Discoveries from Israel World Cinema

Six days in the lives of an Israeli living in a kibbutz and a Palestinian living in Paris, which starts with an accidental meeting in the Berlin Subway during the World cup finals, will change them completely.

Since his daughter's death, Moshe lives alone rejecting his wife whom he blames for this tragedy. In order to get out of his confinement, he accepts a job from the Jerusalem post office, unaware that it is for a very special division: The Department of Letters to God. Through the letters sent by people from all over the world, Moshe will face humanity in its most secret privacy, sometimes most fanciful wishes. He doesn't believe in anything anymore but a series of strange events will transform his bitterness and lead him to discover how forgiveness can reconcile him with his wife and bring him peace again.

"Kidon" begins in the morning of the 18th of February 2010 in Tel-Aviv when the whole world wakes up discovering, on the front page of all the newspapers, pictures of the Mossad agents caught while killing Mahmoud al Mabhouh in Dubai a month earlier. It was the first time that simple security cameras of a hotel caught secret agents red-handed, what's more Israeli agents. But without doubt, the most surprised of all were the Mossad leaders who were the only ones to know for sure that the 3 men and the woman, whose faces were in all the newsrooms of the world, had nothing to do with them. From then on, a race against time is undertaken hoping to understand why everything is aiming at them.

Abraham, an old man, has a fruit garden in Jerusalem that is threatened by a number of people who want to buy him out or chase him off. One day, the old man finds a mute young woman (Melanie Griffith), confused after being attacked by thugs, wandering in his garden and he thinks she is actually an angel.

Yitzhak runs the turkey farm his father built with his own two hands after they emigrated from Iran to Israel. When his son Moti turns thirteen, Yitzhak teaches him the trade, hoping that he will continue the proud family tradition. But Moti doesn't like working in the turkey barn; his passion is fixing up junkyard cars and bringing them back to life. Moti's mother Sarah tries to reconcile between the two, while his grandfather pushes Yitzhak to take a firm hand with his son. Yitzhak takes Moti's refusal to work in the turkey barn as a personal rejection. Though he loves his son dearly, he makes it his mission to impose the family farm on Moti. The arrival of Darius, the uncle from America, sets off a chain of events that will undermine the familial harmony. Soon enough Yitzhak will learn that his son is just as stubborn as he is. The conflict is inevitable.

A love story between two people from different cultures and the relatives who manage to separate them until the lovers again find each other.

Three stories about three women: one is trying to find the right guy; one is trying to get a divorce from her runaway husband so she takes hostages; one turns Tel Aviv upside down in order to save a kitten trapped in a storm drain.

A beautiful deaf-mute is courted by both her riding instructor and personal guardian in this hot-and-heavy romance story.

The year is 1999 and the storyline is actually a number of sub-plots all revolving around the 13-year old Clara, a girl that can predict the future and has telekinetic powers. The sub-plots include a boy in her class who has a crush on her, his family, her family and her principal that keeps talking French for some strange reason.

"Promised Land" tells the story of a group of young unwitting Estonian girls smuggled through Egypt to be auctioned off as prostitutes in Israel, and of their initiation into this trade of flesh, and finally of the accidental freeing of one girl who most fight for her freedom.

The story of Sarit, a young actress and rising star who must leave her theater because of unexpected pregnancy.

The celebration of the 85th birthday of the sculptor Yaakov Luchansky, in the kibbutz where he lives, Givat Brenner. In the film, footage of the sculptors work process and his sculptures in the workshop at Luchanskis home.

Two losers men in their thirties are having the worst night in their life when they discover that they will soon be millionaires. The only thing that they haven't thought about is that the way to the million will lead them to a journey in which they will meet some of the worst surreal and crazy people, that will try to take their money in any cost.

A group of friends in a Tel Aviv suburb get together to watch Universong, a Eurovision-like television song contest. They gather to watch and are depressed by the lifelessness of the Israeli entry, a parody of many recent offerings, a flashy, grating song about "amour." Realizing that Anat is distraught over the crisis in her marriage, they decide to compose a song to cheer her up. As a lark, they enters their cellphone video of it in next year's contest, and it becomes Israel's entry.

