Film Fact: Israel

To celebrate the weird and wonderful Eurovision Song Contest, we present weird and wonderful film facts about this year's finalist countries.

The 60s were fading fast, yet a handful of people who should never have been allowed near a camera were still making films steeped in hippie counter-culture surrealism, Manson-inspired paranoia and peace-nik trippiness. Case in point - Ha-Trempist, aka An American Hippie in Israel (pictured), the first and last effort from one Amos Sefer and a film of such staggering incoherence and furrowed-brow earnestness it is impossible to fathom a time when people would sit for this kind of stuff. Featuring Asher Tzarfati as 'American Mike', Sefer's vision tells of our hippy-hero's love for the clearly stoned Elisabeth (method actor Lily Avidan) and the 'love-not-war' life they must rebuild after the random slaying of all their followers (funny stuff). 'Highlights' include the island paradise surrounded by rubber sharks and lots of scenes of rhythm-less dancing and unwashed participants indulging in 'free love' expression.