Adi Barash (born 1970) is an Israeli-American documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, writer and executive producer. Working primarily with filmmaker Ruthie Shatz, he has directed documentary films and television series including Diamonds and Rust (2001), Garden (2003), The Collaborator and His Family (2011), the Israeli medical series Ichilov and Ambulance Israel, and the Netflix series Lenox Hill (2020) and Emergency NYC (2023).Tangcay, Jazz (15 April 2021). "'Lenox Hill' Creators Adi Barash and Ruthie Shatz's Production Banner Yulari Films Signed by UTA (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.Vlessing, Etan (18 August 2022). "'Lenox Hill' Directors Ruthie Shatz, Adi Barash Sign With CAA". The Hollywood Reporter.

Early life and education

Barash was born in Tel Aviv in 1970 and spent part of his childhood near the port of Haifa, where his father was a tanker-ship captain. His family later lived on the Upper West Side of New York City before returning to Israel.International Documentary Association (17 June 2021). "Awards Spotlight: Lenox Hill". He studied filmmaking at the Camera Obscura School of Art in Tel Aviv and received the school's award in 1998.Cinéma du Réel. "Adi Barash". Festival archive.19. Internationales Dokumentarfilmfestival München (festival catalogue). 2004. p. 77.

Before beginning his filmmaking career, Barash worked aboard a diamond-mining vessel off the coast of Namibia. The experience became the basis of his first feature documentary with Shatz.

Career

Early documentary films

Barash and Shatz's first feature documentary, Diamonds and Rust, observed working and racial tensions aboard a diamond-mining ship operating off the Namibian coast. Barash co-directed, co-wrote, produced and served as cinematographer on the film.San Francisco Film Society. "Diamonds and Rust". San Francisco International Film Festival archive. The film received the International SCAM Award at the 2001 Cinéma du Réel festival and a Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival.Coffta, Michael J. (2002). "Diamonds and Rust". Educational Media Reviews Online, Pennsylvania State University.

Their second feature, Garden, followed two young Palestinian men living and working in Tel Aviv's red-light district. The project received an initial grant and later a supplemental grant from the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund.Harris, Dana (28 October 2002). "Sundance Doc Fund picks projects". Variety.Kay, Jeremy (7 April 2003). "Sundance Doc Fund names 14 annual grant-winners". Screen Daily.Hernandez, Eugene (7 April 2003). "Sundance Doc Fund to Support 14 New Projects and Sets MoMA Screening Series". IndieWire. It screened at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and at international documentary and LGBTQ film festivals.Jewish Film Institute. "Garden".Pax, Sarah (8 February 2005). "Returning to Cinematic Roots: The 7th queerDOC Festival". Senses of Cinema. In 2021, filmmaker Barry Jenkins, serving as guest director of the Telluride Film Festival, selected Garden for a retrospective screening attended by Barash and Shatz.Lodge, Guy (1 September 2021). "Telluride Film Festival Lineup Includes 'Belfast,' 'Cyrano,' 'King Richard' and 'Spencer'" Variety.Keough, Peter (1 December 2021). "Telluride and After: The Revival of Sensation". Film Quarterly.

Barash later directed, produced and photographed Yuri Foreman: The Next Jewish Boxer, a documentary about boxer Yuri Foreman.

In 2011, Barash and Shatz directed The Collaborator and His Family, which follows a Palestinian man who had worked with Israeli security services and the effects of his decisions on his family. Barash also served as the film's cinematographer and one of its producers.Independent Television Service. "The Collaborator and His Family". The film received the Robert and Frances Flaherty Prize, the top award at the 2011 Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, as well as the Special Jury Award and Research Award at Docaviv.Frontline Club (13 January 2012). "Screening: The Collaborator and His Family".

Television and medical documentaries

Barash and Shatz subsequently moved into documentary television. They wrote, directed and produced Ichilov, an observational series filmed at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. A second season, Ichilov 2, followed, as did Ambulance Israel, centered on paramedics and emergency medical personnel.Anderman, Nirit (2 April 2013). "New Israeli Reality Series Gives Viewers a Glimpse at Life in a Hospital". Haaretz. These projects established the observational approach to medical institutions that the filmmakers later developed for American television.Greene, Steve (15 June 2020). "'Lenox Hill': Netflix Documentary Directors on Doctor and Patient Perspectives". IndieWire.

In 2020, Netflix released Lenox Hill, created, directed and executive-produced by Barash and Shatz. The series follows four physicians working within New York's Lenox Hill Hospital system. Barash was also one of its principal cinematographers.Berman, Judy (3 June 2020). "Netflix's 'Lenox Hill' Documents Doctors' Everyday Heroism". Time.D'Addario, Daniel (6 June 2020). "'Lenox Hill' on Netflix: TV Review". Variety. A special episode, filmed during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, was released later that year.Anderman, Nirit (20 July 2020). "Israeli Makers of Netflix Hit 'Lenox Hill' on Capturing the Coronavirus Crisis". Haaretz.

Lenox Hill received a 100 percent approval rating from 15 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and a weighted score of 87 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim". It was nominated for Best Multi-Part Documentary at the 2020 International Documentary Association Awards."Lenox Hill: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes."Lenox Hill". Metacritic.Hipes, Patrick (24 November 2020). "IDA Documentary Awards Nominations Unveiled". Deadline Hollywood.

Barash and Shatz returned to New York healthcare for Emergency: NYC, an eight-part Netflix series released in March 2023. The series expanded beyond the hospital setting to follow emergency physicians, surgeons, paramedics and flight nurses across the city and Long Island. Barash co-directed and executive-produced the series and again worked as a cinematographer.Anderson, John (28 March 2023). "'Emergency NYC' Review: Netflix's Medical-System Checkup". The Wall Street Journal.Netflix. "Everything You Need to Know About 'Emergency: NYC'" (28 March 2023). The series received a 100 percent approval rating from five critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes."Emergency: NYC". Rotten Tomatoes.

Production company and representation

Barash and Shatz founded the independent production company that became Yulari Films, based in Brooklyn, New York. UTA signed the filmmakers and the company for representation in 2021. In 2022, Barash and Shatz signed with Creative Artists Agency.

Personal life

Barash is married to his longtime creative collaborator Ruthie Shatz. They have three children.

Selected filmography

Year Title Role 2001 Diamonds and Rust Director, writer, producer, cinematographer 2003 Garden Director, writer, producer, cinematographer 2009 Yuri Foreman: The Next Jewish Boxer Director, producer, cinematographer 2011 The Collaborator and His Family Director, producer, cinematographer 2013 Ichilov Director, writer, producer 2016 Ichilov 2 Director, writer, producer 2018 Ambulance Israel Director, writer, producer 2020 Lenox Hill Creator, director, writer, executive producer, cinematographer 2023 Emergency: NYC Creator, director, executive producer, cinematographer

References

External links

Yulari Films