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Ministry [email protected] / WWW.FILMFUND.ORG.IL of Culture and Sport ISRAEL FILM COUNCIL THE ISRAEL FILM FUND TAKES AN ACTIVE ROLE IN AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT The responsibility of the Public film funding organizations to Last year, in cooperation with the Ministry For Senior "Audience Development" has sprung up from a real need Citizens, the Fund managed to promote and legislate a to connect with the local audience and create a faithful, law which gives senior citizens a 50% discount on tickets engaged and supportive audience to local cinema. The goal for Israeli films in the cinemas. In addition the ministry of of this long term process is to deepen people's connection senior citizens fully compensates the producer, exhibitor and experience of watching films together in the cinema and distributor and covers the 50% discount that is given theatres and by this their appreciation of art and culture. at the cinemas.

Recognizing the need to have a solid audience for Israeli Reaching out and developing a local audience includes Films the Israel Film fund has put special emphasis into tapping into “niche” audiences. This promoted the senior audience development and the development of Israeli Film citizens outreach and also opening up to "genre" films culture. As a film funding agency it is within the Fund's role which have mostly a large young audience. Last year and responsibility to be committed to support Israeli films the Fund initiated special production support schemes for not only via financial and creative support but also via "genre films" – such as horror, thrillers, sci-fi, comedies and audience development. zombie movies.

The Fund initiated a series of activities with the aim of From the "Idea to the Poster" the Israel Film Fund encourages increasing the curiosity, interest and engagement of the Israeli feature film productions and aims at creating local audience with Israeli films. The main objective of these opportunities for the filmmakers to bring their creative vision activities is to keep building and exposing the brand "Israeli to the big screen. The Fund is an active partner to the Films". success of the Israeli Films, supporting and promoting not only production but also distribution, audience engagement, The Fund encouraged the establishment of alternative co-productions and international exposure. viewing outlets that offer special screenings of new Israeli films. Reaching out to audiences in the peripheries, the Fund established a connection with more than 25 cultural centers around Israel which screen Israeli films to their members and subscribers. THE NEW VOICE OF ISRAELI WOMEN FILMMAKERS

Israeli Cinema in the first decade of the 21st century gained that centers on three female soldiers in a remote army base outstanding success in Israel and worldwide. The reasons in the desert. for this can be attributed to the appearance of a group of young filmmakers coming out of the film schools, a new "Gett - The Trial of Viviane Amslaem" directed by fascinating and fresh presentation of the political and duo brother and sister Shlomi and Ronit Elkabetz won the social fabric of Israel, institutional changes in the Israeli Israeli Academy best film award. The film was sold to over film industry and the appearance of more and more "genre" 20 territories and received its debut screening at Cannes films such as comedies and horror which have contributed - "Directors fortnight". Heroine, Viviane Amsalem, played to the success. One of the most eminent characteristics of by Ronit Elkabetz is pleading for a divorce at the rabbinical the last few years is the rise of Israeli women filmmakers. court where only the husband has a final say about the verdict. Women have always been active in different roles in the Israeli film industry yet the majority of the films were Creative partners, Tal Granit and Sharon Maymon directed directed, produced and written by men. Nowadays the and wrote "The Farwell Party" which received the scene is changing, women are more and more involved in audience award at "Venice Days", was a great success at all aspects of production. the Israeli box office and was sold to Sony Pictures Classics for North American release. In the last three years women directed more than 15 full length narrative feature films (out of 60) and a good number Women are also very active in production, having a major of films were produced by women. This is not the outcome impact on most of the productions of the last few years; of an institutional "move" or a "political" decision on the Talya Kleinhendler and Osnat Handelsman-Keren of "Pie part of the Israel Film Fund to promote women filmmakers, films" were co-producers of among others "The Farewell but a genuine assessment of the high quality of projects party" and "Bethlehem"; Estee Yacov-Meckelberg of presented by women filmmakers. "2-Team Productions" was one of the producers of "5 Hours from Paris" and "The Farewell Party"; Aurit Zamir of "Gum Most of the successful films of the last years have a key Films" producer of "Manpower"; Naomi Levari of "Black woman filmmaker on board. For example "Fill the Void" Sheep" Film Productions; Yifat Prestlnik of Yifat Prestelnik (2012), directed and written by an ultraorthodox woman Films; Ayelet Kait of "Lama Films" which produced "Jellyfish" director Rama Burshtein. The film had its premier screening Camera d'or Winner in 2007 directed by Shira Geffen and at the where lead actress Hadas Yaron Etgar Keret. These are just a few of a skilled group of active won the Best actress award. women producers.

