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Scorched Summer
Depicts the impact of the Second Lebanon War on Israel's civilian population. The facts of the war are presented through the lenses of citizens and visitors, personal stories of the injured and killed, and interviews of residents and emergency workers. The film tells humanitarian stories of lives thrown into turmoil or ended prematurely, including the story of Karnit Goldwasser, whose reserve-soldier husband, Udi, was kidnapped and murdered by Hezbollah. English subtitles (Running time: 52 minutes)
Under Fire+The stories of four Israeli families – two Arab and two Jewish – whose loved ones were killed during the Second Lebanon War in the Summer of 2006: a mother and her two daughters chatting in their yard, a young father working at the train depot, another father running to get his little girl a blanket, a lifeguard trying to save his mother and sister. Surviving family members share their eyewitness accounts, as well as their pleas for future peace. Their stories are told against the backdrop of authentic footage from the war, showing the devastation inflicted upon the Israeli civilian population.
Subtitles in: English, Hebrew, Arabic, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin (Running time: 28 minutes)
Testimonials: Ceated by a first-hand witness, Avi Naiman, Under Fire and Scorched Summer deliver a steady stream of first-person testimonies, providing viewers with a personal understanding of what it was like for the people of Israel’s northern region – Jews and Arabs alike – under Hezbollah’s bombardment during the Second Lebanon War. The films provide essential documentation of the recent attacks on civilian populations. Watch these films now – and tell your friends and colleagues to watch them now – so that you can understand these moving events. — Jennifer Laszlo-Mizrahi, Founder and President, The Israel ProjectNearly three years after the Second Lebanon War, the victims of Hezbollah’s rocket attacks remain physically and psychologically scarred. This gripping movie introduces viewers to some of those who suffered and still suffer from the rocket barrages of Summer, 2006 – both Arabs and Jews – people who were just leading their lives quietly until calamity struck. This important film should be viewed widely – and will trigger interesting discussions about the challenges contemporary Israel faces. — Gil Troy, Professor of History, McGill University, author, Why I Am A Zionist: Israel, Jewish Identity and the Challenges of Today Under Fire and Scorched Summer are documentaries that allow Israelis to give their powerful eyewitness accounts [of the Second Lebanon War]. … [T]he film gives a good sense of the human toll in Israel rather than just statistics about the number of rockets or the cost of damage. … The film does a great job of capturing the sentiments of these victims. … The films are powerful and should be viewed by anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of Israeli suffering. — Mitchell Bard and William Gutterman, American-Israeli Cooperative EnterpriseI just finished watching Under Fire / Scorched Summer. Your movies closed a circle for me. It put faces on events that were traumatic for all of us in Israel and brought out strong feelings of identification with the wonderful people who live up North who suffered so much during that war. The documentation of the personal stories of the Second Lebanon War has strategic as well as historical significance. The rules of warfare have changed – the military fights the battles but the ability to tell the personal story is what significantly impacts on molding world opinion. — Eli Bialik, Israeli Citizen, called up for Emergency Reserve Duty to protect Israel’s Civilian Population in the North