King Bibi
Synopsis
Twenty years before the spectacle of Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu already understood the political benefits of a toxic relationship with the media, and direct communication with the public. King Bibi explores Netanyahu’s rise to power, relying solely on archival footage of his media performances over the years: from his days as a popular guest expert on American TV, through his public confession of adultery, and his mastery of the art of social media. From one studio to another, “Bibi” evolved from Israel’s great political hope, to a controversial figure whom some perceive as Israel’s savior, and others – as a cynical politician who will stop at nothing to retain his power.
Credits
Director(s)
Dan Shadur
Producer(s)
Liran Atzmor
Script
Dan Shadur
Editor
Neta Dvorkis, Dan Shadur
Original Language
Hebrew, English
Subtitles
English, French
Sound Designer
Itzik Cohen
Narrated by
Alon Aboutbul
Main photo credit
Kobi Gideon GPO
Festival Highlights
Tallgrass Film Festival, USA, 2019
Buffalo International Film Festival, USA, 2019
Chargin International Film Festival, USA, In Competition, 2019
Atlantic International Film Festival, Canada, 2019
Global Peace Film Festival, USA, 2019
Jewish Motifs International Film Festival, Poland, 2019
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2019
Jersey Shore International Film Festival, USA, 2019
Moscow Jewish Film Festival, Russia, 2019
Montreal Israeli Film Festival, Canada, 2019
The National Center for Jewish Film, USA, 2019
New Haven International Film Festival, USA, 2019
Washington Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2019
Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Canada, 2019
Cleveland International FIlm Festival, USA, 2019
Santa Barbara International Film Festival, USA, 2019
Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel, Documentary Competition, 2018
Reviews
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"“...carefully selected and well-edited footage, some of it quite rare, spanning Netanyahu’s life and career, showing how he mastered the art of performing before a camera and built his political longevity on performance... a very fair and honest account of Israel’s most controversial figure... you really must watch 'King Bibi'"
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- Haaretz
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""An amazing puzzle of archival footage is pieced together to expose Netanyahu’s image in the media. His source of power is exposed. It is striking to see such an elegant documentary that deals with the most burning subjects of our existence here, without being blunt and without preaching. This is a must watch... Anyone who thinks he knows anything about Netanyahu has to watch ‘King Bibi’""
- Timeout
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""Fascinating insight into the media evolution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu""
- The Washington Post
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""Deep, fascinating, disturbing"
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- Mako (Israel’s most viewed TV channel):
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""A stirring experience... fascinating and enlightening".
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- Walla (Israel’s most read website)
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""This film will fascinate Bibi's haters and admirers alike... Shadur disables the background noise of the media to create a sharp and accurate portrait. He forces the viewer to examine how Bibi's presence changed Israel over the years. How Netanyahu changed your own life""
- Makor Rishon (Israel’s most prominent conservative magazine)
