NEWS
THE 5th ANNUAL OTHER ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2011 DATES
FILM LINEUP ALSO TO INCLUDE
DOLPHIN BOY (see film's listing for description)
THE 5th ANNUAL OTHER ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL
ANNOUNCES 2011 DATES
AND ONLINE STREAMING OF FESTIVAL FILMS
November 10th - November 17st
New York, NY (Sept. 15, 2011) – The 5th Annual Other Israel Film Festival will take place in New York City from November 10th – November 17th. The OtherIsrael Film Festival will present award-winning films and NY premieres by and about Arab citizens of Israel, as well as other minority populations in Israeli society. The festival goes beyond the films like no other major festival, with indepth high profile conversations in the Speakeasy Cafe. With the impending UN vote for a Palestinian state, this Fall promises to place the Palestinian population in Israel in the spotlight.
Now in its fifth year, the festival is expanding its reach and introduces OtherIsraelOnDemand.org, an online streaming platform making exceptional films dealing with the festival themes, available on demand to audiences throughout the country.OtherIsraelOnDemand.org is due to launch in October. Since its establishment, The Other Israel Film Festival showcases the diversity of Israeli life with award-winning films and open discussions on the margins of Israeli society, which are rarely seen by the mainstream, let alone presented to American audiences. Among those are the country’s Arab population (Christian, Muslim, Bedouin and Druze), which makes up 20% of Israel’s population, as well as migrant workers, immigrants and more.
The Other Israel Film Festival is proud to bring these unique stories to the big screen and help raise awareness in the American public. This year’s Festival will feature dramatic and documentary films as well as several special directors' presentations, international sneak previews and engaging panels.
The Festival will once again present a remarkable line up of panels and conversations with filmmakers, scholars and special guests in the Other Israel SpeakEasy Café. Last year’s SpeakEasy guests included Oscar nominee Debra Winger, NY1’s Neil Rosen, renowned historian Professor Benny Morris and bestselling author Naomi Regan amongst many more directors, writers and actors. The SpeakEasy café aims to take the conversation beyond the films and provide a platform for in-depth discussions and audience interaction with filmmakers and protagonists.
“The topic of Palestinians in Israel has never been more prominent on the world’s agenda. With the much anticipated UN vote for a Palestinian State coming up this September, the questions of the Arab population who are citizens of Israel gets even more complicated,” says Carole Zabar, the Co-founder and Executive Producer of the Festival. “Our movies show these minorities as a vibrant part of Israeli culture and society, as well as showcases the unique circumstances of being an Arab minority in a predominantly Jewish state,” continues Zabar.
"This year's festival takes a leap with the quality of films produced on the topic of Arabs in Israel. Not only are we seeing more quality feature films than ever before, but even the documentaries are better and more diverse than ever,” says Isaac Zablocki, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Festival.
Many of the award winning and acclaimed films presented by The Other Israel Film Festival in the past few years went on to participate in festivals world-wide and several have received North American distribution. Tickets for the Other Israel Film Festival go on sale October 11 online at www.OtherIsrael.org or by phone 646-505-5708.
ALL FILMS FOLLOWED BY CONVERSATIONS WITH FILMMAKERS AND GUESTS. SEE SPEAKEASY CAFE FOR DETAILS.
OPENING NIGHT GALA
Thu. Nov. 10, 7:30pm @ The JCC in Manhattan
DOLPHIN BOY (NYC Premiere)
Dani Menkin & Yonatan Nir / 2011 / Documentary / 72 min
After being attacked and suffering psychological trauma, Morad's only hope before being institutionalized is to be treated with Dolphins in Eilat. Accompanied by his devoted father, Morad goes through a journey of 4 years, experiencing the healing powers of nature and love. An official selection of Hot Docs, Woodstock and Mill Valley Film Festivals. Won the Special Jury Mention at The Jerusalem Film Festival, and nominated for Best Documentary, Israeli Film Academy Awards.
Followed by an exclusive reception with guest filmmakers and honorees.
77 STEPS (NYC Premiere)
Ibtisam Mara'ana / 2010 / Documentary / 56 min
The personal journey of the director who leaves her Arab-Muslim village and moves to Tel-Aviv, where she meets her neighbor Jonathan, a Jewish-Canadian man who immigrated to Israel. A love story evolves on the background of social and political turbulence. Official Selection – Hamptons Film Festival 2011.
A PLACE OF HER OWN (NYC Premiere)
Sigal Emanuel / 2011 / Documentary / 68 min
The tragic life story of Reut, who at 18, marries a Palestinian man, and moves to his village. The shocking twists and intimate story paint a picture of a girl lost in the chaos of the streets of Jerusalem.
DAVID AND KAMAL
Kikuo Kawasaki / Drama / 2010 / 78 min
A friendship evolves when David, a nine-year old Jewish American boy, meets Kamal an Arab boy of the same age, who lives in the Old City of Jerusalem. Together, they learn the true meanings of friendship & trust.
HOMECOMING (NYC Premiere)
Orna Ben Dor and Noa Maiman / 2011 / Documentary / 58 min
As the State of Israel is about to deport foreign workers and their children, this film is a timely exploration of a complex political and personal situation. The film follows children of migrant workers who are more Israeli than any other nationality.
THE HUMAN TURBINE (US Premiere)
Danny Verete / 2010 / Documentary / 54 min
Israelis and Palestinians join forces to harness wind and solar energy for the benefit of the residents of the Arab village of Susia. These extraordinary individuals devote themselves to creating renewable energy for residents living in tents and caves, figuratively and literally illuminating their lives.
