Reviews

Praise for Yoav Shamir's DEFAMATION

CRITIC’S PICK! “Disarming, surprisingly funny … essential viewing!" - New York Magazine

"GRADE A-! Brave, relentless, original." - Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

"An incredibly bold and brave film." - Filmmaker, Michael Moore

"The most important Jewish movie of the year." - Akiva Gottlieb, The Jewish Journal

"Alternately sweet-tempered and outrageous … will spark long arguments deep into the night among Jewish and non-Jewish viewers alike." - Andrew O’Hehir, Salon

"In its sneaky, cheeky way, "Defamation'' is a mitzvah, an act of kindness…provocative, in the best ways, which is to say you'll have some good, loud arguments on the way out of the theater." - Ty Burr, The Boston Globe

"A must-see for thoughtful friends and critics of Israel.” - David Lamble, Bay Area Reporter

"An ace slice of provocative, timely docu-making… at once intelligent, wry and -- there's no way around it -- quintessentially Jewish, in the best sense." - Leslie Felperin, Variety

"This is muscular, intelligent documentary filmmaking of the first order—trenchant, controversial, riveting." - Harvey S. Karten, MovieWeb

"Cheerfully incendiary." - Scott Foundas, Village Voice

"Soul searching, startling…(Shamir is) dazzlingly skilled at capturing characters in humorous and emotional situations that allow viewers to reach their own conclusions."
- Bernard Dichek, The Jerusalem Report

"Truly courageous...the Israeli Michael Moore." - S. James Snyder, Time Out New York

"A surprise…part personal journey, part political odyssey, part classic verite…lighthearted [but] also heartfelt." - Jennifer Dwarkin, Film Comment

"(Shamir) lets his subjects say exactly what they think and, perhaps, almost too much of what they mean…balanced, intricate, impressive. If you can get through the film with your blood pressure under control." - George Robinson, The Jewish Week

"Works brilliantly...shocking, sometimes quite surprisingly funny, as well...Defamation is an education!" - Jennifer Merin, About.com

"Deceptively simple…thoroughly refreshing." - Kristin McCracken , Zachary Wigon, Tribeca Film Blog

“A fascinating, infuriating treatise on Judaism, politics and the multi-layered relationship that America has with Israel." - Pamela Cohn, Hammer to Nail

"Defamation is the most important Jewish film since Exodus." - Heeb Magazine

"Surprising, honest, appealing... does a remarkably good job of blending and pacing complex, wide-ranging storylines." - Stuart Klawans, Tablet Magazine

"The one must-see film at this years’ San Francisco Jewish Film Festival."
- Shai Ginsberg, Jewcy

“A well-researched, unapologetically subjective doc on contemporary anti-Semitism."
-Howard Feinstein, Indiewire

"A serious documentary with a light touch explores intelligently the very touchy topic of anti-Semitism." - Ray Bennet, Hollywood Reporter

"A surprisingly effective and daring road movie." - Erica Marcus, SF Bay Times

"What an intellectual (and emotional) pleasure it is to be buffeted between laughter, surprise and the kind of thought-provoking intelligence that DEFAMATION (Hashmatsa), the new film by Yoav Shamir, provides!...bracing and salutary." - TrustMovies