Ronit Elkabetz ( he, רונית אלקבץ; 27 November 1964 – 19 April 2016) was an Israeli actress, screenwriter and film director. She worked in both
Israeli and
French cinema
French cinema consists of the film industry and its film productions, whether made within the nation of France or by French film production companies abroad. It is the oldest and largest precursor of national cinemas in Europe; with primary influ ...
. She won three
Ophir Awards and received a total of seven nominations.
Biography
Elkabetz was born in
Beersheba
Beersheba or Beer Sheva, officially Be'er-Sheva ( he, בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, ''Bəʾēr Ševaʿ'', ; ar, بئر السبع, Biʾr as-Sabʿ, Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven), is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. ...
in 1964 to a religious
Moroccan Jewish
Moroccan Jews ( ar, اليهود المغاربة, al-Yahūd al-Maghāriba he, יהודים מרוקאים, Yehudim Maroka'im) are Jews who live in or are from Morocco. Moroccan Jews constitute an ancient community dating to Roman times. Jews b ...
family, originally from
Essaouira. She grew up in
Kiryat Yam
Kiryat Yam ( he, קִרְיַת יָם, lit. ''Sea Town'') is a city in the Haifa Bay district of Israel, north of Haifa. One of a group of Haifa suburbs known as the Krayot, it is located on the Mediterranean coast, between Kiryat Haim and the T ...
. Her mother spoke
French and
Moroccan Arabic
Moroccan Arabic ( ar, العربية المغربية الدارجة, translit=al-ʻArabīya al-Maghribīya ad-Dārija ), also known as Darija (), is the dialectal, vernacular form or forms of Arabic spoken in Morocco. It is part of the Maghreb ...
, but her father insisted on speaking only
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
.
Elkabetz was the oldest of four children, with three younger brothers. Her younger brother
Shlomi also became a director, and they worked together on the trilogy ''
Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem''.
Elkabetz never studied acting and started her career as a model. She divided her time between her homes in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
and
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
. She married architect
Avner Yashar, the son of prominent architect Yitzhak Yashar and singer Rema Samsonov, on 25 June 2010. In 2012, they had a twin son and daughter. During her final years, she was honorary president of the
Mizrahi feminist movement "
Ahoti – for Women in Israel", and volunteered in the organization's activities, such as the fair trade store and clothing drives. In 2015 she was selected to be the President of the Jury for the International Critics' Week section of the
2015 Cannes Film Festival
The 68th Cannes Film Festival was held from 13 to 24 May 2015. Joel and Ethan Coen were the Presidents of the Jury for the main competition. It was the first time that two people chaired the jury. Since the Coen brothers each received a separate ...
.
Acting and directing career
Elkabetz's first film appearance was in ''The Appointed'' (1990), where she played in the starring role opposite
Shuli Rand
Shalom "Shuli" Rand (also spelled Shuly; he, שולי רנד; born 8 February 1962) is an Israeli film actor, writer, and singer. He is a Breslover Hasid and is best known in the English-speaking world for his role as the protagonist in ''Ush ...
.
They both starred in ''Eddie King'' in 1992. In 1994 she starred in ''
Sh'Chur'', for which she won the
Israeli Film Academy
The Ophir Awards ( he, פרס אופיר), colloquially known as the Israeli Oscars or the Israeli Academy Awards, are film awards for excellence in the Israeli film industry awarded by the Israeli Academy of Film and Television. The award, named ...
(Ophir) Award. In 1995 she wrote with her partner,
Haim Buzaglo
The name ''Haim'' can be a first name or surname originating in the Hebrew language, or deriving from the Old German name '' Haimo''.
Hebrew etymology
Chayyim ( he, חַיִּים ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ), also transcribed ''Ha ...
, the script for ''Scar'', in which she also starred, and for which she learned French. In 1996 she starred in
Amos Gitai
Amos Gitai ( he, עמוס גיתאי; born 11 October 1950) is an Israeli filmmaker, who was trained as an architect.