Among the successful films of 2014 "Zero Motivation", The Increase of women filmmakers in the Israeli film industry Talya Lavie's debut film was the most successful film in the is with no doubt one of the important factors that are Israeli box office in 2014, with over half a million viewers. defining and changing Israeli filmmaking. The film received the Best film Award and the Nora Ephron Award for a “woman writer or director with a distinctive voice" at the Tribeca film festival. The film is a dark comedy ATOMIC FALAFEL MOUNTAIN A FILM BY DROR SHAUL A FILM BY YAELLE KAYAM

A comedy. Two teenage girls from Israel and , become friends A devout woman lives with her family in the ancient cemetery on through the web in the last days before a nuclear war, forcing a ’s sacred Mount of Olives. One night, she is exposed technological battle on security authorities in both countries in to alarming events that evoke her strong desires and fears. order to prevent a nuclear crisis. "Mountain" combines elements of Gothic romance and explores the predicament of a religious woman. In a charged location, at Cast: Michelle Treves, Mali Levi Gershon, Alexander Fehling, the crossroads of the world's monotheist religions Idan Carmeli, Shay Avivi, Yossi Marshak, Zohar Strauss Director & Script: Dror Shaul Cast: Shani Klein, Avshalom Pollak Producers: Chilik Michaeli, Avraham Pirchi, Tami Leon, Director & Script: Yaelle Kayam Amir Feingold, Dror Shaul, Moshe Edery, Leon Edery, Producers: Eilon Ratzkovsky, Yossi Uzrad, Guy Jacoel, Matthew Metcalfe, Andro Steinborn, Skady Lis, Yochanan Kredo Minu Barati-Fischer Ex. Producer: Vibeke Windeløv D.O.P: Sebastian Edschmid Editor: Tom Eagles D.O.P: Itay Marom Production: UCM, Dash Ham, Amir Feingold, Editor: Orr Ben- David General Film, Arden Films, Jooyaa FILMPRODUKTION, Production: July August Productions Getaway Pictures, United King Tel: +972-3-5100223 Fax: + 972-3-5100184 Tel: +972-3-6276200 Fax: +972-3-6276202 Email: [email protected] www.july-august.com Email: [email protected] www.ucm-film.com NADIA ABULELE A FILM BY TOVA ASCHER A FILM BY JONATHAN GEVA

Can a person reinvent herself without dealing with consequences Adam, a ten year-old boy, meets Abulele, an ancient monster, from her past? For over 20 years, Maya Goldwasser lives as a huge, friendly and invisible. Soon the two become best friends. Jewish career woman, wife and mother, whereas in fact she was But when a government Special Forces unit arrives to capture born as Nadia, daughter to a Muslim family. More than 20 years Abulele, Adam will have to put his own past behind him in order since she abandoned her previous identity, her past rears its head to save his friend, and learn that when you really love someone, again. Through the unique story of its heroine, the film "Nadia" you are never really alone. contemplates on life in a society infected with profound intolerance and xenophobia. Cast: Yoav Sadian, Bar Minali, Idan Barkai, Makram Khoury, Yehuda Mor, Rotem Keinan, Oded Leopold, Micha Celektar, Cast: Neta Shpigelman, Oded Leopold, Ali Suliman, Nati Kluger, Liora Rivlin Ruba Blal-Asfour and John Hurt Director & Script: Jonathan Geva Producer: Eitan Mansuri Director: Tova Ascher Producers: Estee Yacov Mecklberg, DOP: Giora Bejach Editor: Omer Zaitman Haim Mecklberg, Svetlana Barr Production: Spiro Films Israel with VFX and Snowball Studios Executive producers: Olga Barr, Ruth Cats, Zvika Nathan, Tel: +972-52-860-5360 Email: [email protected] Ygal Mograbi Script: Anat Ascher and Tova Ascher DOP: Talia Galon Editors: Yair Ascher and Tova Ascher Production: 2 Team Productions Tel: +972-3-6875111 Email: [email protected] www.2teamproductions.com BARASH ENCIRCLEMENTS A FILM BY MICHAL VINIK A FILM BY LEE GILAT

