In 1948, a group of World War II pilots, mostly from the United States, volunteered to fight for Israel in its War of Independence. As members of “Machal”– volunteers from abroad – this ragtag band of brothers turned the tide of the war, preventing the possible annihilation of Israel at the very moment of its birth. ABOVE AND BEYOND is their story, told for the first time and we are pleased to open the film Friday, February 6 at the Town Center in Encino and the next day at the Royal in West L.A. ABOVE AND BEYOND producer Nancy Spielberg will participate in Q&A’s after the 10:30 AM screening at the Royal and after the 7:50 PM show at the Town Center on Sunday, February 8.
ABOVE AND BEYOND recounts the harrowing missions of the men who helped repel five Arab armies. The film follows them from the United States – where they met and trained in secret and struggled to stay two steps ahead of the FBI – to Panama, Rome and even behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia, where they flew versions of the very Nazi planes they had tried to shoot down in World War II.
Set against the backdrop of an emerging nation still reeling from the horrors of the Holocaust, ABOVE AND BEYOND uncovers the motivations of these volunteers – Jews and non-Jews, some Zionists, many others not. It recounts the personal stories of the young pilots, whose experiences in Israel were life altering. And ultimately, the film taps into universal themes of courage, commitment and sacrifice. At a time when a fledgling nation was under attack, a tiny band of airmen answered the call for help. They risked their citizenship, their futures and even their lives.
