Avi’s and Amal’s journey to a world-changing moment, together and apart, was three decades in the making. Both were born to fulfill the noblest hopes of their nations. But their journey had no road map. They sabotaged their love for each other—more than once. They weren’t Romeo and Juliet. From Columbia University’s hushed hallways to Ramallah’s sun-drenched cafes; from Hollywood’s studio lots to the bombed-out alleys of Gaza; and from the back rooms of Israel’s power brokers to the Persian Gulf’s golden palaces, Avi and Amal have always made their own way and their own rules. Until they find themselves together again, in Oslo, facing the challenge of a lifetime.
Déclaration de l’auteur
A story about intimacy, friendship, and emotional bonds, mirroring global politics and questions of loyalty and betrayal. It’s a personal saga of two people, Amal and Avi, that blends naturally with eternal motifs of self-discovery and identity, gain and loss—all reflecting universal values and dilemmas, all reflecting issues I try to deal with in my movies. Love has no road map. It’s not just a saying. It defines the journey of an Israeli man and a Palestinian woman born and raised to hate but bound by deep love— love that will lead to greatness. Or destruction. AMAL means HOPE and Leslie and I tried to keep hope in mind while tackling an extremely complex love story that transcends time and place while deeply rooted in the Middle East and its never-ending Sisyphean conflicts. Hope is a guiding light, a kind of beacon in the darkest night as we move in endless cycles of violence, through moments of decision-making, moments of crisis and also of inspiration. But reality is very much at the core of this story, and reality is violent, bitter, painful, and it bleeds. Profoundly.
Our epic, yet intimate story spans more than thirty years that encompass all the above, several landmark events, and numerous unknown stories that our protagonists find themselves deeply involved in. Amal and Avi are both witnesses to history in the making but are also part of it as they make things happen—to their relationship, to their people, to their respective lands. We follow them in a way that could be reminiscent of some grand, classic novels (and movies) but also very much as a story that looks and feels totally real and immediate. These stories just happened or are about to happen. Love never has a road map. But it has hope.
Société
Based in Tel Aviv – Working with the world. A boutique production company with strong ties and a working relationship with United King Films, Israel’s largest entertainment group. Specializing in co-productions for cinema and television, especially with France, Germany, Belgium, Italy. Constantly searching for new possibilities and expanding horizons.