Na'ama is seventeen. She lives in a sleepy suburbia. She is bored. When thirteen year old Aharon, the only son to parents who are With detached parents and a rebellious older sister, her life at unsuccessful in having more children, is selected for the great home is a mess. It all changes when a new girl appears at school honor of carrying the big Torah book around the neighborhood and Na'ama is introduced to a world of drugs, lesbians and sex. in "Simchat Torah" celebrations, he feels life is finally about to She's thrilled. Her life, at last, becomes exciting. Is it going to last? change for the better. But his selection causes the ongoing Barash is a coming of age story, planted in the heart of Israeli tension between his parents to surface, and the symbolic happy society, about a young woman who struggles to find her self- ritual becomes a life-threatening struggle for a boy who will do identity in an environment that has different ideas about sex, drugs anything to make his parents stop using him as the messenger. and love. Cast: Lior Ashkenzai, Asi Levy, Agam Uzlabo Cast: Sivan Noam, Hadas Jheid Sakuri, Dvir Benedek, Irit Pashtan Director & Script: Lee Gilat Director & Script: Michal Vinik Producers: David Mandil, Moshe Edery, Leon Edery Producers: Amir Harel & Ayelet Kait Ex. Producer: Michal Graidy Ex. Producer: David Bedser D.O.P: Shai Goldman Editor: Einat Glaser Zarhin D.O.P: Shay Peleg Production: MoviePlus Productions, United King Films Editor: Ronit Porat Tel: +972 3 5164373 Fax: +972 3 5166332 Production: Lama Films Email: [email protected] Tel: +972 3 6850430 Fax: +972 3 6869793 Email: [email protected], [email protected] www. Lamafilms.com YONA THE FAREWELL PARTY A FILM BY NIR BERGMAN A FILM BY SHARON MAYMON & TAL GRANIT

18 year-old Yona Wallach, haunted by the loss of her father who A compassionate dark comedy about friendship and knowing never returned from the war, is always writing. She craves to be when to say goodbye. A group of friends at a Jerusalem retirement the Marie Curie of the soul, to know and try everything. In order to home build a machine for self-euthanasia in order to help their become a poet she refuses the security of the bourgeoisie lifestyle terminally ill friend. When rumors of the machine begin to spread, she was destined to live. She embraces a bohemian lifestyle, more and more people ask for their help, and the friends are going through countless lovers; male and female, experiments with drugs, has several abortions, periods of hospitalization faced with an emotional dilemma. and suicide attempts – but through it all, she never stops writing her poetry. Her unique, provocative, unbridled voice, refusal to Cast: Ze'ev Revach, Levana Finkelstein, Aliza Rozen, Ilan Dar, adhere to the confines of a gender structured language and her Rafael Tavor constant commitment to breaking boundaries propel her into the Directors & Script: Sharon Maymon and Tal Granit pantheon of Israeli poets. Since her death, her voice and poetry Producers: Haim Mecklberg, Estee Yacov-Mecklberg, live on, penetrating ever deeper into the ethos of Israeli society. Talia Kleinhendler, Osnat Handelsman-Keren, Moshe Edery, Leon Edery, Thanassis Karathanos D.O.P: Tobias Hochstein Cast: Naomi Levov, Michael Moshonov, Shalom Michaelshvili, Editor: Einat Glaser-Zarhin Tom Hagi, Itamar Rotschild Production: Pie Films, 2Team Productions, United King films, Director: Nir Bergman Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion Producers: Chilik Michaeli, Avraham Pirchi, Tami Leon, Tel: +972 3 528 0836 E-mail: [email protected] Michael Eckelt Script: Nir Bergman & Dita Guery 2Team Productions, Tel: D.O.P: Lutz Reitemeier Editor: Ayala Bengad +972 3 687 5111 Production: United Channels Movies (UCM), Riva Films Email: [email protected] World Sales: The Match Factory World Sales: Beta Cinema Tel: +49 221 539 709 0 Fax: +49 221 539 709 10 Email: [email protected], www.the-match-factory.com GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIAN AMSALEM VALLEY A FILM BY SHLOMI ELKABETZ, RONIT ELKABETZ A FILM BY SOPHIE ARTUS

