His debut writing/directing/producing effort, Repeat Dive (1982), which chronicles Dotan’s own experiences as a member of Israel’s elite Navy Commando unit, won three Israeli Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and was selected for the official competition at the Berlin and Chicago Film Festivals.
In 1996 Dotan directed and produced Coyote Run [pl], starring Peter Greene, Macha Grenon and Michael Pare.
The critically acclaimed You Can Thank Me Later (1999), was produced together with Anbar and directed by Dotan in 1999 and starred Ellen Burstyn, Genevieve Boujold, Amanda Plummer and Mary McDonnell.
In 1999–2000 Dotan produced The List (1999) with Ryan O’Neal, Rock Lafortune and Ben Gazara, Cause of Death (2000) with Maxim Roy, Patrick Bergin and Michael Ironside and Wilder (2000) with Pam Grier, Romano Orzari and Rutger Hauer.
In 2003 Dotan co-wrote the script for Watching TV with the Red Chinese together with Netaya Anbar and in 2005 he wrote Frenzy based on a novel by David Grossman.