Wake Up, Grandson
Synopsis
Director Renen Schorr’s journey in the footsteps of his Grandfather, Rabbi Avraham Heller, hero of the 1948 War Battle of Safed, a deeply religious town. Spiritual vs. Secular, Faith vs. Film, Holy Safed vs. Hedonistic Tel Aviv.
In a 25-year exchange of letters between paterfamilias and grandson, the elder begs the young filmmaker to forsake Truffaut for tradition and carry on his legacy. When the request is rebuffed, a surprising final wish comes from the grandfather, “Make a movie about me”.
In the epilogue, the director undertakes the legal act of changing his name and official identity to Renen Schorr Heller and goes out to Safed to direct a scene scripted by his grandfather when his life was coming to an end.
Credits
Director(s)
Renen Schorr Heller
Producer(s)
Renen Schorr Heller
Script
Renen Schorr Heller
Cinematography
Gal Rumbak, Yaniv Linton
Editor
Noa Keidan
Original Music
Ehud Banai
Production Company
Blues Productions LTD
Research
Renen Schorr, Lily Yudinski
Sound Design
Aviv Aldema
Color
Yoav Raz
Festival Highlights
Docaviv International Documentary Film Festival, Israel, Masters Section, 2024
