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Dolphin Boy

  • Israel
  • Documentary
  • 2011
  • 72 / 52 min.
  • Director(s): Dani Menkin, Yonatan Nir
  • Producer(s): Judith Manassen Ramon, Dani Menkin, Yonatan Nir

Synopsis

Morad is an Israeli-Arab young man who has lost touch with reality as the result of severe physical abuse. As a last resort prior to hospitalization in a mental institute, his father, As’ad, takes him to the Red Sea, for rehabilitating treatment with Dolphins. His condition has since improved dramatically; however, the process is not complete. Morad has exchanged his own identity with that of a beach-boy; he has a Jewish, soldier, girlfriend and has completely renounced his own past. This is the story of a father’s struggle over his son’s sanity, and about the Dolphins as healers of the human soul.

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Credits

Director(s)

Dani Menkin, Yonatan Nir

Producer(s)

Judith Manassen Ramon, Dani Menkin, Yonatan Nir

Script

Dani Menkin, Yonatan Nir

Cinematography

Yaron Levison, Yoav Kleinman, Yonatan Nir, Uri Ackerman

Editor

Tali Halter Shenkar, Melanie Margalith

Original Language

Hebrew, Arabic, French

Subtitles

Hebrew, English

Produced with the help of

Arte and Chanel 4

Sound design

Mickey Assa

Festival Highlights

  • Winner

    Jury Mention Award
    Jerusalem International Film Festival
    2011
  • Winner

    Young Audience Award
    Millenium International Film Festival
    2013
  • Winner

    Special Jury Mention Award in the category of Conflicts, Religions and (non)violence
    Religion Today Film Festival
    2012
  • Nominated

    International Green Film Award
    The Cinema for Peace Award Ceremony, Berlin

Millenium International Film Festival, Belgium, 2013

Documentary Edge Film Festival, New Zealand, 2012

Religion Today Film Festival, Italy, 2012

Zagrebdox International Film Festival, Croatia, 2012

Hotdocs International Film Festival, Canada, 2011

Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel, 2011

Reviews

  • "The film seems headed to become another touching tribute to the irony of superior Israeli medical care amidst the region’s continuing violence,.. The underwater photography is beautiful."
    - Nora Lee Mandel, Film Forward