Discoveries from Israel World Cinema

Ze’ev Vladimir Jabotinsky? Most people don’t know much about him. Most people know he was the father of Herut movement, a revisionist. And who really knows what revisionism really means. A few people know that he translated Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee; even fewer read his historical novel, Samson. The Raven tries to fathom Jabotinsky’s deceptive character. The film follows his conflicted, controversial character, the meaningful choices, desires and abilities that eventually led him to end his life prematurely but left a huge mark on Zionism and Israel. - See more at: http://nfct.org.il/en/movies/the-raven-zeev-jabotinsky/#sthash.WoPKutbi.dpuf

17-year-old Nadav wants to serve in a combat unit, even though his mother does not approve. A surprising encounter with his coach changes his perspective.

The film tells the story of a sensitive and complex relationship between a mother and her ailing son. Like in Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale "The Loveliest Rose in the World" where a prince must search for a rose to save his mother, who is dying in bed, "Tied Hands" sees a reversal of roles as a desperate mother goes out to find marijuana, to ease her son's pain. In her, turbulent journey in the streets of Tel-Aviv, old truths from her past come back to life and threaten to break down a wall of denials behind which, she's been hiding all her life.

David is discharged from the army after serving for 27 years. He returns to his home and family after being distanced from them for years, and tries to find himself in his new civilian life. He believes that, like his friends who retired from the military before him, he too will find his way in some managerial position in the private sector, but he has difficulties adapting to the pace of the “new Israel”, a competitive culture obsessed with success and money.

Cherry is a young vlogger who, along with his friend Natan, embarks on a 100-day challenge to survive inside the belly of a dragon. Along the journey, they encounter strange and intriguing characters and begin to uncover darker, hidden sides of themselves.

"For the sake of the neighborhood, for the sake of the children of the neighborhood. lets go Bnei Yehuda ." There are films that cannot be forgotten, that have become the soundtrack of Israeli football. One of them is "Shomrim Al H'tikva", which accompanied Bnei Yehuda in the survival campaign in 2000. Shia Feigenbaum, Yossi Medar, Hezi Shirazi and others on a heroic journey in the Hatikva neighborhood. 40 minutes of a cult film, which every Israeli football fan must see.

A candid camera comedy where hidden camera films unsuspecting street passers-by reacting to comic situations the filmmakers set up.

After surviving Auschwitz, Peter Singer arrives in London as a penniless refugee. Determined to cling to life, he erases his past and reinvents himself. Gradually, he succeeds in building a thriving real estate empire, captivates women with his charm, and gains entry to the upper echelons of British high society. But when is exposed as having clawed his way to the top by exploiting his tenants and trampling over them, the empire he built finds itself in grave jeopardy.

Rami Haruvi, a daring Mossad Agent, is sent to rescue the abducted US ambassador held at the state of Sugyra. If Rami fails his mission, the annual mossad vacation at "Olga Resort" will be canceled. Due to the importance of the mission, Hayim, the Head of the Mossad decides to assign Rami a new agent to his mission - the daughter of a mythological Mossad agent named Shuki, a ladies' man and Rami's role model. The two are getting into trouble both in their mission and relationship. Are the Americans good? Are the terrorist bad? Yet none of it compares to the real important question: will Hayim get his longed annual vacation at the Olga Resort?

Through a mosaic of stories intertwined and created a current picture of the sad social and economic situation in Israel. Mother forced into prostitution to support her son; Blind man must survive after losing his dog; Son is looking for his rocker father's; Apartment owner complicates his life while entering the underworld...

Balding advertising executive Mr. Baum spends more time on a new ad campaign for purple sunglasses than he does with his own family. But suddenly he is forced to reexamine his life after a doctor tells him that he has an 'aggressive' brain tumor and will die in 90 minutes.

In a utopian world based on artificial intelligence, a young woman who dislikes the reality in which she lives and dreams of life as a theater star, loses everything when her robotic pet doll steals her dream role.

Leningrad, 1970. A group of young Jewish dissidents plot to hijack an empty plane and escape the USSR. Caught by the KGB a few steps from boarding, they were sentenced to years in the gulag and two were sentenced to death; they never got on a plane. 45 years later, filmmaker Anat Zalmanson-Kuznetsov reveals the compelling story of her parents, leaders of the group, "heroes" in the West but "terrorists" in Russia, even today.

From 1977 to his untimely death in 1993, Amos Guttman directed six films, all of them deeply personal reflections of his own life. Interviews with lovers, family and friends--including some of the most important people in Israeli cinema--tell the gripping story of a strikingly handsome, charismatic and deeply passionate gay man who has become a revered cult figure in Israeli cinema.Interviews with the late filmmaker and fascinating footage of him on the set convey the same passion that comes through in scenes from his films, lovingly selected by documentarian Ran Kotzer. Like Fellini, Guttman transformed his dreams and everyday conversations with friends and family into integral parts of his pictures. He is most remarkable for his striking and original use of the frame. Every shot is a treasure. Amos Guttman dared to portray subjects that were taboo in his society, and his search for the right of individual expression is the connecting link of his works.

