‘Golda’ Director Guy Nattiv Defends Helen Mirren’s Casting, Promises New Perspective of ‘Pariah’ Golda Meir
variety.comJenelle Riley Deputy Awards and Features Editor Growing up in Israel, Guy Nattiv knew one narrative about Golda Meir, the country’s prime minister from 1969-1974. “She was the pariah of Israel,” says Nattiv. “Everyone treated her like she’s a monster.” Unlike other historical figures, there were no parks or schools named after Israel’s first (and only) female prime minister.
The vitriol stemmed largely from her administration’s handling of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, a devastating conflict between Israel and a coalition of Arab states that resulted in thousands of deaths.
It was only about 10 years ago, when top secret government documents were declassified, that the world, and Nattiv, began to learn the truth about what really went on during those tense days. “We got a totally different story about this woman and a glimpse of all the faults and fuckups of the other men around her,” says Nattiv. “We understood she took the blame because she’s a woman, she’s older, and she’s not from here.” “Golda,” now playing in theaters in the U.S., is part of the director’s hope to correct the narrative surrounding the misunderstood figure, while also acknowledging her faults.
Starring Oscar winner Helen Mirren as Meir and Liev Schreiber as Henry Kissinger, the movie is scripted by Nicholas Martin and depicts what went on in those secret rooms and Meir’s own home during those pivotal days.
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