Synopsis

In the “Jerusalem Biblical Zoo,” Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims encounter each other every day. They meet as visitors or work as animal attendants side-by-side and on the same team – something normal in other places of the world but that is an exception here, where violence and war is routine.

A friendship develops between the elephant and rhinoceros attendants. Their opinions are often contrary and politically charged – but among the animals they manage to coexist as the ever-present tensions retreat into the background. Visitors such as the regular Hyam, the flamingo-drawing art students and Muslim and orthodox Jewish children’s groups offer insight into the multifaceted realities of Jerusalem residents.

But the peaceful mood is fragile. Life in this microcosm transcends the zoo walls, reflecting events in the city. Issues of freedom and self-determination are raised. HOLY ZOO discovers an extraordinary place at the heart of the Middle East conflict.

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More Infos

• Credits

  Production

  TM Film

  In Cooperation with

  Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg

  Südwestrundfunk

  MFG Filmförderung

  Mira Film

  Script

  Katharina Waisburd, Denise Neustadt

  Director

  Katharina Waisburd

  Photographer

  Tilman Holzhauer

  Sound & Sounddesign

  Adriana Espinal, Simon Peter

  Original Music

  Jasmin Reuter

  Editing

  Ina Tangermann

  Animation

  Institut für Animation, Visual Effects und digitale Postproduktion

  Producer Animation

  Moritz Mugler2D

  2D Animation Artist

  Janina Putzker, Maïté Schmitt

  Compositing Artist

  Michael Lange

  Color Grading

  Tilman Holzhauer

  Translation

  Maor Waisburd

  Photo

  Katharina Waisburd & Tilman Holzhauer

  Producer, Production manager

  Anna Martensen, TM Film

  Consultative Producer

  Vadim Jendreyko, TM Film

  Producer Filmacademy

  Denise Neustadt

  Associate Producer

  Hercli Bundi

  Supervisor

  Thomas Riedelsheimer

  Commissioning Editor SWR

  Dr. Gudrun Hanke-El Ghomri

• Technical Details

  Format	DCP
  Duration	60 min
  Year	2016
  Original Language	Hebrew, Arabic, English
  Subtitles	German, English
  Country	Israel
  ISAN	0000-0005-E2D5-0000-H-0000-0000-N