HanWay To Rep Amos Gitai’s Venice Competition Entry ‘Laila In Haifa’ & Filmmaker’s Back Catalogue

Tom Grater
·2 min read

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HanWay Films will handle international sales on Amos Gitai’s Laila In Haifa, which was announced today in the Venice Film Festival’s Competition line-up.

With an ensemble cast of both Israeli and Palestinian actors, the pic interweaves the stories of five women. It is set over a night in a club in the Israeli port town of Haifa and is a candid snapshot of one of the last remaining spaces where Israelis and Palestinians come together to engage in face-to-face relationships.

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Project is an Israel-France co-production between AGAV Films, CDP and United King Film in association with Patrick Jeanneret, Andrea Di Nardo and Ruth and Stephen Hendel.

Alongside the deal, HanWay will also take on rights to the majority of Gitai’s back catalogue. Including: Esther (1986), Berlin Jerusalem (1989), Golem: Spirit Of Exile (1992), The Petrified Garden (1993), Devarim (1995), The Arena Of Murder (1996), Yom Yom (1998), Kadosh (1999), Kippur (2000), Kedma (2002), Alila (2003), Promised Land (2003), One Day You’ll Understand (2008), Carmel (2009), Roses A Credit (2010), Lullaby To My Father (2011), Ana Arabia (2013), Tsili (2014), Rabin The Last Day (2015), West Of The Jordan River (2017), A Tramway In Jerusalem (2018). Three further titles are currently under negotiation.

“I’m delighted that Hanway are handling Laila In Haifa, the important new film from Amos Gitai, my friend of many years. We are proud to represent Amos’ unique library of work, a singular voice in world cinema,” said HanWay’s Jeremy Thomas.

“This is a special moment after the anxieties, economic worries, viruses, political viruses of the past year for cinema to speak up, make us feel and think,” added Gitai. “We are delighted at the announcement that Laila In Haifa is selected this year as part of the Venice Film Festival.”

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