Freedom Fighters of Nili Documentary

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FREEDOM FIGHTERS OF NILI SCREENING IN Israel Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 18:00.Beit Ariela, Tel-Aviv, IsraelTEL AVIV, ISRAEL - DECEMBER 26, 2011 - The feature documentary Freedom Fighters of Nili screened to an Israeli crowd on Sunday, December 25, 2011 at Beit Ariela in Tel Aviv, Israel.The event was free and open to the public. Freedom Fighters of NILI is the newest film from director and producer Leora Chai, and the third from her venture, Modified Entertainment, Inc.. The film is about a Jewish Espionage network that changed history by helping the British liberate Palestine from Ottoman rule. Stay tuned for a future " OFFICIAL PREMIERE" of Freedom FIghters of NILI in Israel. Date: TBA

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Leora M. Chai, Filmmaker

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ABOUT THE 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) an acronym from (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: POST - PRODUCTIONFunds 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.

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DIRECTORS 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 ChaiProducer/DirectorFreedom Fighters of Nili

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Leora Chai Director, Producer, WriterBorn in Afula, Israel. Leora grew up in Israel and the United States, and is bilingual. She began making short films in high school and has been working in the film industry for the past 10 years. After graduating from Full Sail Universitys Film Production Program, she briefly lived in Los Angeles, where she worked on several independent films and TV award shows in the production department. She founded the Tambay Film Festival in 2001 in Tampa, Florida.Leora has directed, produced and wrote Walk of Legends, a feature documentary candidly portraying the history of stock car racing in the United States. It was her first endeavor as a producer and director. She directed, produced and wrote the award winning independent narrative feature film, Speedland, which has been screened at film festivals in the United States. She has worked, in production, on several big-budget films including, Talladega Nights with Will Ferrill.She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Charlotte and has a BA in Communication with an emphasis in International Public Relations. Currently, she resides in Tampa, FL.Jonathan GevaDirector of Photography (ISRAEL & UK)Raised in Kiryat Yovel Jerusalem, Jonathan began to shoot movies at age ten with a home video camera. He continued to make movies in high school and was a video/ film photographer in the Israeli army. Later, in college he pursued business administration and economics, but soon realized it would be best to follow his passion and study film at Tel Aviv University. Currently, he directs and produces commercial advertising videos and is working on his first full-length feature film.Charles Ferran EditorA self proclaimed movie-buff from a very young age, Charles always loved movies. So it is no surprise that Charles joined the ranks of behind-the-scene wizardry of the film world, and he is a budding scriptwriter and photographer to boot. Charles graduated from Full Sail University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Digital Arts & Design program. Currently, hes a freelance editor and digital editing instructor at Full Sail University. Brian DeryDirector of Photography (USA)Brian K Dery, a veteran of the U.S. Navy graduated from Full Sail University in 1998 majoring in Film and Video Production. Brians expertise in his early career expands from working on the production sets of short films to a videographer in news.In 2001 Brian was hired to work for a contractor of NASA to produce safety films for the employees of Kennedy Space Center.In 2005 Brian formed Triple Knot Productions, a not-for-profit video production company that specializes in the production of motivational and inspirational films about the individuals living with disabilities. During this time Brian has stood out as a leading producer and advocate for the disability community. Brians films have gone on to win multiple awards and are distributed worldwide.Currently Brian is running the Medical Media Department for the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Orlando VA Medical Center. Dr. Ronald Florence Advisor/HistorianRonald Florence is a historian and novelist. Educated at Berkeley and Harvard, where he received a PhD in French and German history, he has written on the Gypsy holocaust, the Damascus Affair blood libel accusations against Jews, the building of the great Palomar telescopes, political assassinations, Marxist women, and most recently, the tangled origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Before turning to full-time writing, he taught at Harvard, Sarah Lawrence College, and SUNY; was a senior researcher at the Century Foundation; and was executive director of the New York Council for the Humanities. He travels extensively in Europe and the Middle East to research his books, including recent visits to Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Turkey for his newest book, LAWRENCE AND AARONSOHN: T.E. Lawrence, Aaron Aaronsohn and the Seeds of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. DORON AARONSOHN Co-ProducerBorn and raised in Israel and later spent time in London, UK and Maryland, USA. He returned to serve in the Israeli Air Force as an Air Traffic Control officer and stayed on a few additional years beyond his normal mandatory service and reached the rank of captain.After the army, Aaronsohn earned a degree in Film and Television Production from Tel-Aviv University. Since film school, he has worked on several films and commercials that landed him a position as a producer with an Israeli production company called MiaCulpa.Recently, he formed the company RePublik, a production and distribution house - producing video content for the Internet. He resides in Tel-Aviv, Israel and has come on board as an associate producer for the documentary The Freedom Fighters of Nili. It only seems fitting that Aaronsohn acts as an AP, due to his experience and because his great grandfather was Aaron and Sarahs sibling. Dr. Ran AaronsohnMain AdvisorDr. Ran Aaronsohn is a senior lecturer in Geography at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and is a descendent of the Aaronsohn family. He has written several books and numerous journal articles about early Zionism. His research interests include colonizing processes in the 19tthe century (Jewish resettlements in Eretz Israel), rural geography (communes in North America, typology of rural settlements), Israel/Palestine during the modern period, and urban preservation. Dr. Aaronsohn authored Rothschild and Early Jewish Colonization in Palestine (Magnes Press & Rowman & Littlefield) Jerusalem & New York, 2001, among many other publications.Patricia GoldstoneAuthor/AdvisorPatricia Goldstone, acclaimed journalist, playwright, and author of 'Making the World Safe for Tourism' has just published a new book on Aaron Aaronsohn, the extraordinary Jewish adventurer who rivalled T.E. Lawrence in creating the modern Middle East and insisted even more strongly on Arab-Jewish partnership. The author first came across Aaron and his beautiful and courageous sister Sarah, who may have been the only woman Lawrence ever loved, when she was researching a book on water and conflict in the Middle East.'Aaronsohn's Maps: The Untold Story of the Man Who Might Have Created Peace in the Middle East' shows how Aaronsohn not only altered the course of World War I but his plans for Palestine's national boundaries, based on years of mapping the Jordan River headwaters, predicted Israel's decades of conflict over the Golan Heights. A history that speaks directly to the underlying causes of Israel's present tensions with Syria, 'Aaronsohn's Maps,' published by Harcourt.

