Kibbutz Landscape and Architecture as Represented in Film and Television: Kibbutz Yakum as a Case Study

Abstract

Architecture and landscape constitute key aspects of fictional realistic drama in film and television. In fictional films whose plots take place on Israeli kibbutzim, on-site cinematography is a central means of achieving a realistic and dramatic portrayal of the communal settlement and its social space. In this article, we investigate five productions filmed on location at Kibbutz Yakum. We argue that these filmic representations of architecture and landscape reify the image of the kibbutz as an introverted society that denies individuals their privacy and upholds the centrality and presence of community. By comparing the actual sites with their presentation in films, we show that the physical space of the kibbutz was filmed selectively in a manner that immortalizes its communal, 'classical' image, which in reality no longer exists. The kibbutz's transformation from a communal to a privatized society is purposely veiled in these films, preserving the kibbutz's established image.Kibbutz settlements comprise an important part of Israeli culture, appearing disproportionately in literature, theater, art, and film. This article examines five cinematic productions whose plots take place in the kibbutz, investigating how landscape and architecture contribute to the creation of content and meaning. We analyze four dramatic fictional films and one television drama, all of which were filmed on location at Kibbutz Yakum, providing an excellent opportunity to study the visualization of the kibbutz in Israeli cinema and television. 1