Isaac Florentine (Isaac Florentine) began practicing martial arts in 1971 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Studied first judo, and then karate. His first instructor was Gideon Kadary, trained Isaac judo и kyokushinkai karate. In 1972 year Kalari replaced by master of style Shito-ryu Hiroshi Korihara. In 1975, a guest from Sweden arrived at the dojo, changing the way karate was perceived Hiroshi and his students. This man was Tamás Weber, upscale karateka, expert Shito-ryu from school sankukai/shukokai. Weber, a retired captain, served in the French Foreign Legion, was an honored hero of the Algerian War. For him the essence karate was the effectiveness of close combat.
In 1976, Sensei Hiroshi went back to Japan and was replaced by an instructor who had previously attended school in Tokyo karate wizard Gauguin Yamaguchi and trained in the gym Mejiro. Isaac and other students began to study the mixture goju kai and Japanese version Muay Thai. After a few months Isaac called for 3 years of compulsory military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Throughout its service, based in the port city of Haifa, Isaac began training in a recently opened dojo, whose instructor, Arie Berko, was a student Tamasha Weber. Berko I recently returned from Sweden to Israel. Given the opportunity to train with almost religious fanaticism, Isaac Florentine became the first person in Israel to successfully pass the exams and receive first dan from Tamasha Weber in July 1979.
Isaac began teaching karate in 1978, while still in the army. He first taught cadets at the Air Force Military Technical School, then after completing his service he began teaching at his former school in Tel Aviv. Soon he opened his first dojo. The dojo was housed in a large building owned by the national dispute association. Isaac allocated the hall in which the Israeli Olympic team, whose members were killed by terrorists during the infamous Olympic Games in Munich in 1972, last trained. This dojo remained the main dojo until Isaac, 10 years later, did not leave Israel for the USA.
In 1980 year Isaac went to the Swedish capital Stockholm to train under the guidance of Tamasha Weber. After several months of training Isaac returned to Israel and took up his dojo on a professional level. Isaac joined forces with his good friend Yossi Sechnovitz, and the dojo began to flourish, soon they opened three dojos. In 1983 Isaac became the chief instructor, supervising 12 branch dojos throughout Israel. Various activities were carried out, including training camps, conducting seminars, participating, as well as organizing national and international competitions (including winning some of them). Then Isaac became one of the directors of the Israeli Federation karate and began teaching self-defense courses, receiving a license as an instructor Krav Maga at the Israeli National Institute of Sports. In the late 80s the name Isaac often appeared in the media: on television, radio, in local newspapers and magazines, helping to promote karate. In 1987, he became the technical editor of the only martial arts magazine in Israel.
Arriving in America to fulfill his long-time dream of becoming a director, Isaac stopped teaching karate, but continued to train regularly. In 1999, together with an experienced Canadian karateka Don Warren he created a company Rising Sun Productions. The company's activities in the production and distribution of videos related to martial arts have provided Isaac a rare opportunity to meet and get to know such renowned instructors as Fumio Demura, Hidetaka Nishiyama, Ray Dahlke, Saksan Dzandzira, Bill Wallace and many others. Absorbing as much knowledge as possible, he still follows the principle karate, which he gave the definition Gichin Funakoshi: “The main goal of karate is not to win or lose, but to improve character.”
Source: isaacflorentine.com
Translation: EvilDollaR
Now it’s clear why he makes such cool films with martial arts. The guy lives this all the time, like the same Bruce Lee. Respect, and that's all... He would have filmed babosov on a Hollywood scale, then he would finally have filmed something like this!
It would also be nice to read about your career as a director.
I wouldn't mind reading in detail either. but Isaac doesn't talk much about it.
There should be more directors with such skills.