Interview: Samuel Maoz – Foxtrot

It’s been almost a full decade since Venice Golden Lion 2009’s Lebanon (check out our 2009 interview), so it was with considerable anticipation and curiosity as to how far Samuel Maoz might move away (or closer to) from a politicized text or militarized discourse. Embedded with a keen sense of humor and inventiveness, Foxtrot is sorted out as a creative triptych where tragedy has a funny way to sort out an emancipated destiny — being set “free” comes at a cost.

Foxtrot began its film festival circuit life at Venice winning the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize and subsequently Toronto (we were on hand for the premiere’s Q&A) before a last dip at Sundance during the Academy Awards Foreign language short list run. Sony Pictures Classics gave this a qualifying opening, opened March 2nd, and its currently expanding into new markets during its limited engagement run. Here is my sit-down with the Samuel Maoz.