Amos Guttman (1954-1993) was a screenwriter, director, and one of the most unique creative voices in Israeli history. As an openly gay man, many of Guttman’s films were centred around gay male life in Israel. Beyond the uniqueness of his subject matters and how those stood out in the local filmmaking landscape of the period, Guttman’s rich and highly stylised visual language also made him a veritable tour de force.
Guttman was a member of the ‘Kaitz’ Young Israeli Film group (along with the likes of Nissim Dayan, Judd Ne’eman, Dan Wolman, Renen Schorr and others) who in 1977, signed a manifesto in which they called for a more intimate, artistic-driven kind of filmmaking; one that is of cultural merit and free of any commercial pressures. Guttman collaborated with playwright and screenwriter, Edna Mazya on three of his films. Highlights of his film credits include Drifting (1983), Bar 51 (1986), and Himmo, King of Jerusalem (1987) which won Best Feature at the Chicago International Film Festival. In 1992, Guttman made Amazing Grace which was shown at festivals around the world, winning a Wolgin Prize at the Jerusalem Film Festival and the Best Feature Film award at the Haifa Film Festival. Amazing Grace has an AIDS-centric plotline; a disease Guttman himself was living with. In 1993, Guttman passed away from HIV/AIDS-related complications.
