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[InC-terview] Exclusive Interview with YOSSI director, Eytan Fox!

By InCinemas / 03 Aug 2013 (Saturday)

We were stoked when we heard that we could interview Mr Eytan Fox, director of Yossi. Through a phone interview to Tel Aviv, Fox shared with us his thoughts about the film, his previous award-winning film 'Yossi and Jagger' and his upcoming movie, 'Cupcakes'!

(Get the showtimes for Yossi here!)

InCinemas: Hi Eytan, the sequel took nearly a decade's time after the success of 'Yossi & Jagger'. Were there any particular reason for the long duration?

Eytan: Yossi & Jagger represented who I was when I was in the army and at some point of time, I want to go back to who I was and the characters in it. I think that Yossi might be my 1st film to be distributed in Singapore too. My films are usually about me, my friends, my family and my country and therefore it’s important to go back from Yossi and Jagger and see the changes.

InCinemas: Knoller played the same character (Yossi) in both films, so what was his first reaction when you approached him with the ideal of a sequel?

Eytan: He was nervous and a little afraid about the idea. In Yossi and Jagger, he won the best actor prize in the Tribeca film festival in New York, and got wonderful responses all over the world.

We both felt that the film and the characters were significant to us and important to those who watched it. We were afraid to ‘screw up’ this time, to not be able to be that authentic as we were able to say originally in Yossi and Jagger!

InCinemas: Does your lifestyle/experience have an impact on how the story was written?

Eytan: You can say that both films are almost independent. You can see Yossi without watching Yossi and Jagger and experience the film itself. I was trying to give an authentic descprition of my life today. I’m not a doctor but have a lot of things in common with Yossi.

I have traumas inside of me, and almost everyone have difficult experiences that they carry with them, so I was dealing with my trauma, my own experience and overcome it.

InCinemas: Like many other countries, same sex marriage is not considered legal in Singapore. What do you think can be done for people to be more open-minded towards the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered)?

Eytan: Film and art can be a great tool to make people understand and make them open to other people, culture, experiences. Now the film is in Singapore, a country I have not visited nor often read about it, but the a fact that I can send my film over to create a dialogue with people who might learn and understand it a little differently is an amazing experience.

InCinemas: What is that one main message you’ll like to tell through your film?

Eytan: I guess this sounds like a cliche but I want to say that change is possible. Sometimes we believe that we are too old to change and get stuck in our problems. How can we change if we give up and get stuck in situations? This film might be able to create optimism, hope and the possibility of change.

(Read more about the film, Yossi!)

InCinemas: Was it hard to direct Oz Zehavi? Does he meet your expectation on the portrayal of Tom?

Eytan: Oz Zehavi is the biggest heartthrob in Israel right now and it wasn’t difficult for me, but for him to portray as a gay character. He is really good and nice, the new man I would say. He isn’t afraid to try out new characters, new film experiences and not intimated by gay men and being gay to some extend.

InCinemas: In one of the scenes, you had your actors stripped to total nudity. Can you tell us more about that filming process?

Eytan: The love scene? Well, I wouldn't say it is a sex scene. It was more about the emotional scene as far as I am concerned. It was more on the emotional nudity and emotional exposure. I felt that was harder than the actual nudity for the actors.

I think that the body is an important thing and sacred in many ways. I made a point that Yossi never exposed any part of his body, be always covered and therefore in this scene, they were supposed to feel difficulty in the emotions - the difficult moment to overcome.

InCinemas: Do you have a favourite line/scene from Yossi?

Eytan: I like a lot of things. I’ve made six feature films and this is the film I feel most closest to and most proud of. You know of course, the scene where they eventually take off their clothes is a scene that is very emotionally close to me.

InCinemas: Why do you say this is the film you’re most proud of?

Eytan: After years of making film. I found my voice and what kind of films I make. Yossi is one of the most successful film worldwide and this film, semantically and form-wise, I found my voice.

InCinemas: Do you foresee a continuation after Yossi?

Eytan: You know, never say never. When I was filming Yossi and Jagger, I never thought that I’ll be doing a sequel and here I am putting out a sequel for people in Singapore to watch.

We were joking around, talking about a prequel where Yossi and Jagger are 16 year-olds, set in the 90s. I don’t think about it now as I’m so occupied by my next project though, but who knows, maybe in 10 years I’ll re-examine who I’ve become.

InCinemas: Wow, tell us more about your next project that we can look forward to!

Eytan: I’ve just put up my new film in Israel for the time being and my new film is called ‘Cupcakes’.

It is very different from Yossi, it is a musical full of the old 70s pop tunes. It is about a group of neighbours who are friends but has nothing to do with show-business. They get together to watch a song competition (think American Idol) and the song that they made up was chosen to represent Israel in an international song competition.

They don’t know anything about sing or dance but they decided to go ahead with it. Through the experience, they learned something about themselves along the way. It is very funny film and I hope for it to be in Singapore!

InCinemas: Talking about Singapore, when will we see you here?

Eytan: That’s a good question. Knowing that Yossi has opened in Singapore, I started reading a lot about Singapore and i found the country very interesting. I really want to visit Singapore, hopefully with my next film!

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[InC-terview] Exclusive Interview with YOSSI director, Eytan Fox!