Lali is sexually assaulted on a dark road in a Tel Aviv parking lot. Awake, yet unable to move an eye, she stares at a single streetlight. The next morning, Lali wakes up to a reality which she refuses to accept.

A documentary film about the Israeli metal band "Orphaned Land", which includes personal interviews with the band, artists like Steven Wilson & Marty Friedman, Israeli Rabbi, the first ever interview with the band's lyrics writer, Israeli fans, and Arab fans from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, & Turkey, who discuss how their opinions on Israel have changed thanks to Orphaned Land. Also includes rare archive materials like the band's first show (from 1991), rehearsal, and the first home-made interview the band made in high school. The film deals with music, texts, the band's history from the first day until today, politics, religion, middle east problems and many more. It's a film about metal, peace and music.

our short stories interlaced to create a surreal world of absurdity, in which characters try to find connections in the mundane.

Far from Tel Aviv and big city crimes, Daphna, 40, a promising police officer with a big mouth, finds herself in the small town of Afula dealing with petty crimes, seeking shade from the scorching heat and dodging the nagging question:” When are you going to get married, and have kids?”. The disappearance of Orly Elimeleh, a beautiful and wild 36 year-old army widow and former beauty queen, soon raises another troubling question for Daphna – why isn't anybody looking for her? This indifference towards Orly’s uncertain fate shakes Daphna to the core. Matan, the younger 34 year-old son and “black sheep” of Orly’s late husband’s family, seems to be the only one who shares Daphna’s concerns, which pushes her to step beyond her professional boundaries. As her faith both in herself and in everybody surrounding her is called into question, Daphna will have to do something she has managed to avoid her entire adult life : put her trust in a man.

Due to an unexpected mishap delaying his mother’s funeral, Gil tries to write a eulogy that will outshine his brother’s, hoping to become the son—and the man—he wishes he were.

David, a child refugee from Nazi-occupied Poland, arrives in British Palestine and begins a search for his father who promised to meet him there after the war.

A study of conscience set against the trial of Eichmann in Israel.

Love Letters to Cinema is a collection of ten "letters” in the form of short films (4 minutes each), written and directed by ten outstanding Israeli directors. The films and the directors conduct a dialogue, whereas the directors create a short film with their unique voice, bringing to the audience a group of work that reflects on cinema.

Gili sees his father as a vampire feeding off the energy and vitality of his family. With no real ability to resist, he watches his father humiliate his mother and his little brother. Reluctantly, he joins a family trip to the desert which leads to a terrifying sequence of events.

In a rendition of a father-daughter conflict based on misunderstandings, this melodrama focuses on Annette (Nurit Cohen) who has left home for the city where she is unexpectedly offered a leading role in a movie. She is excited as she returns home to tell her news to her father (Zeev Revach) -- a truly conservative shopkeeper -- but she is equally anxiety-ridden about his likely reaction.

In 2008 the city of Tel-Aviv sent four refrigerated trucks to Mount Hermon, to bring back with them 60 cubic meters of snow. Early in the morning, the trucks returned to Rabin Square and prepared a white, frosty surprise for the residents. In front of the square, now covered with snow, lives the Dahan family, which is facing eviction on that very same day. The film follows the four truck drivers making their journey from the north, and Hanna, the mother of the family, as she sees her life melting down before her.

Ido hates working at the local Falafel shop. He stays there because of his shift manager, Hadas, but he doesn't have the guts to tell her that he loves her. Will Sassi Keshet, a Game show host for the past 20 years, help him overcome his fears?

A story of separation between a mother and her much loved daughter, who leaves the familial home in order to move in with her new boyfriend. Their relationship is incredibly complicated, full of jealously, love and hatred.

About a year after the [Adolph] Eichmann trial, director and local industry pioneer, Natan Gross, explores the traumas of the Holocaust for the first time in Israeli film. Actor, Shimon Yisraeli, himself a pioneer of one-man shows on Israeli stages, wrote and spearheaded this one-man film which tells the story of Holocaust survivor, Emmanuel, who works as a security guard on a construction site where he grapples with all the memories of those dark times that come flooding back: the train journey, the Dachau death camp, his murdered paramour, and his former friend, Hans, who joined the Nazis and killed his father. He shows up at his childhood home where Hans now lives: following an encounter with a vicious dog, Emmanuel finds shelter in the house cellar where he bides his time – remembering, hallucinating, and working up an appetite for revenge. The Cellar won the Best Feature Film Suitable for Young People award at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Eviah, a young and timid kid on the brink of puberty and his best friend sneak into the Black slide, the most terrifying ride in Aqua Fun. There Eviah will gain insight to prepare him for events about to unfold at home. Eviah is about to confront more than just a scary slide.