Gitai's work was presented in several major retrospectives in Pompidou Center in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and ...
's ''
Metamorphosis of a Melody
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops including birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. Some insec ...
''. In 1997 she moved to
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
to study in
Ariane Mnouchkine
Ariane Mnouchkine (; born 3 March 1939) is a French stage director. She founded the Parisian avant-garde stage ensemble ''Théâtre du Soleil'' in 1964. She wrote and directed ''1789'' (1974) and ''Molière'' (1978), and directed ''La Nuit Mirac ...
's
Théâtre du Soleil
Le Théâtre du Soleil (, "The Theater of the Sun") is a Parisian avant-garde stage ensemble founded by Ariane Mnouchkine, Philippe Léotard and fellow students of the '' L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq'' in 1964 as a collecti ...
. During that period, she supported herself as a waitress. She did a one-woman show on the life of the choreographer
Martha Graham at the
Avignon Festival
The ''Festival d'Avignon'', or Avignon Festival, is an annual arts festival held in the French city of Avignon every summer in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes as well as in other locations of the city. Founded in 1947 by Jean Vila ...
.
In 2001 she starred in the French film ''
Origine contrôlée'', and won her second
Ophir Award
The Ophir Awards ( he, פרס אופיר), colloquially known as the Israeli Oscars or the Israeli Academy Awards, are film awards for excellence in the Israeli film industry awarded by the Israeli Academy of Film and Television. The award, named ...
for ''
Late Marriage
''Late Marriage'' ( he, חתונה מאוחרת, ''Hatuna Meuheret'') is a 2001 Israeli film directed by Dover Kosashvili. The film centers on Zaza (Lior Ashkenazi, in his breakthrough role), the 31-year-old child of tradition-minded Georgian Je ...
''. In 2003 she teamed again with Gitai on
Alila. In 2004 she was nominated for an Ophir Award for ''
Or (My Treasure)
''Or (My Treasure)'' is a 2004 drama film starring Dana Ivgy in the title role of Or, a teenager who struggles to be responsible for her prostitute mother Ruthie, played by Ronit Elkabetz. The French-Israeli production premiered on 14 May 2004 at ...
'', and starred in the Israeli legal drama series ''Franco and Spector''.
In 2004 she wrote, directed (with her brother,
Shlomi Elkabetz
Shlomi Elkabetz ( he, שלומי אלקבץ; born 5 December 1972) is an Israeli actor, writer and director. He is known for playing Simon in HBO's ''Our Boys''.
Early life
Elkabetz mother was a hairdresser and his father was a postal employee. ...
) and starred in the semi-autobiographic film ''
To Take a Wife'', for which she was again nominated for an Ophir Award.
In 2006 she also starred in the Israeli drama series ''Parashat HaShavua''. In 2007 she starred in
Eran Kolirin
Eran Kolirin (Hebrew: ערן קולירין) (born 4 November 1973) is an Israeli screenwriter and film director.
In 2004, he directed the feature-length television drama, ''The Long Journey''. His cinema directorial debut, ''The Band's Visit'' ( ...
's ''
The Band's Visit'', for which she won her third Ophir Award.
In 2008 she and Shlomi finished their second film, ''
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
'' ("Seven Days"), which won the Wolgin Award for Best Feature Film at the 2008
Jerusalem Film Festival
The Jerusalem Film Festival ( he, פסטיבל הקולנוע ירושלים, ar, مهرجان القدس السينمائي) is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, It was established in 1984 by the Director of the Jerusal ...
.
In 2009 she starred alongside
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Fabienne Dorléac (born 22 October 1943), known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (, , ), is a French actress as well as an occasional singer, model, and producer, considered one of the greatest European actresses. She gained recogni ...
in
André Téchiné's ''
La Fille du Rer
''The Girl on the Train'' (french: link=no, La fille du RER) is a 2009 French drama film directed by André Téchiné, starring Emilie Dequenne, Catherine Deneuve and Michel Blanc. The plot centers on an aimless girl who lies about being the vic ...