In Israel, the rabbinical court is the only authority competent for Migdal Ha’emek, an isolated little town in the North of Israel. authorizing divorce yet it can’t force a husband to divorce from his Josh (17) is a very aggressive and disturbed kid who spends most wife. For divorce to be pronounced, the total and absolute consent of his time with his little dog. Linoy (17), dreams of becoming a must be given by the husband. The wife is tied and bound to her famous actress but no one supports her. David (17), a new kid husband’s will. Vivian, the heroin has been asking for years for in town, surrounds himself with books and music and blames his a divorce but her husband, Eliahu, keeps on refusing and stops father for his mother’s death. This is the story of three sensitive her from starting a new life. According to the Jewish law, the teenagers who are forced to deal with violence: violence at home rabbinical court and Viviane’s lawyer must have a strong valid and at school. A story of friendship, love and hate, where the reason for making the husband accept the divorce. The film follows adolescents’ world is revealed, a world that is both cruel and seven years of trial where the accused (the husband, Eliahu) is the beautiful; a world where the desire to die or kill and the will to only one to hold the verdict in his hands. live will define their fate. ‬‬ Cast: Ronit Elkabetz, Menashe Noy, Simon Abkarian Cast: Roy Nik, Nave Tzur, Joy Rieger, Maor Shwazier, Directors: Ronit & Shlomi Elkabetz Yoav Sadian-Rozenberg Producers: Shlomi Elkabetz, Sandrine Brauer, Marie Masmonteil, Director & Script: Sophie Artus Denis Carot, Michael Eckelt Producers: David Mandil, Moshe Edery, Leon Edery Script: Ronit & Shlomi Elkabetz D.O.P: Jeanne Lapoirie Ex. Producer: Michal Graidy Editor: Joelle Alexis D.O.P: Giora Bejach Production: Deux Beau Garçons, Elzévir & Compagnie, Riva Films Editor: Boaz Leon World sales: Les Films Distribution Tel: +33 1 5310 3399 Production: MoviePlus Productions, United King Films Email: [email protected] www.filmsdistribution.com Tel: +972 3 5164373 Fax: +972 3 5166332 Email: [email protected] WEDDING DOLL OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE A FILM BY NITZAN GILADY A FILM BY ELAD KEIDAN

