N°17
(Hehaarug Ha-17)

by David Ofek

Israel

Director: David Ofek

Script: David Ofek, Ron Rotem, Elinor Kowarsky

Cinematographer: Ron Rotem

Editor: Arik Lahav-Leibovitz

Music: O. Leibovitch

With: Saadi Afshar, R. Arabzadeh, A. Sohrabi, S. Panahi, F. Shadizadeh, L. Mohamadi

Production:
Eden Production
84 Arlozorov Street
Tel Aviv, 62647
Israel
Tel: +972.3.527.34.03
Fax: +972.3.523.60.76
Mail: [email protected]

International Sales:
Cinefil
Philippa Kowarsky
18 Levontin St.
Tel Aviv, 65112
Israel
Tel: +972.3.556.64.129
Fax: +972.3.560.14.36
Mail: [email protected]

Year: 2003

Beta SP, Colour, 76 min
OV Hebrew with French Subtitles

Unreleased

In June 2002, a bus running on the road from Tel Aviv to Tiberiade becomes the target of an attack. 17 passengers are killed. All of them are identified, except one. For the very first time, an anonymous victim is buried in Israel. Convinced it must be an immigrant worker, the police officers decide to stop their investigation. Who is number 17 ? Throughout an investigation which could challenge the best detective novel, David Ofek not only succeeds to give a face to number 17, but also to depict Israeli society today in a unique way. Using various elements of a police investigation such as the reconstruction of the journey or the making up of a Photofit, the director gives an insight to this population who daily lives with the shadow of death.

“In contrast to TV news which exaggerate the extend of dramatic sides, I tried to show the hidden mechanical and bureaucratic aspects which take place after a terrorist attack”.