The film received universal acclaim from film critics . Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 90 % out of 97 professional critics gave the film a positive review , with a rating average of 7.7 / 10 and the site consensus being : " A powerful and personal account of war on the front line , writer-director Samuel Maoz takes the viewer inside an Israeli tank to deliver an exhausting , original film . " After winning the Golden Lion at the 66th Venice International Film Festival , Maoz said : " I dedicate this award to the thousands of people all over the world who , like me , come back from war safe and sound . Apparently they are fine , they work , get married , have children . But inside the memory will remain stabbed in their soul . " Maoz , when speaking to '' The Observer '' stated that he opposes the Israel-related protest call at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival : " The point of a film like mine is to open a dialogue , to get people talking to each other about important issues . This is something you ca n't do if films are boycotted . It makes no sense to boycott art . Maybe I would n't have won if Jane Fonda was on the jury , but she was n't . " ( Note that the open letter at the center of the protest against the spotlighting of Tel Aviv did not call for a boycott of the festival or any of its films . ) '' The Guardian '' described it as a " controversial choice " , noting that some commentators in Israel have " raised concerns that the film will deter young men from volunteering for the army . " The Golden Lion is the highest award given to an Israeli film to date . Maoz says many Israeli figures were against '' Lebanon '' even being featured at the Venice International Film Festival . The Venice jury was chaired by Ang Lee , who had won the Golden Lion award in Venice in 2005 with '' Brokeback Mountain '' and in 2007 with '' Lust , Caution '' . '' Lebanon '' competed against 24 other entries . The win in Venice caused a boost in the film 's popularity at the Toronto International Film Festival
66th Venice International Film Festival
66th Venice International Film Festival
Lebanon (2009 film)