Victory (2023 film)

Amid the euphoria of Israel's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War, the lives of two couples from Kibbutz Netzer Sereni change significantly. Amos Agmon (Litman) returns home, changed by the war and traumatized. Meanwhile, Yael (Farkash) is made a widow following the death of Shlomo (Gellman) during the war. Amos and his wife Neta (Sztulman), relocate to Tel Aviv so that Neta can pursue her acting ambitions. The couple struggle to reconnect amid Neta's burgeoning theatre success and Agmon's unacknowledged trauma. Yael comes to rely on her friend at the Kibbutz, Ilan (Rothman) and they become a couple, raising Yael and Shlomo's young daughter together. Agmon returns alone to the Kibbutz and Neta decides to quit her starring role in a play to follow him. Yael and Ilan get married at the Kibbutz. Agmon arranges for Neta to keep working as an actress at the Kibbutz, by hosting a Tel Aviv fringe theatre group that casts Neta in Hanoch Levin's You, Me And The Next War. ==Cast==

• Daniel Litman as Amos Agmon • Yael Sztulman as Neta Agmon • Amit Farkash as Yael Harlap • Yadin Gellman as Shlomo Harlap • Yoav Rotman as Ilan Rechavam • Dor Harari as Mike • Sharon Alexander as Yakov Agmon ==Production==

Peled, co-writer and director, had worked on developing the film for seven years. Lior Waitzman, one of the film's sound designers, was killed during the Battle of Sderot on October 7th. Lapid character, Amos is based on the paratrooper, Michael Lanir, whom Peleg got to know and learned he and other returning soldiers has suffered from PTSD. Peleg was also drawn to this theme after a close family member returned from the 2014 Gaza War with severe PTSD. ==Release==

The film received its premiere, as part of the official competition at Haifa International Film Festival in October 2023. The slated theatrical release in November 2023 was postponed due to the outbreak of the Gaza war. It was subsequently released in Israeli theaters on 8 February 2024. ==Reception==

Allison Kaplan Sommer described the film as "highly original" in Haaretz, continuing: ""Victory" is deeply relevant to today's Israel, offering a stylized but piercing look at how war shapes Israeli society, devastates and transforms the lives of young people, and continues to dismay parents who dreamed of happier and safer lives for their children." It won the Ophir Award for Best Music from the Israeli Film Academy, and was nominated for three other awards from the academy, including Best Sound, Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction. It was also nominated for the Best Film prize at the Haifa International Film Festival. ==References==