Between Both Worlds

Igal HechtPic: Igal Hecht

Igal Hecht with cameraman Lior CohenPic: Igal Hecht

The Story of Furious Pete official posterPic: G.I. Productions

Hecht took a break for a year after filming 17 movies in a period of 17 months. “I needed a break and only started filming again in July,” he said. “I want to work on new projects and I want to work with young directors who are starting out. It’s great to work with new people, especially ones who make films about Israel. It’s very exciting to see what others in the genre are doing, and help them out if I can. There’s not enough material out there about Israel, and what you do see is usually negative. So if anyone reading this wants to work on a specific film, I will be more than happy to help them with it.”

One movie he hopes to finish this year is The Hilltops, which he and Lior Cohen have been filming for about a year and shows what happens on the hills of Judea and Samaria. “It’s a totally different perspective,” says Hecht. “It’s not going to be anti-Israel at all. It’s the story of six individuals, three women and three men, who live on those hills. I’m going to go back there and film a few more times. I hope that it will turn out to be a good film. It was very interesting to film it. Sometimes it was scary, for example being in Jenin or Ramallah at 2 o’clock in the morning. That wasn’t the smartest thing to do,” he laughs.

Just like in My Flag, Hecht plans to be in front of the camera for The Hilltops. “In the film I ask people the questions everybody wants to ask them: ‘Why are you here? How do you justify it? What does it mean that God is your real estate agent?’ I’m not there to tell them that they’re right or wrong. I let them express their opinions and if I think they’re wrong I’ll argue with them.”

The Hilltops is only one of many projects Hecht wants to accomplish. “I used to say that by the time I’m 30 I want to have made 30 films, and I’ve already passed that. This year I will have made my 43^rd film, so let’s see what happens from here on in,” he said. “My new goal is to reach 50 films by the time I’m 35.”

When Hecht sits down to watch films that are not his own, he’ll watch any genre, except for horror films which he dislikes. He’s also willing to make a movie of any genre if he has the budget. “I’ll only not do a film if I don’t agree with the subject, but if there’s a budget, I’m willing do to anything,” he emphasizes.

He’s still got many ideas in his head, so there is no doubt he will reach his 50 movie goal and even pass it.

Most of Igal Hecht’s films can be viewed at a cost on Chutzpa Productions’ website at www.chutzpaproductions.com.

For more information on G.I. Productions visit www.giproductions.ca

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