Israeli Director Tzivia Barkai Reflects on Her Debut Film 'Red Cow' and Its Personal Roots
Tzivia Barkai, the Israeli filmmaker behind the coming-of-age film "Red Cow," shares insights into the creation and themes of her debut feature. The film follows 17-year-old Beni, an orphaned girl living with her father Yehoshua in the Silwan settlement in East Jerusalem. It explores Beni's awakening sexuality and her complex relationship with her father, a charismatic settler obsessed with the messianic vision of rebuilding the Third Temple, symbolized by the birth of a red heifer. Beni's love for Yael challenges her inherited beliefs and forces her to forge her own path.
Barkai explains that the film emerged from a personal crisis marked by insomnia and a sense of rootlessness, which inspired her to write about a character from her own hometown of Beit El. The script evolved over several years, initially set during the protests against the Oslo Accords and the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, later adapted to the period of the Amona evacuation due to budget constraints. Barkai emphasizes the film's core themes of faith, identity, and the tension between personal desire and political ideology.
The production faced challenges including last-minute location approvals in East Jerusalem and changes in producers, with Ronen Ben Tal initially producing and Itay Tamir later taking over. Barkai praises the cast, especially Abigail Kowari, whose musical background enriched the portrayal of Beni. The immersive filming experience in Silwan, where the crew mostly stayed on location, deepened the actors' performances.
Premiering at the Berlin Film Festival, "Red Cow" received a warm reception despite logistical difficulties that nearly prevented the team from attending the Q&A. Barkai notes that the film resonates differently with diverse audiences, touching on sensitive issues such as LGBTQ identity, religious Zionism, and secularization. She recounts a moving encounter with a Japanese viewer who connected deeply with the story.
For Barkai, the film was transformative both personally and professionally, bringing her closer to her core self and teaching her about faith and flexibility in filmmaking. She reflects on the paradoxes within the story and her own life, highlighting the importance of embracing complexity and contradiction. "Red Cow" stands as a testament to Barkai's commitment to telling intimate stories set against the backdrop of Israel's fraught social and political landscape.
