Revolutionary Israeli film of the 1960s that further emphasized the growing trend toward the focus on the individual, instead of society as a whole.
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Riki Riki
A classic romantic comedy. Riki – a confused 30-year-old art graduate seems to believe that her life is always under control even when everything goes crazy, and things take a different route. Riki and her boyfriend, Asher, an unemployed actor, prepare for their wedding. Amidst the preparation he confesses to being unfaithful. A shattered Riki decides to fight back and make him jealous.
Landscape
Krajinka, aka “Landscape,” consists of 10 separate vignettes, or short stories, grafted together chronologically. The time span stretches from pre-WWII Czechoslovakia to the latter half of the 20th century. Although a couple of characters reappear in episodes, the stories are mainly independent of each other.
What unites the stories is a rural spirit of life that is ribald, compassionate, cruel, and above all resilient. The “landscape” shrugs off Fascists (both Hungarian and German), and subsequent Communists. Still, there is a feeling that we are witnessing the end of an era, the gradual demise of a way of life that will never come again. The movie is a eulogy for this dying culture.
How I Learned to Overcome My Fear and Love Arik Sharon
With the 1996 election campaign approaching, director Avi Mograbi set out to make a film about an infamous and admired political figure, former Israeli cabinet minister and legendary army general, Arik Sharon. To the filmmaker’s surprise, he finds Sharon extremely likeable. In the course of the campaign, Mograbi sets aside his leftist political beliefs and gets surprisingly close to Sharon. This ironic fictitious documentary tells the story of the film’s making, which turns into a domestic melodrama threaded with nightmares about Sharon and arguments with his wife. The real story is of the impossible close encounter between left and right in present-day Israel.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Mograbi
The Life and Death of Gotel Botel
Nati Ornan, an unknown musician and failed lover, lives in a grey world. By day, he is a genuine loser who lives with his mother and plays the part of a vacuum cleaner in a children’s play. By night, he is the leader of a rebellious Indy band that is overlooked by the establishment and the public. His pitiful personal and professional life drives Nati to create a dark and narcissistic alter ego known as Gotel Botel. Gotel brings Nati the greatness he could not achieve on his own. Gotel is able to avenge his enemies, create a successful underground show and conquer the heart of Ayelet, Nati’s secret love.
It’s About Time
Israeli filmmakers Elona Ariel and Ayelet Menahemi direct the hour-long documentary Zmani (It’s About Time). Shot on video, the film uses a humorous postmodern approach to question the value of time in Israeli society, and contains comments from all different kinds of people on the nature of time, in addition to standup comedy provided by Yakov Cohen and musical performances by Jonathan Avishay’s jazz quartet.
It All Begins at Sea
The Rebellious Son
Almost Normal
Shai was born exactly ten years after the death of Itzhak, the first husband of his mother. Itzhak is not Shai’s father; he never even met him. Nevertheless, every year, instead of celebrating his birthday, Shai has to go to the cemetery with his family and celebrate Itzhak’s death . This year, Shai is going to turn 12 and he decided it will be different. He will do everything the can to feel, for once, normal.