When Yaki realizes who Bella is - a curly plumage, extremely valuable dove, and his sole inheritance - it is already too late. Yaki embarks with Bilal, his childhood friend, and their wives on a road trip between Israel and Palestine to bring Bella back. They will try to pass through the checkpoints, ruin a wedding, steal the newlyweds' car, participate in a reconciliation ceremony between families, and revive the unconscious dove... To arrive on time at a dove beauty pageant in Jerusalem.

A look into the underground world of trafficking human body parts.

Najwa, Nawal, and Siham, three Palestinian widows, live with their 11 children in a house on Shuhada Street in Hebron. Their house lies on the border; the façade is under Israeli occupation, the Palestinian Authority controls the back. At the entrance to the house is a military post; on the roof the Israeli army has placed a watch point over Palestinian Hebron. The three women, trapped in the middle and constantly surrounded by Israeli soldiers, carry on their difficult lives in a perverse situation: the occupation becomes a routine, the absurd becomes a given. This is the story of an occupation that extends to the staircase and the roof of the house, where it encounters poverty, loneliness, pain, but also the small joys of everyday life. This is an internal prison, the external one is the ongoing occupation.

The Hora 79 dance troupe was the face of Israeli folk dancing. Following a traumatic event. An accident? A murder? A suicide? The group ceased its activity and the members went their own ways. Now, 33 years later, the Karmiel Dance Festival initiates a reunion for a tribute to Hebrew dance. The encounter brims with nostalgia, tension, and guilt. Will they be able to overcome the dark ghosts of the past, the old conflicts, the betrayal of the body and of the memory?

Galis - The Journey to Astra is a high-quality adventure film for children. The movie operates on two levels - as a suspenseful, entertaining fairytale, and as a coming-of-age story. Yonatan is at the height of his glory as the chosen one , but as always, there is only enough room at the top for one, and Yonatan has left all of his friends behind. When he finds himself in an alien world called Astra - Yonatan feels compelled to prove his abilities as a leader, and prove that he is the chosen one on Astra as he is on Earth. But through his Journey Yonatan will realize that this vanity is stopping him from listening to the people closest to him and the lost could be crucial..

Alex and Gershon are both playwrights and lovers. Although Gershon is older and they are not both sucessful, they manage to maintain a long term relationship.

16 years old Shlomi lives with his restless mother, his soldier brother and their ill grandfather. Although not doing well in school, Shlomi is a gifted cook and takes care of most household chores. One day, the school's principal finds out Shlomi is actually a genius and tries to get him into a more suitable curriculum. However, Shlomi is more interested in taking care of his family and his new love interest, the beautiful girl next door.

The film imitates the state of mind of Mrs Segal as she takes care of her husband during his last months, when reality blends with the merciful fiction. Their love might just triumph over nature. Based on the directors true events.

Directed by Zeev Havatzelet.

A stylish Israeli crime comedy, Mars Turkey tells the story of Reuven, a police captain in charge of protecting Shimon, the last remaining witness in a trial against crime-lord Patrick Sarusi. Seeing as how Patrick has managed to get to all the other witnesses, Reuven is so desperate to keep Shimon alive that he assigns himself to watch-duty, with the intention of never letting Shimon out of his sight. But as the trial draws near, events start spinning out of control when, in an act of desperation, Reuven sends his sexually frustrated mistress, Aya, to plant a bug in Patrick's apartment. Encouraged by Patrick's neighbor, Aya decides to confront Reuven about his sexual inadequacy and his vain promises to her about leaving his wife, just as Patrick slips out of house-arrest. Will Reuven be able to keep his mind on the job while his love life melts down in front of his eyes?

A minor politician, suffering with a temporary sexual disorder that is soon to be written about in the local press, is sent anonymously to Eilat for rest and pleasantries. His wife, believing he was on a trip abroad also goes to Eilat on the advice of her friend.

A rap opera that takes place in the world of film noir - on a stormy night Sarah Bennett arrives at Detective Joe's investigation office. She asks him to find her missing sister. Drunk Joe initially waves her off but something about Sarah touches him and he finally agrees to investigate the case, knowing that nothing good will come of it. Jack, Joe's partner, doesn't like it and feels something is wrong. Joe realizes that behind the whole affair is the city's biggest criminal that no one wants to mess with, and on top of all that, Sarah disappears. Now Joe must solve the problem. All dialogues are rhymed and sung on the beat.

