Israeli fringe performer finds the spotlight in provocative anti-war film
TEL AVIV, Israel — The most daring Israeli film to emerge in recent years amid ongoing conflicts is "Yes," which debuted last week in select U.S. theaters.
The narrative commences at a raucous gathering where go-go dancers entertain Israel's army chief during the Gaza war. Leading the film is Ariel Bronz, a distinctive and challenging figure in Israel's theater landscape, who is 41 years old.
Bronz portrays an avant-garde musician, married to a dancer, who, following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, shifts to align with the mainstream Israeli culture. They accept performances catering to the nation's elite.
"They start to be entertainers slash clowns ... in order to survive in this place," Bronz shared in a conversation with NPR.
Israeli critics call it a "monumental," "provocative" film
Nadav Lapid, the Israeli director of "Yes," remarked on the difficulty in finding Israeli actors willing to participate in the project. The film has garnered acclaim in Israel, with critics describing it as "monumental" and "provocative."
Having premiered last year at the Cannes Film Festival, the film offers a critical examination of the trauma and desire for revenge that pervaded Israeli society after October 7. This period saw many artists rally around patriotic sentiments or perform for military personnel as Israel engaged in warfare in Gaza.
In the movie, Bronz's character is tasked with composing a new national anthem for Israel in the aftermath of October 7, crafting a contentious ballad promoting the destruction of Gaza and "love sanctified in blood."
Amid accusations of genocide against Israel regarding its actions in Gaza, Bronz, both within the film and through his artistic expression, challenges the boundaries of free speech for artists operating in Israel today.
"There are very few artists left in Israel who dare to speak," he explained. "If you are against occupation or genocide, you become isolated. You are estranged from this place. You become an enemy of the state."
Interrogated by police for his art
Bronz immigrated to Israel from Odessa, Ukraine, at the age of six. He currently teaches Shakespeare at an acting school in Israel and is also recognized as a playwright, poet, director, and performance artist.
He is perhaps best known for a provocative performance a decade ago that shocked even a liberal audience at a Haaretz newspaper conference. In this political satire, he portrayed an Israeli nationalist supremacist. The audience misinterpreted the satire, resulting in him being booed off the stage, with the venue subsequently cutting the sound and lights.
In a dramatic act of defiance before exiting the stage, he inserted an Israeli flag into his behind. This bold gesture led to his interrogation by police.
Since that incident, Bronz has faced consequences in his artistic career. He noted that audience members canceled their tickets to his performances at a recent theater festival upon learning of his involvement.
"I became very much isolated from the Israeli art scene because nobody wanted to be associated with a person who gave a stage to this monster," Bronz stated.
Israeli artists face opposing pressures in the wake of the Gaza war
Internationally, a significant number of filmmakers and actors are participating in a pro-Palestinian boycott, accusing the bulk of Israel's film industry of "complicity or whitewashing genocide and apartheid."
In response to accusations of genocide in Gaza, Israel has rejected the claims, while culture minister has criticized filmmakers who portray the nation unfavorably, even threatening to cut funding to its film sector.
Once marginalized in the fringes of Israel’s art community, Bronz has now risen to prominence following his performance in "Yes," which earned him a nomination for Best Actor at Israel’s Academy Award ceremony last year. However, he did not win; a young Palestinian actor took the award for a different film.
That same night, post-ceremony, police agents arrived at Bronz's home for questioning.
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