At the age of 70, in 1969, Golda Meir took office as Prime Minister of Israel, becoming the first – and only – woman to hold the post. With a consolidated career, having been ambassador of the former Soviet Union, Minister of the Interior, Foreign Affairs and Labor, she faced her greatest challenge at the age of 75, when, the day before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on your country.
This period of Golda’s life – and history – is portrayed in the new film by Guy Nattiv : “Golda – The Woman of a Nation” , which hits the big screen this Thursday (31). the senior Helen Mirren gives life to the Iron Lady of Israel and portrays on the big screen the internal and external conflicts experienced by the leader. The actress has already played another great leader, a role that earned her the Oscar for best actress: she played Elizabeth II in “The Queen” and took the statuette in 2007.
Despite the “deep and complicated” historical context, the screenwriter Nicholas Martin known for his work on “Florence – Who Is That Woman” stated in an interview with CNN the plot as “a story about how an elderly woman, who was not in good health, coped with an extremely stressful situation”.
“She became Prime Minister and was the surprise of the war. Suddenly, she had to lead the country into battle, something she never imagined she would have to do. She had to try to calm everyone down and stand very firm and somehow get the country through this terrible time,” she said.
The story, as well as its adaptation, is full of details. Martin said that in order to gain a deep understanding of Golda’s story, the Yom Kippur War and Israel’s historical context, he needed to put everything he read into a large spreadsheet.
“There was an enormous amount of information to deal with. I had every day of the war or the period leading up to the conflict and all the characters [na planilha] to be able to see what they were doing,” he explained.
“It was the only way to organize all the information so I could understand it myself, and then try to find a way to tell the story as simply as possible, but making sure I got as much exposure as possible,” he added.
A CNN , the screenwriter said he worked on the plot for over a year and that he started knowing almost nothing about the story. While trying to contextualize as much as possible, he recommends that viewers read about what led up to the Yom Kippur War, as “we are plunged into an extremely complicated situation.”
“It’s hard to make someone who doesn’t know anything know enough to fully understand the story. It could be a movie that people need to see a few times before they can fully understand it,” he said.
“Have an idea [de quem foi Golda]an approximate image of where Israel was in 1973. I think it will help”, he advised.
“Golda – The Story of a Nation” hits theaters this Thursday (30).
Yom Kippur War
On October 8, 1973, Egyptian and Syrian troops attacked the State of Israel. To add to the surprise of their attack, the invading armies attacked on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
The enemies of the nation led by Golda Meir scored their first successes on the battlefield since the founding of the Jewish state. Egypt enjoyed three days of tactical success, Syria less so. The war ended with Israeli troops approaching Damascus and an entire Egyptian army surrounded.
The Yom Kippur War lasted 19 days, longer than 1956 and 1967 combined. Israel suffered over 2,500 combat deaths. Hundreds more Israelis were captured in the first few days of fighting; dozens of these captives were horribly tortured and killed.
Despite Israel’s ultimate military success, the war was interpreted by many as approaching a defeat for the Jewish state. Israel’s two previous wars – in 1956 against Egypt alone and in 1967 against an alliance of all its neighbors – ended in lightning victories for the country.
Watch the trailer for Golda: Woman of a Nation
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
