Film and televisionשמעון דותן

Shimon Dotan

Shimon Dotan is an Israeli film director, screenwriter and producer known for films such as Repeat Dive, The Smile of the Lamb and The Settlers.

born 1949Directing Repeat DiveThe Smile of the LambDocumentaries Hot House and The Settlers

Born: 23 December 1949, Adjud
Occupation: film director, screenwriter, film producer, manufacturer
Education: Tel Aviv University

Shimon Dotan was born in 1949 in Adjud

Shimon Dotan was born in Romania on 23 December 1949. He later moved to Israel and grew up in Moshav Arugot, an agricultural cooperative.

He served 5 years in the navy commando unit. He then studied film at Tel Aviv University, where he made short student films.

His first feature, Repeat Dive (1982), drew on his time in the navy commando and won Israeli awards for film and director. The Smile of the Lamb (1986) won the Silver Bear for its lead actor at the Berlin festival. In 1991 he directed an action film starring Rob Lowe.

In 1991 he moved to Montreal and co-founded Cinequest Films with Netaya Anbar, directing and producing several films. His documentary Hot House (2006), about security prisoners in Israel, won a special jury prize at Sundance. In 2016 he released the documentary The Settlers.

Since 2003 he has taught political cinema at New York University, and he also teaches at The New School. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2012.