This year, Israeli cinema will be especially prominent in the Cannes Film Festival, which will run from July 6-17, with Israeli films to be screened in each and every main category of the festival.
Main Competition
Nadav Lapid's film Ahed's Knee tells the story of Y., a filmmaker in his 40's, who arrives at a remote village at the edge of the desert to screen one of his films. There he meets Diamond, a clerk at the Ministry of Culture, and finds himself waging two lost battles: one against the death of artistic freedom in his country, the other against the death of his mother. Lapid's short film, "Star," will also be screened at Cannes, but not in any competition.
Un Certain Regard Competition
Eran Kolirin's latest film's, an adaptation of the novel by the writer Sayed Kashua's; let there be morning, tells the story of Sami, thought he had found his place in life, but then, without any conceivable reason, the Arab village where he grew up is suddenly surrounded by an ominous wall. Now he is forced to deal with questions of identity and national belonging.
Out of Competition - World Premiere
Ari Folman's animated feature Where Is Anne Frank? tells the story of Kitty, the imaginary girl to whom Anne Frank wrote her famous diary, comes to life in the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Her memories reawakened by reading the diary, believing that if she's alive, Anne must be alive as well; she sets out on a quest to find Anne. We follow Kitty as she travels across Europe and back to Anne Frank's time, armed with the precious book, in search of her beloved friend.
Cannes Special Screening
Shlomi Elkabetz's film, Black Notebooks, is based on the story of his sister, renowned Israeli actress Ronit Elkabetz, who died of cancer in 2016
La Semaine De La Critique competition
Elinor Nechemya's short film If It Ain't Broke tells the story of two lost girls on a winter's day; Alona and Hagar ramble through the streets of Haifa. One is escaping her life, the other her future.
Cinéfondation, Festival De Cannes
Mya Kaplan's short film Night Visit tell of Ruthie on an unusual night with a guy from her village. After discovering the troubling circumstances that led to their unexpected romantic encounter, she must seek the truth and find her own way to confront him.
The annual panel initiated and sponsored by the Rabinovich Foundation's Israel Cinema Project will deal with the changes and challenges of festivals and markets that continue to play a vital role in the film industry. What has been gained and what has been lost during the past year?
Our expert panelists will share their insight after we reunite outside of Zoom.
The panel will be moderated by Mr. Valerio Caruso, Director of Cineuropa.org and Team Leader of the project to support European film festivals of the Delegation of the European Union. Our panelists: Ms. Elise Jalladeau, General Director of Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Mr. Stefan Laudyn, director of The Warsaw FF; Ms. Pnina Blyer, President's Honorary of Haifa FF, Mr. Albert Wiederspiel festival director of Hamburg FF, Ms. Tiina Lokk, film critic, Founder and Director/Artistic Director of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and Ms. Beki Probst Founder EFM -Advisor, Berlin Film Festival.
The Official Israeli Reception
This year, the annual official reception of the Israel Film Fund and the Israel Cinema Project, Rabinovich Foundation, will be held at the Israeli Pavilion in its new location on the Riviera by the sea.
May we all have a great Festival. Hope to see you there!