All about Nadav Lapid, the Israeli filmmaker who called 'The Kashmir Files' 'vulgar'

Israeli screenwriter and film director has courted controversy by criticising Vivek Agnihotri’s film ‘The Kashmir Files’ as vulgar and propaganda-driven. He was speaking at the closing ceremony of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, where he was head of the jury. Lapid even went on to say that it was inappropriate for a film like The Kashmir Files to be part of a prestigious film festival like IFFI.

As soon as he made those remarks, Lapid faced severe backlash not only from the makers of the film, and fans of the movie, but also from senior dignitaries at Israeli administration, who rebuked him for abusing the Indian invitation in the worst way possible. Even members of the jury distanced themselves from Lapid and his comments.

But who is Nadav Lapid?

Nadav Lapid, born to industry veterans writer Haim Lapid and film editor Era Lapid, was a student of Tel Aviv University, where he studied philosophy. After completing his military service in the Israel Defense Forces, Lapid moved to Paris. He then returned to Israel and pursued a degree at the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School in Jerusalem.

Lapid has films like Policeman (2011), The Kindergarten Teacher (2014), Synonyms (2019), and Ahed's Knee (2021) to his name, among others.

He is known for his anti-establishment stance and not pulling his punches when it comes to criticism.  While talking about his film Synonyms, which revolves around a young Israeli man who absconds to Paris to escape his nationality, Lapid had said that the “the Israeli collective soul is a sick soul”.

“The film talks about the collective Israeli soul and the Israeli collective soul is a sick soul. Something in the deepest essence of the Israeli existence is false – is rotten. It’s not just Benjamin Netanyahu – it’s not special to Israel. But, at the same time, I think this Israeli sickness or nature is characterized by young Israeli men muscular, smiling, who don’t raise any questions and don’t have any doubts. They are extremely proud of being Israeli. They have a totally dichotomist vision of existence: Us versus all the others,” he had said in an interview to NOW magazine.

In the same interview, he said, “If someone wants to know me truly, it’s better to know my movies than to know me. My movies are myself in a world without social codes. With a movie, you can celebrate your own existence.”

He also spoke up against the launch of the Shomron (Samaria/West Bank) Film Fund, which he believed had just one goal – to invite Israeli filmmakers to ‘actively participate in the whitewashing of the Occupation in exchange for financial support and prizes’.

The fund aimed to distribute grants to Jewish settlers who reside in the West Bank and to productions by Israeli citizens that were filmed in the West Bank.

Lapid’s film ‘The Kindergarten Teacher’ was screened at IFFI, and Sarit Larry, the lead star was awarded the Best Actor (Female).

The Israeli filmmaker is also the recipient of France’s prestigious Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. His film Synonyms won the Golden Bear at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2019. His debut film Policeman won the Locarno Festival Special Jury Prize at the Locarno International Film Festival in 2011.

Also read: ‘Insensitive, presumptuous': Israeli ambassador to India condemns IFFI jury head’s take on ‘The Kashmir Files’

Also read: 'Made a big mistake': Israel Consul General rebukes Nadav Lapid for 'The Kashmir Files' comment