''. Her other recent French projects have included ''
Ashes and Blood'', ''
Turk's Head'', and ''
Les mains libres''. In 2010 she received an
Ophir Award
The Ophir Awards ( he, פרס אופיר), colloquially known as the Israeli Oscars or the Israeli Academy Awards, are film awards for excellence in the Israeli film industry awarded by the Israeli Academy of Film and Television. The award, named ...
nomination for Best Actress for her work in ''
Mabul''. She was recently the subject of Nir Bergman's documentary ''A Stranger in Paris''.
Her 2014 film ''
Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem'' was selected to be screened as part of the
Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festiv ...
section of the
2014 Cannes Film Festival.
This was the final film Elkabetz directed prior to her death.
Critical acclaim
Israeli film critic Uri Klein wrote: "Moviegoers can admire Ronit Elkabetz or recoil from her, or admire and recoil at the same time. Ignoring her is not an option. The mystery and the exoticism, the threat and the danger have ultimately gathered into a potent presence and cogent control."
In May 2010, Elkabetz received the France Culture award at the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
, a prize awarded to filmmakers for quality work and social involvement. The judges described her as a "woman teeming with passion and erotica, who can even play the queen of Egypt."
Pascal Elbé
Pascal Elbé (born 13 March 1967) is a French actor, director and screenwriter.
Life and career
Pascal Elbé was born in Colmar, Haut-Rhin
Haut-Rhin (, ; Alsatian: ''Owerelsàss'' or '; german: Oberelsass, ) is a department in the Grand ...
director of ''
Turk's Head'' cited his enthusiasm for casting Elkabetz. "I chose an actress who reminds me of those great Italian stars of the
postwar
In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period ...
period, like
Anna Magnani
Anna Maria Magnani (; 7 March 1908 – 26 September 1973) was an Italian actress.Obituary ''Variety'', 3 October 1973, pg. 47 She was known for her explosive acting and earthy, realistic portrayals of characters.
Born in Rome, she worked her ...
."
In 2010, Elkabetz received a lifetime achievement award from the
Israeli Film Academy
The Ophir Awards ( he, פרס אופיר), colloquially known as the Israeli Oscars or the Israeli Academy Awards, are film awards for excellence in the Israeli film industry awarded by the Israeli Academy of Film and Television. The award, named ...
for her contribution to Israeli cinema.
Death
Elkabetz died of
lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...
in
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
on 19 April 2016 at the age of 51 after a long struggle with the disease.
She is buried at
Kiryat Shaul Cemetery.
Film and television credits
References
External links
*
*
Interview with Ronit Elkabetz ''
The Jewish Chronicle
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
''; accessed 3 June 2017.
* Yigal S. Nizri
In her Image: Towards an Artistic Biography of Ronit Elkabetzi
Je T’aime, Ronit Elkabetzedited by
Ya’ara Keydar (Design Museum Holon, 2017).
* Th
exhibition pagein
Design Museum Holon, 2017–2018.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elkabetz, Ronit
1964 births
2016 deaths
People from Kiryat Yam
Actors from Beersheba
Writers from Beersheba
Models from Beersheba
Israeli film actresses
Israeli television actresses
Israeli female screenwriters
Israeli women film directors
20th-century Israeli Jews
21st-century Israeli Jews
Jewish Israeli actresses
Israeli Mizrahi Jews
Israeli people of Moroccan-Jewish descent
Israeli expatriates in France
20th-century Israeli actresses
21st-century Israeli actresses
20th-century Israeli screenwriters
21st-century Israeli screenwriters
Recipients of the Legion of Honour
Deaths from lung cancer in Israel
Burials at Kiryat Shaul Cemetery
Mizrahi feminists
20th-century Mizrahi Jews
21st-century Mizrahi Jews