Israeli Film Festival in Paris:
Discover the Richness of Israeli Cinema
The Israeli Film Festival in Paris is a must-attend event for cinema lovers in Paris chaired by Hélène Schoumann, surrounded by Armelle Bayou, Production Director, and sponsored this year by Éric Tolédano and Olivier Nakache.
From Tuesday, March 19th to Tuesday, March 26th, the Majestic Passy cinema will host an exceptional selection of feature films, documentaries, and short films from Israel.
Listen to the French podcast about the festival
Armelle Bayou ‘s favorite films
Israeli Film Festival in Paris: Eclectic Programming
The festival’s lineup offers a variety of films, ranging from dramas to comedies, as well as socially engaged documentaries. Here are some of the featured films:
The Monkey House
Date and Time: March 19th at 6:30 PM
Director: Avi Nesher
Languages: Hebrew, Arabic, English
Duration: 2h08
Synopsis: The career of Amitai Kriv, a successful Israeli author in the 1960s, declines over time. In the 1980s, he hires a young literature researcher, Margo, to help him regain his place in Israeli literature. An unexpected encounter between a desperate author and an eccentric young woman that will change their lives.
Arugam Bay
Date and Time: March 24th at 2:00 PM
Director: Marco Carmel
Language: Hebrew
Duration: 1h37
Synopsis: After their military service, three Israeli surfers travel to Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka to overcome the loss of their friend killed in an operation in Beirut. Their journey leads them through experiences that test their friendship and confront them with unresolved traumas.
Running on Sand
Date and Time: March 20th at 7:30 PM
Director: Adar Shafran
Language: Hebrew
Duration: 1h44
Synopsis: Aumari, a young Eritrean refugee, accidentally finds himself mistaken for the new striker for the Maccabi Netanya football team. This film explores the themes of identity, fame, and self-discovery.
The Future
Date and Time: March 22nd at 8:00 PM
Director: Noam Kaplan
Language: Hebrew
Duration: 1h20
Synopsis: Dr. Bloch, eager to have a child, embarks on a quest to find a surrogate mother. Meanwhile, his algorithm to prevent terrorist attacks fails, leading him to confront a young Palestinian responsible for an attack. Between counseling sessions and exchanges with the potential surrogate mother, Dr. Bloch questions his choices and his past.
Matchmaking
Date and Time: March 23rd at 7:00 PM
Director: Erez Tadmor
Language: Hebrew
Duration: 1h38
Synopsis: Motti Bernstein, a brilliant student from a yeshiva, desperately seeks a wife. But when he falls in love with Nehami, a young Sephardic girl, their love is tested by the social conventions of their ultra-Orthodox community.
Seven Blessings
Date and Time: March 21st at 7:30 PM
Director: Ayelet Menahemi
Languages: Hebrew, French
Duration: 1h48
Synopsis: Marie leaves France for Israel to marry her true love. But during the festivities preceding her wedding, family secrets resurface, highlighting old tensions and wounds.
Delegation
Date and Time: March 25th at 1:30 PM
Director: Asaf Saban
Language: Hebrew
Duration: Variable
Synopsis: A group of Israeli high school students goes on a school trip to Poland to visit concentration camps. This journey confronts the youth with the complex history of World War II and helps them understand their identity as Israelis.
Israeli Film Festival in Paris:Documentaries and Short Films
The festival also features documentaries and short films that explore various aspects of Israeli culture and history.
For more information on the full program and to book your tickets, visit the official website of the Israeli Film Festival in Paris : Festival du Cinéma Israélien de Paris.
A Dive into Israeli History and Society
Four Hours a Day
The film “Four Hours a Day,” directed by Ayelet Dekel, reveals a poignant and still unknown story of young mothers in the kibbutz movement in Israel. Based on Orian Chaplin’s bestselling book, this documentary explores the emotional scars left by a practice where babies were taken from their mothers to live in a collective children’s house. A moving narrative that raises questions about the long-term consequences of these choices on mothers and their children.
Women at War
“Women at War” sheds light on the daily struggle of four women who served in the Israeli Defense Forces and are now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Through their testimonies, the film explores the impact of military service on women’s lives in war zones, offering a poignant look at their resilience and struggle for a normal life.
1341 Frames of Love and War
This documentary offers a fascinating look at Israel’s history through the eyes of war photographer Micha Bar-Am. Directed by Ran Tal, the film explores nearly sixty years of the existence of the Hebrew state through Bar-Am’s iconic photographs, offering a profound reflection on memory, violence, and the human cost of conflicts.
Yossi Sarid
It tells the inspiring story of this young poet who became a committed politician, eventually becoming the leader of the Israeli left. An insight into the ideals and sacrifices necessary to defend one’s convictions in Israel’s complex political landscape.
Radio Propaganda
This documentary explores the little-known history of the Israeli radio station Beit Shidir, which played a crucial role in intelligence production during the early years of the State of Israel. Through archival footage and testimonies, the film offers a fascinating glimpse into radio propaganda in the context of state creation and Jewish immigration.
Israeli Film Festival in Paris: Short Films
More Than Friends
“More Than Friends,” directed by Omri Laron, is a short film that explores the challenges faced by an eccentric lesbian mother when she discovers a love letter written by her 11-year-old son to another boy. A touching look at issues of acceptance and tolerance in modern Israeli society.
Girl No.60427
Directed by Oriel Berkovits and Shulamit Lifshitz. Tel Aviv 1998. A young girl discovers her grandmother’s secret diary recounting her life in concentration camps. “Girl No.60427” offers a poignant reflection on family memory and the legacy of the Holocaust.
The Boy
Avinoam and Barak, father and son from a kibbutz on the Gaza Strip border, are forced to face a new series of rockets and battles, each in their own way.
On Saturday, October 7th, in the early morning, Hamas terrorists stormed the family room of Yahav, in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, in southern Israel.
Yahav tried with all his might to block the terrorists, allowing his wife, Shaylee, and their one-month-old daughter, Shaya, to escape.
Shortly after, Yahav was cold-bloodedly murdered. Shaylee and Shaya were rescued after 27 hours.
MIRA, ALMA BEEN ZEEV
“Mira” is the intimate portrait of 90-year-old Mira Perlov, widow of the renowned Israeli documentarian, David Perlov. Through the eyes of her granddaughter, Alma, the film explores this profound relationship tainted by Mira’s Alzheimer’s, capturing the poignant deterioration of their bond.
Student Pitch Prize – Docaviv 2022
THE SOURCE OF ALL BEAUTY, RACHEL LEVY
WITH: Danny Steg, Danielle Eliya Zaints Yaeli, a young ultra-Orthodox woman, carries a terrible secret that could destroy all her chances of future happiness. David, a brilliant yeshiva student, seems to want to get to know Yaeli, but her father, in order to protect her from pain and humiliation, refuses to grant permission for a meeting between the two young people.
Best Short Film Award – Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival 2023
Best Actress Award – Jerusalem International Film Festival 2023
