Etgar Keret: Based on a True Story

  • Archive - Festival 33
  • Director: Stephane Kaas, Rutger Lemm
  • Netherlands 2017
  • 67 minutes
  • English, Hebrew
  • Subtitles in Hebrew

In his short stories, Israeli writer Etgar Keret plays with fantasy and reality. His own life, too, seems a modern fairy tale. Stephane Kaas and Rutger Lemm made a sparkling, funny and inventive documentary about their favorite author, his short stories, his absurd life, but above all about the need and importance of telling stories.

A mix of documentary filmmaking, animation, facts, fictions, lies and love for the arts, the film follows Keret from his inner circle in Tel Aviv to his New York book tour. Family, friends, and famous colleagues all have a favorite Keret-story to tell.

Feature-Length Debut

International Premiere


  • Director Stephane Kaas, Rutger Lemm
  • Production Katja Draaijer, Frank Hoeve
  • Script Stephane Kaas, Rutger Lemm
  • Cinematography Diderik Evers
  • Editing Ruben van der Hammen, Stephane Kaas
  • Music Peter Vandrie, Orel Tamuz
  • Festivals Utrecht
  • Participants Etgar Keret
  • Source Baldr Film, Amsterdam