Director Onn Nir has made a place for his films at the intersection of entertainment and the philosophical examination of war, humanity and the prejudices we may all unknowingly carry. Nir served for years as a field medic in the Israeli army, and the experience has shaped the way he views the world and his approach to filmmaking.
He is an alumnus of the prestigious American Film Institute in Los Angeles, and has gained international prominence for his works covering the effects war has on the human psyche.
Nir writes most of his films himself, allowing him complete creative control over his projects. That control is evident in the quality of his works, which have awed audiences and judges at festivals the world over.
“My inspiration derives from my real life stories, and a burning passion to show the audience things they don’t see everyday,” Nir said.
In Born Guilty, Nir examines the longstanding anti-German prejudice prevalent in both the U.S. and Israel, which he saw firsthand while working with Uwe Pfizenmaier, a German cinematographer.
“As an Israeli I want to shout out, ‘Leave the past alone, because you’re going to undermine your future,’” Nir said. “For bigotry and suspicion poison our future, and understanding and acceptance strengthen it.”
It is that understanding that Nir attempts to bring to all of his films, and Born Guilty is truly eye-opening and effective in the spotlight it shines on these social issues. It tells the story of an American woman who falls in love with a German man, only to meet a Holocaust survivor who begins to fill her with doubts and suspicions which prove untrue. The film won the National Board of Review Award, and screened at the prestigious Max Ophuls Film Festival in Saarbrucken, Germany.
Nir is also the writer and director behind Pressure Point, the tale of two Israeli men on opposite sides of the political divide. The two venture into the Judea Desert after chaperoning a field trip to retrieve a two-way radio. During the journey, they encounter a soldier who’s been killed in an auto accident, and the experience changes the outlook of Ishai, the main character.
“Ishai’s confrontation with death shakes his idealistic dream, and makes him question his own set of values,” Nir said. “Is land worth the life of one human being?”
The lead role of Ishai is played by Danny Geva, who was nominated for Best Acting in a Drama Series by the Israeli Television Academy. The film screened at several prestigious festivals, including The Hamptons International Film Festival and the St. Louis International Film Festival.
In Bamidbar, his most recent film, Nir again examines the philosophy of intimacy and emotional baggage against the backdrop of the biblical Israeli desert. A young girl, about to join the Israeli army, enters a desert which is steeped in history with her father, a veteran. The two attempt to repair their damaged relationship throughout the trip, while the isolation and intensity of the desert begin to play tricks on the father’s mind.
“Bamidbar explores the subject of trauma in a society that lives in constant war,” Nir said. “As a former combat Medic in the Israeli Army it’s important for me to tell a story that deals with the aftermath of heroism, the war within the veteran soldier, and its implications on his family.”
Nir worked with incredible talents on Bamidbar, including lead actor Sabi Dorr (The Negotiator, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Munich), sound designer Ryan Kirby (12 Years a Slave) and special effects guru Josh Hakian (Cloverfield, Drive Angry). Bamidbar received nominations at both the Shanghai International Film Festival and the Champs-Elysee Film Festival, and won the Audience Award at the 2014 Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival.
Among Nir’s exciting upcoming works is Kamel, the intense story of Israeli Cold War spy Eli Cohen. The thriller follows the life and death of Cohen, a legend in espionage and an Israeli hero. With Nir attached as the writer and director, Kamel will undoubtedly be a gripping and thought-provoking masterpiece of modern cinema, as audiences have come to expect from this immensely talented filmmaker.