Above and Beyond (2014)

In 1948, a group of World War II pilots volunteered to fight for Israel in the War of Independence. As members of 'Machal' -- volunteers from abroad -- this ragtag band of brothers not only... See full summary »

Director:

Roberta Grossman

Writers:

Sophie Sartain, Sophie Sartain

Stars:

Mina Alon, Richard J. Carson, Eddie Cohen

3 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Mina Alon	...	Herself
Richard J. Carson	...	Extra
Eddie Cohen	...	Himself (archive footage)
Leon Frankel	...	Himself
Coleman Goldstein	...	Himself (archive footage)
Lou Lenart	...	Himself
George Lichter	...	Himself (archive footage)
Gideon Lichtman	...	Himself
Harold Livingston	...	Himself
Shimon Peres	...	Himself
Paul Reubens	...	Himself
Jd Roth-round	...	Machal fighter pilot
Al Schwimmer	...	Himself (archive footage)
Dani Shapira	...	Himself
Smoky Simon	...	Himself

Storyline

In 1948, a group of World War II pilots volunteered to fight for Israel in the War of Independence. As members of 'Machal' -- volunteers from abroad -- this ragtag band of brothers not only turned the tide of the war, preventing the possible annihilation of Israel at the very moment of its birth; they also laid the groundwork for the Israeli Air Force. ABOVE AND BEYOND is their story. The first major feature-length documentary about the foreign airmen in the War of Independence, ABOVE AND BEYOND brings together new interviews with pilots from the '48 War, as well as leading scholars and statesmen, including Shimon Peres, to present an extraordinary, little-known tale with reverberations up to the present day.

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Plot Keywords:

israeli air force | 1948 arab israeli war | israeli independence | reenactment | 

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Taglines:

It wasn't their country, but they made it their war.

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Genres:

Documentary | Adventure | History | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK Israel USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 January 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Above and Beyond: The Birth of the Israeli Air Force

Box Office

Budget:

$1,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$26,111, 20 February 2015, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$287,697, 3 May 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

Playmount Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival 2015, Audience Winner: Best Documentary Feature.

User Reviews

Outstanding documentary, highly recommended for middle school through adults

At first blush, this documentary film presents as a Jewish story in a specific historical context. It is a remarkable story in that light. However, Above and Beyond reaches much further into the human psyche than any one demographic, community, or time period. The film uses first-person accounts to illustrate how the power of belief in a cause and trust in one's compatriots can motivate the most audacious resourcefulness and beat seemingly insurmountable odds.

Our thanks to Nancy Spielberg for capturing interviews with several of the daring pilots who rescued a fledgling country from impending oblivion. Their accounts are inspired, humorous, and highly accessible. Highly recommended for age groups 10 years old through adult.