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LINKS

Aaronsohn Home - Nili MuseumJabotinsky Institue In IsraelThe "Khan" Museum HaderaZionism and Israel Information Center

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Key Players in the NILI Spy Ring

STRATEGICS

Aaron Aaronsohn (1876- 1919) NILI Founder, World Renowned Agronomist, Zionist Advocte

* Aaron was born in Bacau, Romania and immigrated to Eretz Yisrael (The land of Israel) when he was 6-years old. His family settled in a small town called Zichron Yaakov. The town overlooks the Mediterranean Sea from a cliff. * When Aaron was a teenager, the Baron Edmond de Rothschild sponsored his education in France. Upon his return, Aaron explored Eretz Yisrael and studied its flora, natural minerals and terrain. His knowledge of Eretz Yisrael was unparallel at the time. * In 1906, he discovered wild wheat (mother of wheat) in the upper hills of the Galilee, in Rosh Pina. He became a famous agronomist. The U.S. invited him to discuss his work and to assist in dry farming issues. He spent 1909-1910 in the U.S. * Aaron returned with funds to start an Agricultural Experimentation Station in Atlit, just 12 miles north of Zichron Yaakov. * When World War I broke out in 1914, Aaron and his friends had enough of the brutal Turkish oppression and decided to act. Aaron and his good friend, Avshalom Feinberg, organized a spy group, which became to be known as Nili. Their mission was to aid the British by supplying them with intelligence, to aid in their attack (General Allenby) on Jerusalem (Dec. 1917) * Aaron arrived in London, UK after a lengthy trip in 1916. He convinced the British officer at the war office to help them. They sent Aaron to Egypt to assist with intelligence. *Aaron became a respected and knowledgeable member of British Intelligence. He also became involved in early talks and map plans for Eretz Yisrael, to be known as Israel. * Aaronsohn was tragically killed by a plane crash approaching the coast of France. He was traveling to the Paris Peace Conference by an RAF plane. To this day the cause of the crash remains a mystery.Zionism and Israel - Biographies. Biography of Aaron Aaronsohn

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Sarah Aaronsohn - (1890-1917) NILI Field Leader and Heroine

* Sarah was born in Zichron Yaakov. * She is the 5th child to Ephriam and Malka Aaronsohn. She completed the required learning at the age of 12.*She married Haim Avraham in the spring of 1914 and moved to Constantinople.* She joined her brother and Avshalom after she returned to Palestine during World War I from Constantinople, Turkey.*Upon return, she started to get involved in Aarons and Avshaloms activities in making contact with the British and supply them with intelligence. On her train ride home, she witnessed genocidal atrocities against the Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. * At the end of 1916, Aaron traveled to London to make contact with the British. Sarah and Avshalom were left in charge to run the Agricultural Station as well as organize intelligence.*When Avshalom was killed, she was left to run the agriculture station and lead Nili as the field and headquarters leader.*Once the Turkish caught Sarah, they tourtured her for 3 days. On the 4th day, she was allowed to go home to change clothes, before being moved to a prison in Nazreth. She headed to the bathroom and wrote her last letter. She took a small pistol out of a hiding place and shot herself in the mouth.*She died four days later at her home and was buried in Zichrons cemetery.* She is known to Israelis as Sarah the Heroine of Nili.

