The 12th Annual Israel Film Center Festival in New York announced the selection of Israeli films that will be presented at this year’s festival, which will take place June 4-10 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan (MMJCCM).
The festival will open with the world premiere of Legend of Destruction, directed by Gidi Dar (Ushpizin). The film tells the story of the internal conflicts within ancient Israel that led to the destruction of the second temple during the Roman Empire’s rule of the land. Featuring the voices of Oscar Isaac, Evangeline Lilly, Elliott Gould, and Billy Zane, this timely story is told through paintings by David Polonsky and Michael Faust (Waltz with Bashir).
The festival’s Closing Night Selection will be the North American premiere of The Milky Way, directed by Maya Kenig (Off White Lies). This satire dives deep into themes of motherhood and modern society as a struggling single mother takes a position as a milk donor with a company that collects breast milk.
“Our selections show the cinematic quality and diversity coming out of Israel’s film industry,” says Isaac Zablocki, Israel Film Center Festival director and founder. “These films give the opportunity for our community to go beyond the news, and into the stories of a society.”
12th ANNUAL ISRAEL FILM CENTER FESTIVAL LINEUP:
Opening Night: Legend of Destruction
Dir. Gidi Dar
Narrative/Animation | English | Israel | 2023 | 91 min
World Premiere
An animated epic set 2,000 years ago during Roman rule in Israel, the film portrays a Jewish civil war and the destruction of the Second Temple, reshaping Jewish history. Winner of four Israeli Academy Awards. Voice acting by Oscar Isaac, Elliott Gould, Evangeline Lilly, and Billy Zane.
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with director Gidi Dar.
A Room of His Own
Dir. Matan Yair
Narrative | Hebrew | Israel | 2023 | 80 min
New York Premiere
Uri makes a mistake in his interview for the army—he tells the truth. He says he’s been sharing a room with his mother, his father is about to leave them, and he doesn’t think he’ll fit in in the army. In his last year of high school, Uri will have to find his own path in life and a room of his very own.
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with director Matan Yair.
Checkout
צ’קאאוט
Dir. Jonathan Dekel
Narrative | English | Israel/Ukraine | 2024 | 98 min
East Coast Premiere
A hilarious spin on the spy genre, CHECKOUT is a dark Mossad comedy based on the filmmakers’ own experience in the Israeli Special Forces and the clash between American culture and Israeli machismo. Dov is a desperate American Jewish spy who must convince his Israeli peers he is telling the truth about a legendary terrorist. Consumed by a desperate need for belonging, Uri must repeatedly recount and reshape his journey as he grapples with his inner turmoil.
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with director Jonathan Dekel.
Children of Peace
اولاد السلام ילדי השלום
Dir. Maayan Schwartz
Documentary | Hebrew, Arabic | Israel | 2022 | 58 min
New York Premiere
In 1970s Israel, a group of dreamers founded a utopian Palestinian-Israeli village as a social experiment, challenging everything they knew about their nationalities and histories. In Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, Israelis and Palestinians live side by side, learn together, and share languages. This documentary follows the children who were raised in this unique environment, set apart from the rest of Israeli and Palestinian societies. Now adults, these “children of peace” are facing the harsh realities of the ongoing conflict and are asking themselves the hardest question of all: is coexistence possible? This poignant film is a personal account of a revolutionary ecosystem.
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with director Maayan Schwartz.
Seven Blessings
Dir. Ayelet Menahemi
Narrative | Hebrew/Arabic/French | Israel | 2023 | 111 min
Marie was just two years old when her mother gifted her to her infertile sister, a common Moroccan custom at the time. Forty years later, Marie returns to Israel for her wedding and to be walked down the aisle by both of her “mothers.” As her large family prepares for the Seven Blessings tradition, Marie has come to open old wounds. Along these seven days, secrets resurface, and the celebration turns into a bittersweet explosion of food, fury, and belated forgiveness. Israel’s official entry to the 2024 Academy Award
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with actress Reymonde Amsalem.
Silver’s Uprising
המרד של עמוס
Dir. Dan Shadur
Documentary | Hebrew | Israel | 2023 | 96 min
East Coast Premiere
In March of 2019, Amos Dov Silver was arrested in Kyiv, following a global sting operation. Silver, the creator of the drug-dealing mobile app “Telegrass”, has since been accused by the government of running a crime organization. But for millions of recreational smokers and thousands of Israelis who suffer from PTSD, Silver – a traumatized veteran himself – remains a fearless folk hero, intent on exposing a corrupt system. Through exclusive footage of Silver, his ultra-orthodox family, his partners’ investigations, and secretly filmed footage of Silver in a Ukrainian prison, a polarizing documentary of this man emerges: is he a champion of the people or a lost soul corrupted by power?
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with director Dan Shadur and producer Ido Mizrahy.
The Future
Dir. Noam Kaplan
Narrative | Hebrew, Arabic | Israel | 2023 | 80 min
In the near future, Israeli scientist Nurit (Reymond Amsalem) has created a groundbreaking algorithm designed to prevent future violent attacks. But her system fails when Yaffa (Samar Qupty), a young Palestinian woman from the occupied West Bank, assassinates the Israeli minister of Space and Tourism. To fix the bugs in her algorithm, Nurit faces the assassin in person. As the sessions between these two brilliant women raise questions about their pasts, Nurit begins questioning her future.
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with actress Reymonde Amsalem.
The Road to Eilat
Dir. Yona Rosenkier
Narrative | Hebrew | Israel | 2022 | 105 min
New York Premiere
Albert (Shmuel Vilozni), an aging war veteran, makes a drunken bet: he will drive his beat-up tractor the length of Israel to Eilat in one week. Ben, his grumpy, unemployed son, is obligated to join him. Their bittersweet journey through the country’s neglected backyard becomes a comedic exploration of forgiveness, understanding, and the bonds of family.
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with director Yona Rozenkier and actor Shmuel Vilozni.
Running on Sand
Dir. Adar Shafran
Narrative | Hebrew, English | Israel | 2023 | 104 min
New York Premiere
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 mistaken for a famous Nigerian soccer player, who is supposed to arrive simultaneously. Aumari seizes the opportunity and becomes the latest acquisition to the team of ‘Maccabi Netanya’.
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with director Adar Shafran.
Closing Night: The Milky Way
Dir. Maya Kenig
Narrative | Hebrew | Israel/France | 2023 | 94 min
North American Premiere
Desperate to support her first baby with no father in the picture, offbeat musician Tala takes up a job at the “Milky Way.” This breast milk dairy provides the best that new mothers can offer: vegan, high-protein, top-quality, nutrient-rich milk. In this dystopian dark comedy, Tala embarks on a journey navigating the complexities of motherhood, while sneaking a glimpse into the wealthy lives she is supplying.
Q+A info: Screening followed by Q+A with director Maya Kenig
Special Event: The Impact of October 7 on Israeli Cinema
The Israel-Gaza War has also impacted the Israeli film industry. Israeli cinema has always been a beacon of light in a complex arena. Only culture can build bridges and share the nuanced reality that makes up Israeli life. Since October 7, the film industry has been deeply shuttered, and many productions have stopped. Long-standing government funding for Israeli cinema has now been reallocated for defense, making this a critical time to support diverse Israeli storytelling and filmmakers. Israel’s stories need to be told and brought to the world.