Helen Mirren is known for her versatile and powerful performances, and her latest role is no exception. The acclaimed actress stars as Golda Meir, the first and only female Prime Minister of Israel, in the biopic Golda, directed by Guy Nattiv. The film, which will be released in theaters on August 25, 2023, focuses on the tense and dramatic events of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, when Israel faced a surprise attack from Egypt and Syria.
In an exclusive clip from the film, shared by The Daily Beast, Mirren’s Meir confronts U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, played by Liev Schreiber, over his reluctance to provide military aid to Israel. The scene showcases the fierce and uncompromising personality of Meir, who was nicknamed “the Iron Lady” long before Margaret Thatcher.
The film is based on declassified documents and interviews with Meir’s confidants
Golda is not the first film to depict the life and legacy of Meir, who was born in Kiev and immigrated to the U.S. as a child before moving to Palestine as a Zionist pioneer. However, it is the first to have access to previously classified documents and testimonies from Meir’s closest advisers, who revealed new details about her decision-making process during the war.
The film’s screenplay was written by Nicholas Martin, who also produced the film along with Michael Kuhn and Jane Hooks. Nattiv, who won an Oscar for his short film Skin in 2019, said he was drawn to the project because of his personal connection to Meir and the war.
“I grew up hearing stories about Golda Meir from my grandmother, who was her secretary,” Nattiv said in a statement. “She always told me how strong and determined she was, but also how lonely and insecure she felt. I was fascinated by this contrast between the public image and the private persona.”
The film features an international cast of actors
In addition to Mirren and Schreiber, who are both British-American actors, the film features a diverse cast of actors from different countries and backgrounds. Camille Cottin, who stars in the Netflix hit Call My Agent, plays Lou Kaddar, Meir’s loyal personal assistant. Lior Ashkenazi, one of Israel’s most prominent actors, plays Moshe Dayan, the Defense Minister. Rami Heuberger, another Israeli actor, plays Yitzhak Rabin, the Prime Minister’s rival and successor.
The film also includes Ellie Piercy as Golda’s daughter Sarah, Ed Stoppard as Golda’s son Menachem, Rotem Keinan as Golda’s husband Morris, Dvir Benedek as Golda’s chief of staff Israel Lior, Dominic Mafham as British Prime Minister Edward Heath, Ben Caplan as Israeli Ambassador Simcha Dinitz, Kit Rakusen as Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban, and Emma Davies as Queen Elizabeth II.
The film has received positive reviews from critics
Golda had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival on February 20, 2023, where it received a standing ovation and praise from critics. The Hollywood Reporter called it “a gripping portrait of a leader under siege” and praised Mirren’s performance as “masterful”. Variety described it as “a taut political thriller” and lauded Nattiv’s direction as “assured”. The Guardian gave it four stars out of five and wrote that it was “a fascinating study of a woman in crisis”.
The film is expected to be a strong contender for awards season, especially for Mirren, who has already won an Oscar for playing another historical figure: Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (2006). She has also been nominated for playing Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth I (2005) and Sofya Tolstoy in The Last Station (2009).
Golda will be released in the U.S. by Bleecker Street on August 25, 2023. It will also be available in select theaters for $4 tickets on August 27 as part of the second annual National Cinema Day. It will be released in the UK and Ireland by Embankment Films on October 6.
