Zygote Films

Ashkenazi, Mizrachi, ultra-Orthodox, Israeli Arabs... The different groups that make up Israeli society seem irreconcilable. Who are they? Can their complicated history explain the current situation in the country?

What do you know about the Darknet? Silk Road, hitmen for hire and outlets for the most depraved aspects of human behaviour? This film delves beyond this notoriety to reveal to undiscussed depths of this network, exposing how activists from around the world are hiding in the shadows of the Darknet to protect the freedoms we all hold dear. As privacy, anonymity and freedom of speech come under increasing threat, a group of self-appointed freedom fighters stand on the frontier of an unseen battleground. This Gonzo-style exploration tumbles ever deeper down this rabbit hole, guided by hackers, cypherpunks and cryptoanarchists, to find the hidden light at the bottom of the deep dark web.

The story of Project Cassandra is one of the most important investigative reports in recent years. Published in 2017 on Politico, it reveals the eight-year-long, six-continent operation led by the DEA, targeting drug trafficking and money laundering that financed Hezbollah and Iran‘s terrorist and war activities. Incidentally, the US ad- ministration defanged the project as negotiations started with Iran on the nuclear agreement until reaching an agreement in 2015. Was the most extensive law-enforcement narco-terror operation in a decade compromised to pave the way for the sake of the nuclear deal with Iran? With exclusive archives and interviewees the film ta- kes us behind-the-scene of Project Cassandra and questions the price paid when political interests prevail over the rule of law. In a cosmic coincidence, this important and insightful documentary is due to be released, as the same time, world-leaders are grappling with the geo-political reprecussions of a renewed deal with Iran.

The Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, has been almost completely sealed off to the media. Now, for the first time, dozens of its former operatives have agreed to be interviewed. These rare interviews bring to light personal and political dilemmas and challenges, and form an account of the top-secret operations that have shaped Israel’s past and may yet shape its future.

The story of the chief Rabbi of Copenhagen’s Jewish community, who would come to be known as Rabbi Doolittle. Arriving in Tel Aviv in 1935, Max Shorenstein left his honorable position, in order to fulfill a longtime dream: to build a zoo and teach the children about the love of animals. His dream had come true and against all odds, the Tel Aviv Zoo became the city’s greatest attraction.

A picturesque fishermen village overlooking the Mediterranean, Paradise is a Palestinian enclave inside the state of Israel, with a history that ecoes stories of a massacre and deportation. When the director investigates the secret past of her village Paradise, she uncovers more than she expected. Before she knows it, she is warned by her mother: "don't be like Sou'ad" - referring to the sad story about a rebellious "bad girl" whose story became a myth in the village. Accused and imprisoned as a PLO activist back in the 70's, Sou'ad is more than just a role model for the young director. But when she deepening her research, her trouble really begins. A filmic-diary about recreating a lost history, and about re-defining modern womanhood within the traditional village life.

Taqasim, shot in the streets of Cairo, is a voyage to the hidden treasures of Arabic music and to the participation of Jewish musicians. With stylishly shot music and unforgettable back-ally jams played by Felix Mizrachi, Zehava Ben, Abraham Salman and others, this film brings classical Arabic music raw and captivating.