Grandma Zohara occupies a special role within the Moroccan community within Israel. By cradling an object brought to her by her clients, Grandma Zohara gains access to the family's past through her dreams. This allows her to advise families on future decisions. Lately, however, Grandma Zohara is tiring and begins searching for someone to take over this role. She discovers that the only other person endowed with the power of dreaming is her daughter, Simone, who has different plans for her future. With support of Simone's sister, Fanny, who arrives unexpectedly from Paris, Simon gathers the strength to resist her mother's pressure and to pursue her own desire. Together the sisters wage battle for Simone's independence and creativity.

Based on real events that took place in the "Mazakh" bastion, the Yom Kippur war, the Sinai front. After a surprise Egyptian attack, 42 soldiers under the command of a young lieutenant from the Seder yeshiva, struggle to repel the enemy attacks during which many of the fighters are injured or killed. At the same time in the TAGD bunker, the Tel Avivian reserve doctor is fighting for the lives of the wounded fighters and calls for urgent evacuations that do not come. After a week of siege and fighting, the soldiers will have to choose whether to continue fighting under the orders of their commander, or to follow the plan of the reserve doctor - a plan that may save their lives. Will they decide to give up the values they were raised on and surrender, or will they fight to the last bullet?

Khaled (12), a Palestinian boy is on his way to visit the sea for the first time in his life, at the checkpoint, the Israeli authorities deny his entry. Determined, Khaled sneaks into Israel and embarks on a dangerous journey to the sea. Meanwhile, Ribhi, his father, is trying to trace his whereabouts, putting himself at risk of being arrested and losing his job.

1948: an Egyptian filmmaker is creating newsreel stories about a volunteer force tasked to liberate Palestinian farmers. The journey propels him towards a chance encounter with a tenacious young leader of a nearby commune that will set in motion events that will change their lives forever.

Sherman, who is on trial for murder, is found not guilty thanks to reasonable doubt, however; having stood trial leaves the young felon a changed man. He falls head over heels with his defence attorney’s bright daughter and is even willing to turn his back on a life of crime for her, including walking away from his long-time partner, Jaffan prostitute, Margot. However, the road back to the straight and narrow is not an easy one and indeed, many around hm are wary of this so-called, newly-reformed Sherman.

"Vlada Goes to London" is a short student film exploring the strong-willed Vlada on her night shift as a pizza delivery girl in her desperate attempt to book tickets to London and fulfill her dream of being a DJ. The end of the night brings more challenges than she expects.

While her husband struggles to keep his restaurant in business, a mother of three lands a job as an assistant to a powerful, but sexually harrassive realtor and brings herself to fight back.

A nerdy director and his crazy crew are filming for a reality show a glittery singer who stays for a week at the house of Charlie, the head of a brutal crime family. The world of entertainment meets the world of crime. Charlie and his family manipulate the camera crew and the young star and drag them into their dark and deadly world.

Aumari, a young Eritrean refugee living in Israel, is about to be deported back to his home country. After a spontaneous escape attempt at the airport, he is miistaken for a Nigerian striker, who is supposed to arrive at the same time. Aumari seizes the opportunity and benefits for his change of identity as the new key acquisitions for the team of ‘Maccabi Netanya’. Despite the absence of any soccer talent, Aumari is able to cover-up and heal the divisions of his struggling team, while a tender romantic bond with charmingly unconventional daughter of the team owner is growing.

Fixated on romantic fantasies, a kindly and strong-willed young woman with a mild mental disability embarks on a relationship — much to the concern of her protective mother.

The 2008 iteration of the Festigal. An underwater adventure.

A Holocaust survivor reads a letter he wrote to the pig who saved his life. A young schoolgirl hears his testimony in class and sinks into a twisted dream where she confronts questions of identity, collective trauma, and the extremes of human nature.

A story of a soldier who, overeager to prove himself, lets his imagination delude him into attacking an imaginary enemy.

After being tried for his crimes and released on parole, the young Captain Ran Nesher receives a new mission: to command a squadron of Mirage aircraft that not long ago lost its revered commander in battle. The squadron's deputy commander, Captain Eitan Rom is threatened by the appearance of his new commander, who seems to him to be irresponsible and inexperienced to the point of endangering the pilots. The power struggle between them causes tensions and dysfunction of the squadron. When the two crash land together in enemy territory, they are forced to learn to work with each other to survive. Upon their return to the squadron and the outbreak of the Six Day War, the two face a decisive battle and realize that only through cooperation will they be able to lead the squadron to victory. Love also has a place. Eitan, who is in love with Galia, the operations officer, learns precisely from his rival Ran how to overcome his fears and succeed.

