THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS OF NILI
COMING SOON!!

About Leora Chai's Documentary Film:

The Freedom Fighters of Nili is a documentary film about the heroic efforts of the Aaronsohns and the NILI spies in their fight for freedom during World War I.

Nili (Hebrew language: ניל"י, an acronym of a phrase נצח ישראל לא ישקר (I Samuel 15:29; transliteration: Netzakh Yisrael Lo Yishaker, literal translation: "The Eternity of Israel will not lie") was a Jewish espionage network, which assisted the British in its fight against the Ottoman Empire in Palestine during World War I.

Status of Production: PRODUCTION

UPDATE: With the help of Israeli Co-Producer, Doron Aaronsohn, Freedom Fighters of Nili completed two interviews in Israeli.

The rest of the documentary will continue filming in March 2010. Funds are needed to continue this project and we ask anyone who would like to contribute as a "sponsor," "Producer," or "Anonymous donor" to contact us. The film is fiscally sponsored by the International Documentary Association and any funds donated for the production are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

Full website update coming soon, please see our Blog for the latest news.

Leora Chai, Director's Statement:

When I was growing up in Israel in the 1980s, the story of the Nili spies was required school reading, but unlike most assignments, this was a gripping, tension filled, history lesson which held me in thrall. I was captivated by the bravery of a brother and sister who risked their lives for love of country. I was inspired and intrigued to learn whatever I could. Over the years I have read a number of books about the Aaronsohns, and most recently I traveled to Israel and met with the curator of the Aaronsohn museum and archive.

The extraordinary leadership and exploits of the Aaronsohns and their pro British spy ring (NILI) which operated in Palestine (then under Turkish rule) during World War I is the stuff of big screen drama. Theirs is a story which begs to be captured on film and I feel privileged to be involved in seeing that it does so.

Leora Chai
Producer/Director
Freedom Fighters of Nili