Beaufort

Beaufort explores themes of survival, camaraderie and the futility of war. Cedar was himself in the Israeli army, and his portrayal of an Israeli army unit guarding an old Crusader castle in South Lebanon reeks of authenticity. It won him the Silver Bear at Berlin in 2007 and nomination for the Best Film in a Foreign Language Oscar. The film's take on the conflict with Hezbollah is 'neither guilty nor jingoistic' (New York Times) and its distance from the politics enable it to be reflective and philosophical about its war themes. 'Mesmerizing...memorably claustrophobic and fatalistic, Cedar's film recalls the great war films of Renoir and Kubrick.' (Andrew O'Hehir, salon.com)