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From Tomer Heymann's 'Paper Dolls'

Israelis shine at Berlin film festival

One feature film, a documentary and two short films were selected as part of the prestigious Berlinale Panorama

The complete line-up for the Berlin Film Festival, to be held be on February 9-19, has yet to be published; but an impressive Israeli presence is set to feature at the prestigious Panorama.

 

"Mehilot" (Forgiveness), a film by Israeli director Udi Aloni, is an Israeli-American-German co-production that stars Itay Tiran, Moni Moshonov, Clara Hory, Ruba Balal and Shmuel Wolf. It is based on a novella which opens Aloni's latest book, "Gilgul Mehilot," and will be screened on center stage.

 

It tells the story of an American kid who comes to Israel to enlist in the military. He is injured during his service, and is placed in a mental asylum located on the ruins of the Arab village of Deir Yassin. An encounter with his father, who travels to Israel following his son's hospitalization, opens up a Pandora's Box and alters their relationship.

 

Infiltrating the gay scene

 

The documentary category of the Panorama will feature "Paper Dolls", based on the television series by the same name, directed by Tomer Heymann. The film, much like the TV series, documents a year and a half in the life of foreign workers from the Philippines which have established a drag queen troupe and try integrating into the Israeli gay scene.

 

The documentary category focuses on 10-15 of the most interesting documentaries, often dealing with social issues, produced this past year across the world.

 

Single soldier

 

As part of the short film category, Talia Lavi's film "Single Soldier" will be screened. Lavi, a graduate of the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School in Jerusalem, created the movie as her final project.

 

The film, also featured at the Jerusalem film festival competition, traces the life of a female clerk (Dana Ivgi), stationed at a distant military base, who has to deal with a female soldier who has suicidal tendencies.

 

Another graduation project that was admitted in this category is Roni Sasson's "Female Swans". Sassonn, a student at Tel Aviv University film school, describes a day in the life of a mother and her teenaged daughter, full of unexpected events, as they deal with the father's departure. The film, premiered at the international festival for women's films, includes cast members Dalia Shimko, Keren Lavi, Avi Pnini and Yoram Yosefberg.

 

Another graduation project by a Sam Spiegel student, Tsvia Barkay's "Vika", will participate at the Berlin Festival in the children's movies category.

 

Barkay's film follows a girl who comes home from boarding school for the weekend, only to discover an abandoned baby-sister. The film was shown at the recent Jerusalem Film Festival's Wolgin competition, and won grants from the Rezili Lebovich Fund and Snunit Fund.

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.15.06, 19:44
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