Israeli helmer Joseph Cedar's "Beaufort," about the Israeli army's withdrawal from the south of Lebanon in 2000, is racking up record numbers at the Israeli box office. Pic has surpassed 105,000 admissions in its first 13 days of release, already reaching a third of last year's biggest hit "Aviva, My Love."

"Beaufort" is the fastest-grossing Israeli feature in 20 years, although Cedar is playing it safe about making any long-term claims. "Everyday I think it's going to stop," Cedar says. "It's phenomenal. It took me four months to reach the same total with my last film, 'Campfire.'�"

A large part of this film's success can be attributed to its high profile following Cedar's best director win at Berlin, as well as its timeliness in the wake of last summer's war with Lebanon. "We haven't had a war film in Israel that felt as relevant for a long time. We've had screenings at 3 in the morning that have been sold out. Our second week was actually 5% higher than our first," Cedar adds.

Pic has become a must-see event in the country, with critical praise matched by continuing complaints from some quarters about use of actors who didn't complete their Israeli military service. Even visiting celebs such as Joseph Fiennes have been snapped coming out of screenings.

What's more, the pic has generated interest across region. Cedar has been invited to take part in a special episode of Al Jazeera English's "The Fabulous Picture Show."

Although the pic is unlikely to be screened in Arab countries due to sensitivities over the Arab-Israeli conflict, Cedar personally has been approached by a number of from helmers from across the region interested in the film. "It's amazing to see that kind of treatment and to see how 'Beaufort' will be regarded on the other side of the border," Cedar adds.

In a separate development, another hot-potato Berlin contender has been sold to Israel. "The Counterfeiters," about a group of concentration camp prisoners recruited by the Nazis to forge millions of pound and dollar notes to support the German war effort, has been picked up by Israeli film distrib Nachshon film. Though Holocaust dramas remain a touchy subject in the country, the pic is unlikely to raise the same controversy caused by Adolf Hitler biopic "Downfall" in 2005, when distrib Shani Films faced criticism for its decision to open the film only days after Holocaust Memorial Day on May 5. Sony Pictures Classics recently acquired U.S. rights to the German pic.