10th Annual Other Israel Film Fest Features Film & Music

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Thursday, 01 December 2016 20:58

Written by Brad Balfour

Featuring musical guests, special panels, appearances by actors and directors, and a wealth of films, the Other Israel Film Festival (December 1 - 8, 2016, multiple venues across New York City) offers a bountiful slate of film, art, and culture from Israeli and Arab people. This being the 10th installment of the fest is a momentous occasion. “We are thrilled to mark ten years of curating dynamic and inclusive forums for exploration of tough themes related to Israeli society,” says Ravit Turjeman, ‎Director of the Other Israel Film Festival & Fund. “As in past years, we will continue to encourage cinematic expression and creativity that truly celebrate the humanity and daily lives of Arab citizens and other minority groups who are most often overlooked by mainstream culture.”

Films (many of which are US premieres) being shown include:

• A.K.A. NADIA
  Dir. Tova Ascher
  Nadia is a 20-year-old Arab woman having a secret love affair with Nimer, a PLO activist. They move to England, where Nimer is caught by the authorities, leaving Nadia on her own. A shady character provides her with a Jewish woman’s Israeli passport, allowing her to return to Israel. Twenty years later, Nadia is Maya, a successful choreographer married to Yoav, a Jewish official at the Ministry of Justice. When Nimer reappears in Jerusalem, Nadia’s past catches up with her, forcing her to deal with an identity crisis played out against the region’s political backdrop.

• BETWEEN WORLDS
  Dir. Miya Hatav
  When Bina and Meir visit their son Oliel, hospitalized in Jerusalem after a terror attack, they form a bond with Amal, a young Arab woman, seemingly there to attend to her dying father. As the truth unfolds, they all struggle to accept the unlikely circumstances that have brought them together.

• BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS AND THE HILLS
  Dir. Eran Kolirin
  David is discharged from the army after serving 27 years. He finally returns to his family and tries to find himself in his new civilian life. When a friend suggests working for a company that markets dietary supplements, David sees this as an opportunity to get his foot in the door of the business world and make something out of himself. But this decision slowly gets him and his family entangled in the web of dark forces that rule life in Israel.

• FOREVER PURE
  Dir. Maya Zinschtein
  Beitar Jerusalem is the most popular and controversial soccer team in Israel–the only club in the Israeli Premier League never to sign an Arab player. Midway through the 2013 season, a secretive transfer deal by the owner brings in two Muslim players from Chechnya. That deal inspires the most racist campaign in Israeli sports, sending the team spiraling out of control. A look at one season in the life of this famed team provides a window into Israeli society, personal identity, money, and power, showing how racism can destroy a team and society from within.

• HARMONIA
  Dir. Ori Sivan
  Sarah, a morose harpist in the Jerusalem Philharmonic Orchestra, is married to Abraham, the charismatic conductor of the group. They have no children. When Hagar, a young horn player from East Jerusalem joins the Orchestra, Sarah's world erupts. A unique friendship develops between the two women. Hagar, sympathizing with Sarah’s pain, offers to have a baby for Sarah. Ismail, born to Hagar and Abraham, is a wild and gifted pianist whom Sarah raises as her own. When Ismail discovers the true identity of his mother, his world–and that of those around him–falls apart. Unearthing the metaphoric roots of the conflict, Harmonia maintains the essence of the biblical story from Genesis and adds a unique perspective.

Special events during the festival include a short films selection, opening and closing receptions, as well as a concert from Tamer Nafar with  Marcus Mumford. Panel discussion on the power of film includes special guests Michael Moore, Udi Aloni, Chelsey Berlin, Tony Copti, and Maya Zinshtein

To learn more, go to: https://www.otherisrael.org/

Other Israel Film Festival
December 1 - 8, 2016

Various Locations