The Susita car was well known in Israel. For many years it was considered a groundbreaking Israeli invention in the world of industry. It’s a funny-sad story about a dream and its disillusionment: to create an automobile industry that will take over the world.
Desert Tested
A Film by: Avi Weissblei
(Israel 2020, 84 min, Hebrew, English subtitles)
The Susita is well known: for many years it was considered a groundbreaking Israeli invention in the world of industry that had put Israel on the map. Its fiberglass shell, made it an international vehicle. The young State of Israel was convinced it had started a revolution. The Golden Age of the first Israeli automobile began a moment before 1960. The car, with its British engine brought glory to the State of Israel. Today, five decades later, a few Susitas which have stood the test of time still rumble around, hiding the story of a dream and its disillusionment: to create an automobile industry that would take over the world (or at least the country). If so, what's the true story behind the Susita, and why will there never be an automobile here that's MADE IN ISRAEL?
FESTIVALS & SCREENINGS
Haifa Int'l FF 2020
Toronto JFF 2021
Hartford JFF 2022