Aviho, Bezalel and Natty travel to Columbia to free Aviho's son Shuli from his kidnappers.

Sergio Konstanza, a swindler, owes money to Mr. Hasson. He escapes to the desert where he joins a wacky army reserve unit whose Sergeant is engaged to one of Mr. Hasson's Daughters.

A girl's heroic spirit and her faithful dog's phenomenal courage join to perform an impossible rescue! Snubbed by her small-town neighbors, Charley Wilson and her German shepherd Fuzz, meet a true friend in Alonzo - a gruff old farmer who admires Charley and Fuzz for their funny antics and sense of real adventure. When Alonzo finds himself in big trouble that threatens his very life, it's girl and dog to the rescue! Charley and Fuzz help the entire town see how prejudice hurts everybody, as they prove that miracles-the heroes-come in all sizes.

Chen, a young kid, is battling a cultural conflict between his Russian born mother and Israeli father. She is cultured and used to the finer things in life, including theater and fine dining. He is gruff on the outside but sweet on the inside - a Sabra; and looking to make his young son a man rather than the wimp his mother is raising. One day, Chen stumbles upon a ballroom dance class for young people and sees Natalie, a stunning Russian young girl he falls in love with immediately. His interest in Natalie leads him to taking ballroom dancing and to ultimately bridging the cultural divide of his own family - through the Cha Cha and the Tango. The teachers are a pair of former Russian world champions who never quite fulfilled their potential, but find themselves battling their demons through the instructions of the kids.

A government-trained killing machine must turn his lethal skills against his top-secret squad's AWOL leader

A teacher discovers in a five year-old child a prodigious gift for poetry. Amazed and inspired by this young boy, she decides to protect his talent in spite of everyone.

Three young Israeli students take a school trip to Poland to visit the sites where the Nazis carried out the extermination of European Jews during World War II.

Two friends, a nerdy girl and a wannabe rockstar boy, spend a night at the museum and interact with various historical figures.

Maya is a happily married mother of two. She is a successful choreographer and everything seems to be perfect...but this life is a lie. Unbeknownst to her family and everyone around her, she has a hidden past.

Joshua, an 80-year old Holocaust survivor, discovers one morning, that a cellular antenna was installed on the roof of his house. It turned out that his neighbor has rented his part of the rooftop to a cellular company. Joshua feels a terrible injustice was done. He starts believing that all his diseases and pains are caused by the antenna's radiation. Joshua obsessively starts feeling the radiation everywhere and develops a persecution disorder which risks his life. He goes to war against his neighbor. His wife Sarah, and his 3 adult sons are dragged unwillingly into this vortex. The crisis reveals the personal problems of each of his sons, and they are forced to deal with their father's dark shadow.

Danielle is looking for a match for her dog not only a dog but also its owner.

They were four friends in heart and soul. Blood Brothers that were that were bound together by their army experience. They were good people and decent citizens. They had love, careers, hopes, a future - but they wanted more. And they wanted to commit the perfect crime...

A rude loud-mouthed Israeli tricks "Comedy Central" into giving him a movie budget which in return ruins the lives of everyone around him and descends into chaos. An indie Israeli satire.

Daliah sneaks into a cargo ship bound to Israel. The sailors will do anything to hide from the though captain her and catch her attention.

Millions of American Evangelicals are praying for the State of Israel. This film traces this unusual relationship, from rural Kentucky to the halls of government in Washington, through the moving of the American Embassy in Jerusalem and to the annexation plan of the West Bank.

In Israel, in a rural village (Moshav), Adam (13) and Nimrod (6) see their neighbor Ida (85) as an enemy who wants to destroy their cabin and enjoy annoying her. Ori, their 9-year-old sister, is intrigued and touched by the old woman's whimsical side...

A beautiful deaf-mute is courted by both her riding instructor and personal guardian in this hot-and-heavy romance story.

