Izkor: Slaves of Memory

Eyal Sivan's award-winning documentary IZKOR - SLAVES OF MEMORY is about the orchestration of memory. The film shows how school children of all ages in Israel are taught to pay tribute to their nation's past. It keenly observes how some memories are even physically conditioned into the future generations. "One of the most truly, most intelligent, most terrible and sharpest films about Israeli society. (...) A film on memory and politics: this is the way that Israeli society exploits its myths to train people to have no doubts or remorse, creating the soldiers of the future wars." (Tom Segev - Haaretz) IZKOR means 'remember', an imperative that is imposed on Israeli society through the public educational system. During the month of April feast days and celebrations take place one after another. Passover, the celebration of freedom gained by Hebrews after slavery for the Pharaohs, marks the beginning, then festivities make place for mourning during the Holocaust Day and Memorial Day. All over the country people pay respect to the martyrs and heroes of the Holocaust and a week later to Israeli soldiers who died for their country. Independence Day is the peak of this violent succession of emotions. Memory orchestrated vigorously by all official institutions.