Samuel Maoz is an Israeli film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his 2009 film Lebanon, which won the Golden Lion at the 66th Venice International Film Festival. He was born in Haifa, Israel in 1957.
Maoz studied philosophy, psychology and directing at the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School in Jerusalem. He began his career as a director of television commercials and documentary films. He directed his first feature film in 2003, called Late Marriage. He went on to make two more feature films, James' Journey to Jerusalem and Joy.
Maoz's breakout feature film was Lebanon, which was released in 2009. Lebanon tells the story of four Israeli soldiers who become trapped in an isolated tank in the middle of the 1982 Lebanon War. The film was praised for its realism and intense depiction of war. It received several international awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Lebanon was Israel's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2010.
In 2014, Maoz released his fourth feature film, Foxtrot, which tells the story of a bereaved family in Israel. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, and was nominated for several other awards.
Maoz has also directed television shows, including the Israeli crime drama Fauda. He has won several awards for his work, including the Ophir Award (the Israeli equivalent of the Oscar) for Best Director in 2009 for Lebanon, and the Israel Film Festival's Israeli Director of the Year Award in 2011.
Maoz is currently working on his fifth feature film, called The Father. He is also developing a television series, called The Edge of the World.
Overall, Samuel Maoz is a talented and prolific film director and screenwriter. His films have won numerous awards, and he has been praised for his realism and intense depictions of war and human suffering. He is considered one of the most accomplished Israeli filmmakers in history, and he continues to make films that explore the human experience.