Yael Hersonski's powerful documentary achieves a remarkable feat through its penetrating look at another film-the now-infamous Nazi-produced film about the Warsaw Ghetto. Discovered after the war, the unfinished work, with no soundtrack, quickly became a resource for historians seeking an authentic record, despite its elaborate propagandistic construction. The later discovery of a long-missing reel complicated earlier readings, showing the manipulations of camera crews in these "everyday" scenes. Well-heeled Jews attending elegant dinners and theatricals (while callously stepping over the dead bodies of compatriots) now appeared as unwilling, but complicit, actors, alternately fearful and in denial of their looming fate.

Binyamin moved to Tel Aviv after coming out as gay and facing the trauma following his brother death for which he feels responsible. Binyamin's life takes turn when his relationship with Avinoam, the pub owner where he works, grows closer.

1948: an Egyptian filmmaker is creating newsreel stories about a volunteer force tasked to liberate Palestinian farmers. The journey propels him towards a chance encounter with a tenacious young leader of a nearby commune that will set in motion events that will change their lives forever.

Ajami is an area of Tel Aviv in Israel where Arabs, Palestinians, Jews and Christians live together in a tense atmosphere. Omar, an Israeli Arab, struggles to save his family from a gang of extortionists. He also courts a beautiful Christian girl: Hadir. Malek, an illegal Palestinian worker, tries to collect enough money to pay for his mother's operation. Dando, an Israeli cop, does his utmost to find his missing brother who may have been killed by Palestinians.

Miri is a promising journalist and she is married to Dan who is a very skilled lawyer. Together they have a 10-year-old daughter and a lovely home. They are a happy little family - apparently. When Miri becomes the editor of the magazine she works for in Dan for a year's offer in New York, the facade cracks. They are unable to find each other again and the family falls apart. But is it better to be away from the one you actually love? Is it satisfying to live for the job?

Adam is trying to fix his marriage but both his wife Asia and teenage daughter Dafi are too busy with their lovers.

Sherman, who is on trial for murder, is found not guilty thanks to reasonable doubt, however; having stood trial leaves the young felon a changed man. He falls head over heels with his defence attorney’s bright daughter and is even willing to turn his back on a life of crime for her, including walking away from his long-time partner, Jaffan prostitute, Margot. However, the road back to the straight and narrow is not an easy one and indeed, many around hm are wary of this so-called, newly-reformed Sherman.

A movie for and about youngsters living at Tel Aviv and about things that they experience: love, friendship, the need to grow up.

How do the well-meaning and highly educated men and women of America’s foreign policy elite, dreaming of doing good in the world, so often find themselves presiding over disastrous wars and genocides? Master filmmaker Dror Moreh takes us deep inside the three decades of American foreign policy since the fall of the Berlin Wall, a period of almost constant war and mass killing

I AM ISRAEL is an epic film which will take you on a soaring journey through the Land of the Bible, and introduce you to Jewish men and women whose very lives are a testimony to the promises of God.

Abraham, an old man, has a fruit garden in Jerusalem that is threatened by a number of people who want to buy him out or chase him off. One day, the old man finds a mute young woman (Melanie Griffith), confused after being attacked by thugs, wandering in his garden and he thinks she is actually an angel.

In May 1948, shortly before the creation of the State of Israel, hundreds of immigrants from across Europe arrive in Palestine--only to risk arrest by British troops.

Now that Itzhak's father is in a coma, and dying, Itzhak is finally willing to visit him, thus breaking a ten-year silence. During his visits to the hospital, Itzhak, a beaten and reserved man, is frustrated to find himself neglected by his own family: his wife, a long suppressed artist whose life's dream is fulfilled that same week; his twenty-seven-year-old son - a "philosopher" still living at home; and his twenty-five-year-old daughter - a tormented lesbian who has had no contact with her family for a long time. Itzhak doesn't realize, though, that his ten year old daughter, Didush, neglected and almost invisible to her family, is secretly visiting her grandfather whom she has never met previously and sets out to discover the old family secret.

Moti, an Ashkenazi yeshiva boy, is about to embark on a matchmaking round to find a beautiful and pious bride. However, just as his parents are ready to set him up with an American girl, Moti falls for his best friend’s sister. The fact that she belongs to a Mizrahi family makes the match difficult and forces him to find a creative solution.