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Liya Van LirFounder and director of the Jerusalem International Film Festival.
Country:
 Israel |
Content:
- Biography of Lia van Leer
- The Founding of Israeli Cinematheque
- The Jerusalem Cinematheque and International Film Festival
- Recognition and Awards
Biography of Lia van Leer
Lia van Leer was born in the Bessarabian town of Balti in 1924. In 1940, she settled in Mandatory Palestine, and in 1946, she graduated from the humanities faculty of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 1948, she met Wim van Leer, an engineer, pilot, and playwright, who was the son of the prominent Dutch industrialist Bernard van Leer (1883-1958), the founder of the van Leer philanthropic fund. After their marriage, the van Leer family settled in Haifa in 1952.
The Founding of Israeli Cinematheque
In 1955, Lia van Leer founded the first Israeli cinematheque in Haifa, as there was no television in the country at the time, and began collecting films. The following year, she opened similar societies for film enthusiasts in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Her film collection formed the basis for the Israeli Film Archive, which she established in Haifa in 1960 (now the largest in the Middle East), and the Haifa cinematheque in 1973, the first in the country.
The Jerusalem Cinematheque and International Film Festival
The van Leer family later moved to Jerusalem, where, with the support of Mayor Teddy Kollek, the state film archive was transferred in 1981, and Lia established another cinematheque. In 1984, with the support of the van Leer philanthropic fund, Lia organized the annual Jerusalem International Film Festival, which she has been heading ever since. The archive, cinematheque, and festival together form the Jerusalem Cinematheque.
Recognition and Awards
In 2004, Lia van Leer was awarded the State of Israel Prize for her achievements throughout her career. She is also a recipient of the Legion of Honour from France and an honorary citizen of Jerusalem.
