SYNOPSIS
When the Smoke Clears: A Story of Brotherhood, Resilience and Hope tells the true stories of young Israeli soldiers whose injuries leave them fighting for the strength to live. Making breakthroughs and finding meaning by reaching out to those in need, they discover that what didn’t kill them really did make them stronger.
The film shares the accounts of Gil, Ofer, and Elad – young war veterans whose unthinkable battle experiences leave them with life-altering mental and physical scars. Returning to society, their trauma disconnects them from all they once valued, turning their lives upside down.
When all seems lost, a revolutionary idea gives them the hope, courage, tools and community to survive, and to embrace their identities as heroes both on and off the battlefield. Banding together in a family of wounded soldiers, they learn to face their obstacles together and discover that in conquering their pain, they might have more to offer than ever before.
When the Smoke Clears follows this band of brothers during the darkest times of their lives, and proves that massive growth and healing can come through giving to others, transforming them into heroes in their own lives and in the lives of those around them.
THE FILMMAKERS
Raphael Shore, Executive Producer
Rebecca Shore, Director, Producer, Writer
Rebecca Shore served as a writer for the acclaimed PBS-featured documentary Israel Inside: How a Small Nation Makes a Big Difference; Producer/Writer of Netflix-featured Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Home Front; Director/Producer of Mekonen: the Journey of an African Jew; and Writer of Hummus! The Movie. She is also an artist and lecturer.
Fernanda Rossi, Supervising Writer
Internationally renowned writer and educator Fernanda Rossi has collaborated on over 500 scripts, documentaries, and projects. Her documentaries have been nominated for the Academy Award and Wildscreen Panda Awards. Her films won awards at IDFA, Hot Docs, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Sundance, DOCNYC. Fernanda’s book Trailer Mechanics: How to Make Your Documentary Fundraising Demo is considered the bible on demo production by industry professionals.
Ryan Lifchitz, Editor, Writer
Ryan Lifchitz graduated from Northwestern University film school in 1996. He was an editor for VH1 & MTV in New York City. He has also worked with CBS, Bravo, BET, The History Channel, Lifetime, and the Independent Film Channel. He has edited numerous documentaries, music videos, reality TV shows, and commercials, and served as director for two feature-length documentaries.
David Blumenfeld, Director of Photography
David Blumenfeld is an award winning Canadian/American director, cinematographer and photographer living in Jerusalem. His films have been featured on the Documentary Channel, YES and PBS, and shown at over 50 film festivals. He has done photojournalistic work for Newsweek, Time, NYTimes, and Smithsonian, and been cinematographer on documentary films for the BBC, Vice News, and Imagination Productions.
Nick Soole, Original Music
Nick Soole is a composer for film, television and video games. A composer, performer and producer in Sydney’s music scene; Nick moved to Los Angeles in 2011, working alongside prominent industry composers. A graduate of the University Of Southern California Scoring For Motion Pictures and Television program, he has composed large scale and independent media projects, and for TV networks ABC, NBC, Cartoon Network, Hallmark, Lifetime and Syfy.
Alex Meyler, Art Director
Alex Meyler is a graduate of The Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. He worked as a web designer in Saatchi & Saatchi Interactive. Later, he served as art director at The Jerusalem Post and ICTS Europe Systems, creating art for brands like Microsoft, American Airlines and SAP. Alex is the creative manager and in-house animator for Imagination Productions since 2013.
MUSIC
Irena Avila, 1922-2016
Composer: “Your Mother’s Song”
The late Irena Avila, music composer, had a deep love for and concern for trauma victims in Israel. In her estate, she noted her desire to help injured Israeli soldiers. Now, her talent is reflected in this film as a lasting tribute to her love of music and her passion for supporting wounded Israeli soldiers.
Her legacy was brought to this project through her special friendship with Naomi and Zalman Goldman, who made the partnership possible.
FILM CREDITS
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Raphael Shore
Lori Komisar
Morrie Silverman
CO-PRODUCERS
David Coleman
Francine Gani
Shmuel Katz
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
Pamela Claman
Richard Green
PRODUCER’S CIRCLE
Aba and Pamela Claman
Shmuel and Evelyn Katz
Saul Kurlat
Eugene Lerner
Millie and Larry Magid
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE
Jane & John August
Bernstein Family Foundation
Naomi and Zalman Goldman
Gerald and Sheryl Hartman
Janice and Steve Hefter
The Herman Family
Hochberg Family Foundation
Joseph Horton MD
Beth and Jeff Kopin
JNF Boruchin Israel Education and Advocacy Center
Marc Levine
Ken and Bertha Litvack
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
Heidi Nietert
Arnie Peltz
Pamela Rose
Susan & Marc Sacks
Rob and Vicki Trachten Schwartz
Karyn & Bill Silverstein
Thank Israeli Soldiers
CINEMATOGRAPHER’S CIRCLE
Jane & John August
Debra Bickoff
Josephine Braitman
Steve Gerzof
Stanley Ginsburg
Jules L. & Dorothy M. Kamsly Teen Programs Fund
Dov & Karen Meyer
Princeton Jewish Community Youth Foundation
Kim & Perry Shwachman
Mathew and Lori Sidman
Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County
Seth and Jen Stier
Naomi Vilko
Neil and Lisa Wallack
Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Jteen Philanthropy