Israeli Film Festival

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	Archives from the Festival in 2004
	Journey to Jeruselem Winner Best Feature Film - Golden Palm Mostra De Velencia 14th Film Festival 87 minutes Director : Ra'anan Alexandrowicz	In this insightful film, mix one part fable with two parts social satire and add plenty of charm. James is chosen by the people of his African village to make a pilgrimage to the Holy City, Jerusalem. A misunderstanding lands him in jail but he is "rescued" by Shimi, a manpower agent who bails out illegal migrant workers, takes their passports and puts them to work doing menial labor. James' decency and honesty causes Shimi to rely more and more on him, especially when Shimi's father takes a liking to him.
	The Postwoman 50 minutes Director : Dina Zvi-Riklish	In this charming romantic comedy, Levana, a quirky 40 year old mail carrier, breaks all the rules in the name of love. To overcome the boredom of her daily routine, she takes on the persona of a mysterious, passionate woman, and in the process changes her life in ways she never imagined.
	Benny, Benny 50 minutes Director : Dina Zvi-Riklish	Benny Green, a policeman and a womanizer, tries to win the heart of a married dentist named Mira Segal. He pursues Mira hoping to settle an unresolved childhood episode with Mira and with Sorika, her terrifying mother. When Benny and Mira were eight years old, Mira was Benny's first love and Sorika managed to destroy the little they had going between them. Benny takes up the challenge of seducing Mira in revenge but in the process forgets to protect his heart
	2 Minutes From Faradis 55 minutes Director : Eytan Aner Language : Hebrew/Arabic w/English subtitles	A precocious Israeli teenager unsuccessfully tries to rebel against her ultra-liberal parents. Just as she’s about to give up, she meets the charming son of the family maid, who also happens to be Arab. Sparks of romance between the two evoke the parents’ alarm, leading to a series of hilarious misunderstandings involving the incensed families from both sides.
	Bonjour Monsieur Sholomi (Shlomi's Starts) Nominated for the 'Israel Oscars' in 12 out of 13 categories 94 minutes Director : Shemi Zarchin	A warm and witty family comedy that centers on Shlomi, a 16-year-old boy who plays the role of peacekeeper within his chaotic family. The pressures of being constant mediator, confidant and cook leave Shlomi little time to develop his own personality. But when one of his teachers detects an extraordinary gift Shlomi never knew he had, aided by the power of first love, Shlomi breaks out of his timid shell, discovering his own independence and potential.
	Le Grand Akshan 58 minutes Director : Ron Goldman	Grisha Starosta, journeyed twice to the land of Israel: firstly, as a young pioneer, an ardent Zionist in search of a dream; secondly, as a middle-class businessman determined to save his wife and two daughters from the horrors of the II World War. The Director, Ron Goldman, started working on a film about a ship of refugees that was sunk in 1942, and found himself uncovering the unknown history of one family, his own. The film delicately unfolds the 20th century to us as an intricate web of stories: stories about love and shattered dreams, jealousy and betrayal, fancy dress balls and the silent terror of the death camps. Above all, this is the story of Goldman’s great-Grandfather Grisha – Le Grant Akshan – the truly stubborn one.
	Purity Winner, Best Documentary Film, Jeruselem Film Festival, 2002 63 minutes Director : Anat Zuira	Israeli filmmaker Anat Zuria examines the T'harat Hamishpaha (family purity), the ancient laws and rituals shaping women's lives and sexuality within Jewish Orthodoxy. Giving new insight into a guarded religious community, Zuria presents her own experiences adhering to Orthodox practices, as well as those of her friends Natalie, Katie and Shira. At the heart of their stories is the "nidda" - a ten to twelve day period restricting women from touching or engaging in sexual intimacy with their husbands, which culminates with a trip to the "mikve" (cleansing baths). Beautifully incorporating lyrical and meditative images with interviews, "Purity" presents the hidden struggle of religious women to maintain their cultural traditions and individual needs.

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Archives from the Festival in 2004