"Both Tel Aviv and Los Angeles are The Promised Lands. But what do they Promise? A better Future? Or an obsession with the Past?"

Meet the Crew

You can count the Birdman's crew with one hand:

Daniel Mann      Writer&Director

Daniel directed short films which were screened in festivals around the world. He is an alumny of the Binger Director's Filmlab of 2011, where he worked on his next feature film "Low Tide". Daniel studied in the Sam Spiegel Film school in Jerusalem, Columbia University's film Dep and Tel Aviv University's School of the Arts.  BTW: Daniel is playing the main character coincidently named "Daniel".                    

Ziv Berkovich    Cinematpgraphy

Ziv shot many films which recieved honorable recognition around the world. His camera work won Cannes's Cinefondation twice, recently winning one of the top awards in Locarno for his first narrative feature as cinematographer. Indeed, Ziv shot many films - but this is the very first one he made with no crew at all (The kid has currage with his talents!). Ziv graduated with honors from the Sam Spiegel film school in Jerusalem.

Or Ben David     Editor

Or Ben David has edited various projects winning him honarable success from Cannes's Cinefondation, through prime-time dramatic television to his first feature which premiered at the Berlinale annominating him for "Best Editing" award at the Israeli (wannabe)Oscar. What the kid can do with a keybord is nothing less than magic. Or is currently fine cutting his second feature while roughcutting his third (yours truely - The Birdman). 

Hilla Shitrit        Producer&Co-Writer

Hilla is a documentary filmmaker and a creative producer. She has led many film and art projects to their exhibition winning recongnition. In 2010 Hilla has co-directed the Tel Aviv Student Film fest. She is currently an artist in residence in Toronto developing a new media project. Hilla graduated from Tel Aviv University's film department and completed a Masters in Philosphy. She co-wrote The Birdman with Daniel. 

***Staring***

Adar Beck & Daniel Mann

Special thanks to Romy Itzigsohn, an amazing L.A based Art Director which made our production there possible.

We Need Your Help to Make it!

Edward Mann (Daniel's Grandfather) went out to the streets and shot an indie film in the early 60's. He did it with no studio support behind him - it was only him and a small crew. Indeed, today it is different. But, following his way, we are to make a film about him, about the desire of making film. Like him - we need help to tell the story. 

As you all may know or imagine, making films in Israel today is an extremely challenging mission. After writing and editing the script for The Birdman, we all decided that this film must be made with what was granted to us by our generous funders until now. 

Once we had enough to shoot this film, we gathered our strength and went into the wild with this adventure. The journey proved itself! Every one of this tiny crew gave his heart to make it with the very limited means available to us. In a way we feel we have made "the undoable": making a good feature film on locations with the freedom we have. 

After shooting the film is Tel Aviv and Los Angeles we are facing the editing!

Everyone involved in this film gave his body and soul to make it with the drive of creating a beautiful feature. 

But, now we are truely in need of support. The steps ahead are demanding:

• Editing
• Extra shooting days
• Bringing the film to your eyes

This is not much considering what we went through already. Your support will not go to our pockets but to the costly process of making film.

Our Goal is not a dime more than what is essential.

Please help us make this film! Your help will enable us to complete this journey. We would not approach your help if woudn't be essential at that point. 

"Between Fictional and Documentry -The Birdman is a film about a film"

A Fiction Story: Synopsis...

Daniel (29), a young Israeli filmmaker, takes off to Los Angeles, trying to find a better future. Recently, he found a short strip of film made 50 years earlier by his grandfather in Hollywood. Leaving Tel Aviv, he takes with him this piece of film with a secret desire to locate the rest of the missing reel.  In Los Angeles, Daniel meets his American relatives and other locals, taking him closer to the stories of the past. Gradually, bits and pieces of his grandfather’s life story are revealed.  In the empty industrial streets of the city, fragments of the Golden Age of Hollywood are found like fossils.  From the small and shabby motel room, Daniel departs to his daily research.  After finishing his part-time job as a pool cleaner at a villa in Sunset Boulevard he retreats back to the room where he gathers together found strips of film, reconnecting his grandfather’s old film.  While re-cutting the old film and retracing the forgotten plot, he loses his own story-line and faces unforeseen obstacles. In fact, while losing himself in this quest, he not only comes closer to his deceased role-model (his grandfather), but he actually becomes him. Eventually he realizes that he must give up his dream of shooting in Los Angeles, and returns to Israel, only now he has the completed film with him –Both his grandfather’s (and his own!).

A Real Story: What really happened...

Edward Mann, Daniel's grandfather, was an editor in Hollywood during the late 40's and 50's. He took part in the huge American dream machine, enjoying life in Los Angeles as a proud American. He gradually climbed his way to cut bigger productions including films such as Losey's "M", Lean's "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and Frankenheimer's "Birdman of Alcatraz." After fine-cutting "Birdman," Edward decided to pursue his passion and take the risky leap into the director's chair. With no studio support—financed solely with the budget he himself raised—he made the film "Hothead".  In 1961, Edward casted his own family and friends to shoot on locations in the streets of L.A. He connected his 16mm camera to the engine of his car and shot with available light. Unfortunately, like so many other  movies, "Hothead" was left behind and too soon forgotten. Indeed, I find it as a cinematic Jewel.

Check out his IMDb page:

Link to Edward Mann on IMDb 

Between Fiction and real     

The plot of the fiction film is intertwined with real documentary material following Daniel's journey in Los Angeles. The juxtaposition between fictionalized plot and a documented travelogue summons the ghosts of the past to participate in his imaginary tour. Through mixing between fiction and documentation, our film takes on a funny, thrilling and exciting journey into the illusion of cinema, and tells about the passion of filmmaking and its destructive nature.

Our Family Tree!

Come and be a part of our Family. Every donations to our film will place you (if you choose - anonymously) in the family tree - starting with the "elders"-down to the grandsons. 

The closing titles will present the Tree and our much loved supporters in it.

Please help us by contributing to the project! and, if you're unable to do so, please share this page.

Thank you so much!

Sincerely yours,

The Birdman