It Is No Dream

IT IS NO DREAM documents the will for peace and justice within modern Israel. Often in the United States, the Israeli "position" on relations with Palestine is perceived as unified, but this film, packed with the testimonies of Israeli activists and commentators, portrays a vibrant, diverse dialogue rather than a simple monologue. Interviewees include writers Meir Shalev, Yehudit Katzir and Yitzhak La'or; Ha'aretz columnist, Gideon Levy; Jessica Montell, executive director of B'Tselem: the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories; and Noa Levy, a leader of the high school students' refusal-to-serve movement.

Benny Brunner is an Israeli-Dutch filmmaker based in Amsterdam. Before becoming a professional film director he studied at Tel Aviv University's Film and Television Department, 1978 – 1982. Brunner is known for a number of in-depth historical and political documentaries. He directed Romania, The Taming of the Intellectuals (1990), a film about the intellectuals under Ceaucescu; A philosopher For All Seasons (1991), portraying the Israeli philosopher Yeshayahu Leibowitz; The Seventch Million – The Israelis and the Holocaust (1995); and Al Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe 1948 (1997). Benny Brunner's mother, Clara, wanted him to study law. But he, being an "oiber khuchem" (Yiddish: too smart for his own good), became a filmmaker believing that "I will make mountains of money by just directing people, and I will get to travel a lot." Non of this materialized. Benny Brunner loves Californian wine, long vacations, and Saluki dogs. He is a proud Macintosh and Newton user., Born in New York, 1956. Based in Italy since 1983. Worked for a number of years as assistant director in both opera and films, among others with Claude D’Anna (Macbeth, 1987) and Jim Jarmusch (Night on Earth, 1991). Wrote and directed The Righteous Enemy (WNET/NY, DISCOVERY - 1987) and True Child of Vienna (2000). Co-wrote TV documentaries Al Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe 1948 (Arte - 1997) and The Children of Abraham and Sophie (Netherlands 1 - 2002). Staged opera scene based on Dante's Vita Nova poems for the film Hannibal (Ridley Scott, 2001).