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Shredded Screened Oct. 30 - Nov. 1
“An honest documentary because it doesn’t go as expected when pitting strength against vulnerability.” – F3 Film Magazine
Shredded  Israel  Documentary      Film Website
An aging bodybuilder is on the path to becoming a champion. Moments before emerging as a finalist, he might face a heartache.
DIRECTOR PROFILE
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Noam Stolerman
Director Bio : Director, screenwriter and editor. Fell in love with cinema at the age of 6. Graduated from Minshar School of Art (Tel Aviv). In 2017 released his first feature film, "The Dreamers’ Field", an independent documentary which was shot in 2 countries (England and Israel) over the span of 3 years. The film screened in various film festivals around the world and won international awards. Currently in development of his second feature film, a reenactment documentary about his father's dying days. Co-founded Filmpark Productions, a creative house for independent film productions, with his spouse, Keren.

Directors Statement : In Israel there are close to a dozen different unions of bodybuilding competitions, but the level of professionalism of them all is somewhat controversial. A visit to several Israeli competitions gives the impression that their popularity and prestige are almost non-existent compared to similar competitions abroad, and that the industry and its participants do not get recognition outside the closed circles in which it takes place. Nevertheless, hundreds of men and women, Jews and Arabs, come from all over the country to compete and present their own personal canvas - their body, on which they draw and shape according to their life story, just to win a prize that will acknowledge their personal obsession. One of them is Yehuda, the film’s protagonist.

During my research for the film I learned that a substantiated amount of professional bodybuilders come from violent and abusive homes, and from lower socioeconomic status. Sylvester Stallone himself revealed that he suffered from an abusive father as a child, and that he was repeatedly told that he wasn’t smart enough to support himself and have a family, which ultimately made him decide to invest in bodybuilding. Much Like him and many others, Yehuda is also a product of physical and verbal abuse. His commitment to bodybuilding is impressive, but at the same time feels like a self-destructing obsession.

I wanted to make a film that deals with the complexed soul of a man whose life trajectory has led him to favor the development, refinement and empowerment of his body over the cultivation, maintenance and deepening of his human relationships. I was lucky enough to capture a real-time and unexpected drama that tested Yehuda’s inner-strength and helped him figure out what are the most important things in life for him. My personal hope is that other bodybuilders who might watch this film will get inspired to look inside themselves without fear, and maybe find new meaning to their life.