2024 Boca International Jewish Film Festival

Marcus Klingberg, a Perfect Spy

Expired April 2, 2024 3:45 AM
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A Polish Jew who joined the Red Army to escape the Shoah and then later became a veteran of Israel's Independence war, for more than thirty years, Professor Marcus Klingberg was the head of Israel’s secret biological weapons program. Yet, unbeknownst to all, he had remained connected with the KGB. Tried in secret and sentenced to 20 years in prison, he is said to be "the most dangerous spy Israel has ever known.” This fascinating film delves into Marcus Klingberg's soul, his secret motives, his demons, his cracks, through never-before-heard recordings that became a unique confession. The film also draws on the testimonies of those who were close to him — his family, his friends, his professional contacts and the Israeli secret service officials who arrested him. With contributions by the late John Le Carré and cinematography by acclaimed American documentary filmmaker Kirsten Johnson (Dick Johnson Is Dead, Camera Person), A Perfect Spy is a film constructed like a spy novel, an intimate saga where the Cold War’s history, Israel’s hidden operations and the fate of a man torn between his roots and his convictions are intertwined.


A film by Rémi Lainé

Produced by Litte Big Story and STENOLA Productions

Distributed by CLPB Rights


Sponsored by Rochelle & Candy Dobbs and Ed & Carol Kaplan

  • Year
    2022
  • Runtime
    72 minutes
  • Language
    French, English, Hebrew
  • Country
    France
  • Premiere
    Palm Beach County
  • Subtitle Language
    English
  • Director
    Rémi Lainé & Yaël Vidan
  • Screenwriter
    Rémi Lainé
  • Cast
    Michael Sfard, Yaakov Peri, Ian Brossat
  • Cinematographer
    Philippe Bellaiche, Kirsten Johnson, Rémi Lainé, Georgi Lazarevski 
  • Editor
    Tania Goldenberg