Face Value
Synopsis
Gil Gibli is an ultra-Orthodox forensic artist who possesses the rare ability to retrieve faces from the “blind spots” of traumatic memory. For those who possess no photographs of their lost loved ones, Gibli serves as a bridge to the past, reconstructing portraits from the fragments of fractured recollection.
As Gibli navigates the intimate space between artist and witness, capturing the likeness of a long-lost sibling or a mother’s missing infant, his own story surfaces. His journey through faith and unresolved trauma reflects a universal search for identity. Through subtle animation, the film reveals how the act of looking transforms a haunting absence into a restored presence and a profound act of love.
Credits
Director(s)
David Ofek
Producer(s)
Lev Orlov, Leah Tonic
Cinematography
Chen Lasker, Dror Labendiger
Editor
Gal Rosenbluth
Original Language
Hebrew
Subtitles
Hebrew, English
Produced with the help of
Galil Film Project, Rabinovitch Film Fund
Festival Highlights
Docaviv Film Festival, Israel, Official Competition, 2026