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Avshalom Feinberg (1889 -1917) Co-Founder of NILI, Poet

* Avshalom was born in Gadera. * He studied with his uncle and then went to study Arabic and the Koran. * He could read, speak and write Arabic. * He was a gifted poet. * At the age of 14, he went to study in Paris, France for four years. * He wrote a poem to Rivka Aaronsohn called A Thousand Kisses, which became a popular Israeli song. * In 1910, Aaron Aaronsohn made Avshalom an assistant at his Hadera branch of the agricultural station. * Avshalom died in the desert while trying to cross the border into Egypt. Avshalom and Yosef Lishansky found themselves under fire from a group of Bedouin. Both got shot. Yosef survived, but Avshalom didnt. * Avshaloms grave was discovered in 1967 in the desert under a palm tree, which was known as The Jews Grave. * The palm tree sprung up from dates that Avshalom had in his pocket. * He was given a military heroes funeral and is buried in Jerusalem.

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Yoseph Lishansky (1890-1917) - One of key field members of Nili

* Born in Russia. * He studied in Jerusalem for 2 years. * In 1910, he married Rivka Broshkovsky and had 2 children. A girl, Ivria and a boy named Tuvia. * He was a key member of Nili, working the field with Sarah and maintaining contact with their agents. * In December of 1915, Yosef started to take part in Nili. * In the beginning of 1917, Avshalom Feinberg and Lishansky decided to go to Egypt and make contact with the British. They had a run-in with some Bedouin and Lishansky was shot and Avshalom was shot and was killed. * Yosef made it to Egypt while he was wounded and told Aaron what happened. * In October 1917 he was sentenced to death in Damascus and on the night of the December 16, 1917 he was hanged. * He was finally given a military funeral and is buried in Jerusalem.

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NILI GALLERY

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Sponsorship

FILM FUNDING

In order for this project to be fully completed, the filmmakers of Freedom Fighters of NILI are actively seeking sponsorship support from private funders worldwide. The documentary, "Freedom Fighters of NILI, is entirely funded by private contributions. We are grateful for any level of sponsorship you can contribute. Regardless of the size of the contribution, your support of this project is highly appreciated.

Any size contribution is welcome and will be very appreciated. Individuals, organizations and corporations who wish to make a substantial contribution will be credited in the film as producers. All others who contribute will be listed in the credits as FILM CONTRIBUTORS. You also have the option of contributing in the name of someone else in our In Memoriam: section of the credits. Below is a list of donor levels and what you will receive for your contribution. Corporate contributions are encouraged.

FUNDING LEVELS:

In memoriam: $500 -$999

Associate Producers: $1,000 - $4,999

Executive Producers: $5,000 +

TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

Your donation is tax deductible!!! Freedom Fighters of NILI is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization. Contributions on behalf of Freedom FIghters of NILI are payable to IDA and are tax deductible less the value of any goods or services received, as allowed by law. The value of goods and services being offered is noted under each donation level. We greatly appreciate your consideration of this tax-deductible contribution.

FREEDOM FIGHTERS OF NILI BENEFIT SCREENING SPONSORSHIP

Another way you can support the film is by sponsoring the screening on November 6, 2011.

SCREENING SPONSORSHIP APPLICATION

NILI Sponsorship.pdf

BOOKINGS

HOST A SCREENINGFreedomFighters of NILI invites you to join the "Eternity of Israel will not Lie" screening campaign, challenging you to screen Freedom Fighters of NILI ...and to ask how your own tiny acts of bravery, foresight and passion can create vast changes. To order a community screening kit and DVD for a local screening at your school, church, synagogue, campus, or community organization, please contact Leora.chai [_] gmail.com or call us at +1- 813-951-0981. Screenings can be scheduled anytime in 2012 or 2013, and fees are offered on a sliding scale. All screening kits include a study guide and promotional resources alongside the DVD. Questions? Scroll through some frequently asked questions, or contact us directly at Leora.chai [_] gmail.com or 813.951.0981. We look forward to hearing from you.
Campus And Community ScreeningsIf you'd like to host Freedom Fighters of Nili Documentary feature as part of a public event in your community, at your organization or place of worship, or on your campus, you'll need special permission first, and in many cases, you'll need to pay a modest fee to secure the rights to show the film in a public setting. Please be in touch at Leora.chai [_] gmail.com or at +1 813-951-0981. Screenings can be scheduled anytime in 2012 or 2013, and fees are offered on a sliding scale. Home DVD PurchasesIf you would like to purchase your own personal copy of Freedom Fighters of NILI to watch at home or with your family, you can sign up for our MAILING LIST and well email you when home DVDs will be available. If you'd like to use the film for a public screening in your community, at your organization, or on your campus, contact us at Leora.chai [_] gmail.com or at +1 813-951-0981. If youre not sure which DVD is right for you, let us know, and we'll point you in the right direction. Film Festival BookingsIf you're a festival programmer, contact us at Leora.chai [_] gmail.com or at +1 813-951-0981. Filmmaker AppearancesIf you're interested in inviting a member of the filmmaking crew to a screening of Freedom Fighters of NILI in your school or community, please let us know about your interest when you inquire about booking the film. We will often be able to send director Leora Chai to campus and community events, and look forward to working with you.

CONTACT

email: Leora.chai [_] gmail.com

country: USA

telephone: 1 - 813-951-0981