LOST PARADISE
*Adult Content
A selection of cutting edge, award winning, engaging short films:
LOST PARADISE
Mihal Brezis & Oded Binnun / 2008 / Narrative / 10 min
A casual encounter leads to a forbidden love affair.
TRANSPARENT BLACK (NYC Premiere)
Roni Geffen / 2010 / Doc / 19 min
African refugees attending a Hebrew class receive lessons in what it means to be Israeli as well as what it takes to keep your dreams alive.
STITCHES(US Premiere)
Dana Keider / 2009 / Drama / 24 min
A forbidden affair forces Nadine to confront her reality.
THE SALT FISHERMAN (US Premiere)
Ziad Bakri / 2011/ Drama / 17 min
A philosophical fable of a man trying to catch the impossible fish.
NAOMI (NYC Premiere)
Eitan Tzur / 2010 / Narrative / 90 min
In this award winning thriller, taking place in the mixed city of Haifa, Ilan, a 58-year-old Professor, is obsessively in love with his young wife, Naomi. When he discovers that Naomi has a younger lover, he decides to confront him, leading to irreversible consciences. Official Selection – Critics’ Week at Venice Film Festival 2010.
THE OFFICE (US Premiere)
Eitan Tzur / 2010 / TV Satire / 50 min
New episodes from the Israeli adaptation of the world famous comedy. The office is a microcosm of Israeli society, where an orthodox woman, Arab man, Russian immigrant, and gay man work under one roof with a useless, non-pc boss. Based upon the original series produced for the BBC, and created, written and devised by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.
THE PROMISE (US Premiere)
Peter Kosminsky / 2011 / Narrative / 81 minutes Episode 1
In this groundbreaking BBC production, we follow the period leading up to Israel’s establishment, mirrored with the ramifications in Israel today. Told through a young woman visiting Israel for the first time, reading her grandfather’s diary detailing his life as a soldier serving in British Mandate Palestine.
SHOUT (US Premiere)
Sabine Lubbe Bakker, Ester Gould / 2010 / Documentary / 75 min
A rare look into Palestinian life in cxontemporary Syria. Born on the Golan Heights, best friends Ezat and Bayan go on a journey to study in Syria. What starts out as an adventure to an unknown homeland leads to a search of identity and belonging. Official Selection – IDFA 2010.
TORN (NYC Premiere)
Ronit Kertsner / 2011 / Documentary / 72 min
12 years after he was ordained as a Polish Catholic priest, Romuald Waszkinel discovers that he was born to Jewish parents, and that his name was Jacob Weksler. Torn between two identities, he decides to move to Israel where he is forced to choose between the two.
YELLOW MUMS (US Premiere)
Firas Khoury / 2010 / Drama / 35 min
9 year-old introverted Nizar decides to compete with the village children in the traditional Easter "breaking eggs" games. He is cheating his way to win, all for the sake of Jesus.
DUSTY ROAD (US Premiere)
Rukaya Sabbah / 2010 / Drama / 25 min
Unplanned meeting between 13 years old Tamer and post-traumatic old man Khalil, leads to a special friendship, a kid in Tamer's class, does everything to ruin this friendship.
SPECIAL EVENTS
(NIF) NEW GENERATIONS DINNER
Fri. Nov. 11, 7pm @ The JCC in Manhattan
Join the New Israel Fund's New Generations, and other young leadership groups for a Shabbat dinner and intimate discussion with festival guests.
Co-presented by New Israel Fund
ANOTHER LOOK
Join Other Israel and The Taub Center for Israel Studies at NYU in special presentation of two festival favorites and in-depth conversation with the filmmakers, protagonists, and renowned scholars.
77 STEPS (see film's listing for description)
Sunday, Nov. 13, 3pm @ First Floor Screening Room, NYU King Juan Carlos Center (53 Washington Square South)
Followed by panel discussion of the recently published book Israel's Palestinians, The Conflict Within with the co-authors, Ilan Peleg and Dov Waxman, and director of 77 STEPS Ibtisam Mara'ana and other participants.
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 7pm @ Jurow Lecture Hall, NYU Silver Center (100 Washington Square East, entrance on Waverly Place)
Followed by panel discussion with producer Judith Manassen Ramon and protagonist Dr. Ilan Kutz.
OTHER ISRAEL FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Saturday, Nov. 12
SNOW IN JERUSALEM
Story-telling from Deborah Da Costa's book, telling the story of Avi and Hamudi,two boys who live in Jerusalem's Old City, unknowingly caring for the same beautiful white stray cat.
FREE. Recommended for ages 5-10.
DAVID AND KAMAL
A screening of Kikuo Kawasaki’s feature drama. See films listing for description.
FREE. Recommended for ages 10+.
ABOUT THE OTHER ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL
Founded in 2007, The Other Israel Film Festival uses film to foster social awareness and cultural understanding. The Festival presents dramatic and documentary films, as well as engaging panels about history, culture, and identity on the topic of minority populations in Israel with a focus on Arab/Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up twenty percent of Israel’s population. Our goal is to promote awareness and appreciation of the diversity of the state of Israel, provide a dynamic and inclusive forum for exploration of, and dialog about populations in margins of Israeli society, and encourage cinematic expression and creativity dealing with these themes. Our programming is guided by our mission to showcase quality cinema that brings to the big screen the human stories and daily lives of Arab Citizens and other minorities groups in Israel, often overlooked by mainstream Israeli society and culture.
For more information contact FRANK PR
Phone 646-861-0843
Lina Plath
Lina@frankpublicity.com
Clare Anne Darragh
Clareanne@frankpublicity.com
