IFF

Zafi, a charming young housekeeper and aspiring writer in Tiberias, seems to be the only thing connecting three estranged siblings: Yardena, Meron and Golan. Prompted by her writing teacher, Zafi begins to dig up the family secrets. Yardena finds out she is pregnant, but has no memory of sleeping with anyone in years, including her husband. Meron’s 18-year-old son miraculously wakes up after 8 years in a coma. Meanwhile, Golan is trying desperately to reunite his girlfriend’s favorite comedy troupe, Gashash, before she succumbs to cancer. The World is Funny proves that laughter is truly the best medicine. more …

It is the summer of 1978, a month before the Camp David peace accords, and 7-year-old Maya must learn how to read by summer’s end or face being held back a year in school. But this summer is set to be full of surprises for her family when her estranged grandfather returns, bringing with him the family’s dark past and hidden secrets. more …

A photo shop owner and and her grandson join forces to save “The Photo House,” the last original photo shop in Israel, and the nearly one million negatives that document the country’s defining moments. Despite the generation gap and many conflicts, Ben and Miriam embark on a heart-wrenching journey, comprising many humorous and touching moments. more …

Family loyalties, political tensions, and personal struggles combine in this searing romantic drama. Director Michael Mayer’s compelling and gripping debut film follows the troubled love affair between two men – a Palestinian student and an Israeli lawyer – on opposite sides of the Mid-East conflict. more …

Soon after she moves from France to Jerusalem with her family, 17-year-old Tal is traumatized by a bomb attack at a cafe. In confusion and sorrow, she writes her feelings down and puts them into a bottle that her brother, a soldier stationed in Gaza, throws into the sea. It’s discovered by Naim, gazaman”, a 20-year-old Palestinian who is quick to write her back. Their pen pal relationship allows them to examine the complexities of the situation though the eyes of “the other” and has great impact on their personal lives. more …

The flat on the third floor of a Bauhaus building in Tel Aviv is where the filmmaker’s grandparents lived since immigrating to Palestine from Nazi Germany. Were it not for the view from the windows, one might have thought that the flat was in Berlin. What begins with the emptying out of a FLAT develops into a riveting adventure, involving unexpected national interest, a friendship that crosses enemy lines, deeply repressed family emotions, and secrets that probably should have remained untold. more …