Ben and Raz are painstakingly pursuing their desire to have a child, and the migrant neighbourhood where this gay couple has set up their new flat is on the up. But a conflict over a newly planted tree in the city brings deep-seated prejudices to light.

Sergeant Gidi Tsur (Topol) serves in the reserve in the Suez Canal. He goes on vacation and is supposed to meet with his wife to get divorced in the Rabbinate. Meanwhile, he spends his time in the company of other women.

Tom, who suffers from an eating disorder and is recovered in a clinic, has gotten her menstrual cycle back. When the doctor tells her it’s a good sign because it means her condition is improving, she panics: the idea of gaining back the kilos she lost scares her to death. It seems like a day to forget but when she meets Neil, a trombone player with socialization problems, everything changes: the two feel a strong connection that is sealed by their shared desire to escape everything which is considered socially acceptable.

Five reserve soldiers sleep with Sophie, a seventeen-year-old and member of a theatre group commissioned to entertain an armoured unit stationed on the Golan Heights. When she realizes that she is pregnant, only Shraga, a factory foreman, takes responsibility.

Sharon, a dedicated and ambitious Tel Aviv art house producer who is on the verge of bankruptcy, gets a chance to save her professional future and self-esteem: to collaborate with Uzi Silver, a revered past director, who has repented And became a rabbi, and now wants to make his comeback film - an adaptation of King Saul's biblical tragedy. But working with Silver is more like a war than a production,

When Dori Laub, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, began recording the stories of other survivors in the late 1970s, he wasn’t just preserving memory, he was pioneering a radical act of listening. His work led to the creation of the world’s first video testimony archive and shaped a unique therapeutic approach centered on presence, empathy, and witness.

A comedy about a millionaire who pretends to be not a millionaire...

Israeli teen girl by the backyard pool finds a curious symbol floating atop the water . With her new neighbor she grapples with its significance as a 2011 cautionary tale within a Lolitaesque power struggle in the sex pit.

A story of separation between a mother and her much loved daughter, who leaves the familial home in order to move in with her new boyfriend. Their relationship is incredibly complicated, full of jealously, love and hatred.

Nony Geffen, a 30 year old student living in Tel Aviv with his roommate Rotem, is a musician and is secretly in love with Hadas. He is called up for a military operation in Gaza . The APC, in which he and his unit are riding, is hit by a Hamas rocket. Nony is the sole survivor. He comes back from Gaza a different person and is cared for by his parents and a military psychiatrist. After lengthy psychiatric treatment Nony starts to communicate again – only now he is convinced that he is ‘Amnon’, the deceased uncle for whom he was named. Amnon had been an unrecognized singer. Nony is not a singer and now he doesn’t even remember how to play. At first, when Nony performs, people laugh at this strange guy but then he becomes a phenomenon. When he is at the height of his success on the one hand, but also at the height of his mental disorder, Nony meets Hadas again.

This 1990s film from Israel focuses on a group of teenagers who go on the run after accidentally killing someone.

With their father in prison and mother dead, three children from the West Bank are smuggled into Israel and taken to the house of their distant relatives, George and Rita, in Jaffa. Rita, who longs for a child, embraces them as her own but George is wary of the grave legal implications their actions might have. Meanwhile, a British film director recreates 1947 Jaffa outside George and Rita’s house. When their present-day reality meets the historical events that led to it, tragedy ensues.

Set in Israel during the 80's, a young boy's role model uncle - a shadow puppet artist - is slowly losing his mind, drawn ever deeper into a web of Local folklore, Israeli Ethos, and unearthly puppetry.

Atalia is a 40-year-old widow who lost her husband in the Six-Day War and lives on a kibbutz with her adolescent daughter. Lonely and feeling outcast, she enters into a forbidden affair with her daughter's classmate, Matti, an idealistic 19-year-old rejected by the army.

While flying to Argentina to film a VIP season of the Docu-reality TV show, "Goalstar", the team's plane crashes in the heart of the African savanna. When the team looks for food and water, they are kidnapped by a local African tribe that plans to execute them as suspected intruders. The tribe people are surprised to find the team has packed soccer equipment in their luggage, and they think they're the best soccer team in the world (where in reality, they're a bunch of actors and talents). The tribe forces the team to represent them in a soccer game against the opposing tribe to solve an old conflict on the only water source around.

The 2005 iteration of the Festigal. A group of superheroes battles against evil villains, and only an ordinary schoolboy can help them.

Harsh event from the past paved two very different life paths for two friends. One started a family as is socially expected, while the other one communicates well with plants. During a birthday party the two men, the “normal” and “abnormal” one, swap roles. Mazal Tov indeed.

A chase begins for the four elements: fire, earth, water, and air, which can be used to control the world, as a boy tries to stop the evil master and his assistant from obtaining them.