Hagit, a young woman is slighty mentaly retarded. . The downtown area. The old Carmel Mountainside. The She lives with her divorced mother Sara in a small suburb town port. Uri gets a chance of catching a freight-ship; he wants to set in the south of Israel. She has a part time job in a toilet paper out for the unknown. He is going downhill to the harbor. Leaving factory and longs to be independent. Her mother, who gave up his hometown, his memories, he is reflecting on his life, replaying her dreams, works as a chambermaid in a hotel, her life surrounds some of his strongest memories. Moshe is out looking for a lost around taking care of her daughter. Hagit’s biggest dream is to cause, unwinding the time out of his loom. Moshe is going uphill. get married. Secretly and without the knowledge of her mother, They are on a collision course. They once knew each other. Moshe she’s in love with the son of the factory owner, who gradually falls was Uri's civics teacher. Will they meet? Will it change anything? in love with her. In her mind, she’s believes that one day they’ll Both of them and some others as well, are traversing the dozens get married. of unique staircases of the historic Carmel Mountain. Memories and in-the-minute presents are seated next to each other in this Cast: Asi Levi, Moran Rosenlatt, Roy Assaf story of lost love, philosophic folly, and street sensibility. Director & Script: Nitzan Gilady Producer: Nitzan Gilady D.O.P: Roey Roth Cast: Itay Tiran, Uri Klauzner Director & Script: Elad Keidan Editor: Tali Goldring Editor in Chief: Daniel Avitzur Producers: Eitan Mansuri, Elie Meirovitz, Jonathan Dowek, Production: Gilady Nitzan Films LTD. Dani Goldberg DOP: Yaron Scharf Tel: +972-52-2319829 Editor: Arik Lahav-Leibovitch E-mail: [email protected] www.giladynitzanfilms.com Production: Spiro Films Israel, EZ Films France Tel: +972–52-860-5360 Email: [email protected] INVISIBLES BEN ZAKEN A FILM BY MUSHON SALMONA A FILM BY EFRAT KOREM

Recently discharged from the Israeli Army, Ra'ed, a Bedouin from Shlomi Ben Zaken, a single parent, has been raising his only an unrecognized village in the Negev desert, is determined to daughter, Ruchi, age 11, since she was born in his mother’s house save his family's herd of sheep, about to be sold and makes plans in Ashkelon. The Ben Zaken family lives in a building on pillars in to live off the herd by starting a roadside Bedouin restaurant. the southern part of the city, in an enclave populated for years Ra'ed's father objects to his venture, expecting Ra'ed to marry by generations of immigrants in mute dependency ties of survival his match and find a more viable job, while the authorities hand and identity. Like the pillars, the people in the enclave witness in a demolition order undermining his project. Ra'ed finds himself what is happening around them and are assimilated in the local supported only by his cousin, Sliman, a petty thief and Sliman's scenery. But the conflict between dependency and autonomy, girlfriend, Nofar, a Jewish high-school student. Matters become between being swallowed up in the enclave and identity, never complicated when Ra'ed falls in love with Nofar and decides ends. Shlomi struggles with himself and with his surroundings to to challenge the family's hierarchy and tradition and follow his retain custody of his daughter, but also recognizes his inability dream. to function as a father and to provide his only daughter with an opportunity for a better life like the one he would want for himself. Cast: Mahmoud Shalaby, Adam Alhuziel, Bat Hen Sebag Will he succeed in setting his daughter free, and enabling her to Director & Script: Mushon Salmona be graced with what he never gained? Producers: Marek Rozenbaum, Michael Rozenbaum, Michael Eckelt D.O.P: Daniel Kedem Editor: Reut Hahn Cast: Eliraz Sade, Rom Shoshan, Ronen Amar, Hani Elimelech, Production and World Sales: Transfax Film Productions Bat-el Mashian Director & Script: Efrat Korem Tel: +972 3 36871202 Fax: +972 3 36871499 Producer: Itay Tamir D.O.P: Shafir Sarusi Email: [email protected] www.transfax.co.il Editor: Nisim Massas, Lev Golzer Production: Laila Films Tel: +972-72-2224660 Fax: 972-722224661 Email: [email protected] World Sales: Patra Spanou E-mail: [email protected] DANCING ARABS MANPOWER A FILM BY ERAN RIKLIS A FILM BY NOAM KAPLAN

