/laurel_2023_JuryPrize_01.png" style="width:20%; max-width:20%; margin-left:10px; float:right;" />In this intimate artist portrait and meditation on memory, Israel’s most celebrated photojournalist reflects on a lifetime of searing images that have defined his nation. For over 60 years, Micha Bar-Am had a central role documenting Israel’s tumultuous history, from the Eichmann trial to the endemic Arab-Israeli wars. Powerful, often painful moments are conveyed through an artful assembly of iconic snapshots, enlargements and contact sheets. Voiceover by Bar-Am—self-doubting, and often interrupted by his scolding wife and archivist Orna—reveals the personal toll of a wearying career recording trauma. With unfettered access to a vast archive of negatives, filmmaker Ran Tal’s uniquely sensory experience exposes the beauty and horror revealed by the photographic image.</p>