Already world famous for his photographs, underwater still photographer Amos Nachoum is not satisfied. He swam with crocodiles and killer whales, with anacondas and with great white sharks. But one major predator has always eluded him. The legendary Israeli wildlife stills photographer always dreamed of swimming underwater with a polar bear and capturing it face-to-face on film. He tried before and barely escaped with his life, but now, as he nears the end of his career, he is determined to give it one last shot. The danger is real, perhaps more real than ever, but this is his last chance to get The Picture of His Life.
In this fascinating portrait of a man possessed ("married to the ocean"), we learn what is behind the passion that drives him: his difficult childhood, his service in an elite Israeli commando unit in the bloody 1973 Yom Kippur War, experiences that combined to put him on a quest for inner peace. He calls himself a "soldier of Mother Nature" who is dedicated to "the beauty of life, rather than the misery." Filmmakers Dani Menkin and Yonatan Nir follow Nachoum on his quest to the freezing Arctic waters, and we learn of the infinite patience and preparation that go into the making of his work. In the process, we understand why Nachoum feels that getting close to nature brings peace and joy.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: Doc Aviv Film Festival (Israel), San Francisco Jewish Film Festival