"In the Interest of the State of Israel": Notes Toward a Future History of Israeli Cinema

ABSTRACT: This article considers the vicissitudes and challenges of writing a history of Israeli cinema as a history of Israeli cinema culture. With the current state of film archiving in Israel, particularly regarding non-filmic elements and paratextual materials, the notion of a film archive as museum is presented through prominent examples of established film archives. Such examples induce a warranted examination of the concept of a 'national' film archive and consequently, of what is to be considered as a filmic artifact, and of how film archives might proceed to capitalize on new research methodologies to widen the scope of film historical research. To this end, understanding the various facets of film history enabled by shifting the focus from the film as artifact to historical artifacts surrounding films, can serve in evaluating their role in a local film culture. Thus, a potential history of Israeli film culture is one that strives to incorporate the work of film archives in the establishment of a local "film heritage experience."