Eyad, a gifted boy from an Arab town in Israel, is accepted to a Manpower is a story of four men in crisis. By chance, or possibly prestigious Israeli boarding school in Jerusalem. While struggling not, the four live in the same neighborhood, which teeming with to maintain his identity, Eyad tries to fit in to Israeli society. He foreign workers, is an identity crisis in itself. The story pivots develops a friendship with a boy suffering from muscular round immigration police officer MEIR, who returns from a tour dystrophy, lending strength to the boy and his mother. Eyad falls of decorated policemen to Buchenwald concentration camp. The in love with an Israeli Jewish girl but when their relationship is operation that his unit performs titled "Leave at will", involves an revealed, he decides to leave the school to save his love. Eyad uncompromising deportation of African labor immigrants. Meir's is an outsider, but wants to belong, not knowing to whom and chief commander defines their mission to send the foreigners back to what. He must sacrifice his identity in order to be accepted home as "the new Zionism". Stuck in a financial dead end, and and so he has to take a decision that will change his life forever. under emotional pressure, Meir confronts daily his own values as a human being. Cast: Tawfeek Barhom, Yael Abecassis, Michael Moshonov, Ali Suliman, Danielle Kitzis Cast: Yossi Marshak, Shmulik Calderon, Sun Intusap, Shimon Udi Director: Eran Riklis Script: Sayed Kashua based on his book Director & Script: Noam Kaplan Producers: Chilik Michaeli, Michael Eckelt, Producers: Yoav Roeh, Aurit Zamir Co-producer: Janja Kralj Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre, Avraham Pirchi, Tami Leon, DOP: Iddo Soskolne Editor: Effi Cohen Bettina Brokemper Associate Producers: Moshe Edery, Production Company: Gum Films Leon Edery, Simon Ofenloch D.O.P: Michael Wiesweg Tel: +972 52 3365572 Fax: +972 153 36205194 Editor: Richard Marizy Production: UCM, Riva Film, Heimatfilm, Email: [email protected] www.gumfilms.com MACT Productions & Alma Film production Tel: 972-3-6276200 Email: [email protected] World Sales: The Match Factory Email: [email protected] SELF MADE RED LEAVES A FILM BY SHIRA GEFFEN A FILM BY BAZI GETE

Michal is a Jerusalem renowned artist. One morning, her bed Meseganio Tadela, aged 74, is a hard, aging, obnoxious man breaks, she falls off and consequently loses her memory. She with a big heart. He immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia 28 years orders a new bed and discovers that a screw is missing. She ago with his family. Meseganio is zealously holding on to his complains to the furniture factory, leading to the dismissal of native culture, talks very little, and hardly speaks Hebrew. After Nadine, a young Palestinian woman, who works packing screws his wife's death, Meseganio feels scared of being alone. He sets in plastic bags. This event is a point of no return for both women out on a journey that leads him to his children’s homes. There until fate brings them together again at a border checkpoint. A he comes to realize that he belongs to a rapidly disappearing soldier’s mistake sends Michal to Nadine's refugee camp and community. The Ethiopian culture that he thought he had managed Nadine to Michal’s home in Jerusalem. This switch leads them to to pass on to his children and grandchildren is fading away. discover their innermost desires, the ones they could not access The disappointment and disillusionment is too difficult to bear. in their previous lives. Meseganio, chooses to carry on with his life according to his own ways and traditions. Cast: Sarah Adler, Samira Saraya Director & Script: Shira Geffen Cast: Debebe Eshetu, Solomon Mersha, Ruti Asrasai, Meir Dasa Producers: David Mandil, Moshe Edery, Leon Edery Director & Script: Bazi Gete Associate Producer: Keren Michael Producers: Haggai Arad & Elad Peleg Ex. Producer: Michal Graidy D.O.P: Ziv Berkovich D.O.P: Edan Sasson Editor: Lev Goltser Editor: Nili Feller Production: Daroma Productions Production: MoviePlus Productions, United King Films Tel: +972 57 7555805 Tel: +972 3 5164373 Fax: +972 3 5166332 Email: [email protected] www.daromap.com Email: [email protected] www. www.cinando.com/movieplus World sales: West End Films