After four critically acclaimed seasons of TV that have resonated with viewers worldwide via Netflix, “Fauda” might seem to have the kind of success that would be preordained. But as Lior Raz, the star and one of the series’ creators, recounted Thursday evening at Variety’s Responsible Storytelling Event Presented by OneFamily, the reality could be anything further from the truth.
Raz recalled that when he and co-creator Avi Issacharoff began shopping their account of the Middle East conflict to TV networks in the region, they were met with plenty of rejection before finally finding a home at the Yes network.
“Nobody wanted it and we just wanted to write the show about our experience in life,” he said in an interview with Andrew Wallenstein, president and chief media analyst of Variety VIP+. “And this is my obligation to write stories that people will love and will want to see.”
Raz also spoke about capturing on screen the toll that terrorism takes on humanity, which was the prevailing theme of the evening. For the past 23 years, OneFamily has raised more than $80 million to help thousands of Israel’s victims of terror with a multifaceted program of financial, legal, medical and therapeutic assistance from the immediate aftermath of tragedy through their long-term rehabilitation.
OneFamily founders Marc and Chantal Belzberg welcomed attendees to the event, which provided an overview of the extensive services their organization provides to individuals impacted by terrorism in the country they call home. They were joined on stage by a trio of the OneFamily members–Odelia Horgan, Eden Mekonen, and Hadar Zak–who spoke movingly of how the organization has assisted their lives in the wake of unspeakable tragedy.
As for Raz, he is at work on a fifth season of “Fauda” among other projects but doesn’t feel additional pressure by the events of the world to change the approach he has taken to the creative process.
“We have to write the story,” he said. “If people will watch it, it will be great. That’s it. We cannot do better than that.”
Israel Bachar, consul general for Israel to the Pacific Southwest, also spoke at the event, thanking OneFamily for all the organization has done to help victims of terror.
