Kippur

It was entered into the 2000 Cannes Film Festival . The film takes place in 1973 during the Yom Kippur War . It is largely autobiographical, based on Gitai's own experiences as a member of a helicopter rescue crew during the war. The film was shot with the assistance of the Israeli Defense Forces which provided much of the military equipment used in the film. Most of the characters are named after the actors who play them, with the exception of the title character, who is given only the last name Weinraub, which was Amos Gitai's family name until his father changed it to the Hebrew name Gitai. The helicopter crash that ends the film actually happened. Gitai's helicopter was shot down by a Syrian missile on his birthday. The co-pilot was killed and several others wounded. Gitai reportedly considers it the pivotal moment of his life.

The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Gitai and Marie-Jose Sanselme; based on Gitai's own experiences as a member of a helicopter rescue crew during the 1973 Yom Kippur War . The film stars actors Liron Levo, Tomer Russo and Uri Klauzner in principal roles. A joint collective effort to commit to the film's production was made by Canal+ and Agav Hafakot studios. It was commercially distributed by Kino International theatrically, and by Kino Video for home media. Following its cinematic release, the film was entered into the 2000 Cannes Film Festival among other awards selections. Kippur explores war, politics, and human rescue. Kippur premiered in theaters nationwide in Israel on October 5, 2000. The film was screened through limited release in the United States on November 3, 2000 grossing $114,283 in domestic ticket receipts. In the U.S., Kippur was at its widest release showing in 5 theaters nationwide. It was generally met with positive critical reviews before its initial screening in cinemas.