Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationships between Nepal and Israel, the film festival aims to promote cultural awareness and promises to expose traditional and modern culture of Israel to the film goers of Kathmandu.[break]
“The Israeli film industry is vivid and diversified, reflecting many aspects of life in Israel. It has undergone major developments since its inception in the 1950s. The movies selected for the festival will expose the viewers to a fascinating facet of the modern Israeli culture,” the host informed.
Though the festival was supposed to commence on March 22, it had to be postponed following the sudden demise of Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala.
The festival which will be open to the public from May 11 at the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Kamal Pokhara will host a special screening of an Israeli film “A Matter of Size” on May 10 for special invitees and delegates.
Festival Calendar
May 11, Tuesday
KADOSH (1999)Time: 3:00 pm
Directed by: Amos Gitai
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 122 mins
Synopsis: The year 2000 approaches in Jerusalem’s Jewish Orthodox Mea Shearim Quarter, where the women work, keep house, and have children so the men can study the Religious Scripts (Torah and the Talmud). Rivka is happily and passionately married to Meir, but they remain childless.
THE BAND’S VISIT (2007)
Time: 2:30 pm
Directed by: Elan Kolirin
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Runtime: 90 mins
Synopsis: The film tells the story of the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra from Egypt that comes to Israel in the happier and more hopeful days of the early nineties. They came in order to play a concert in the opening ceremony of an “Arab culture center” which is located at Petah Tikva, a town in central Israel. Due to typical bad organization of the Israelis, nobody comes to pick them up, and they are left stranded at the border. After a couple of hours, they decide to manage by themselves, but lack of communication between Haled, a young and arrogant but charming violin player, and the local girl at the information desk, sends them to a small, almost forgotten place in southern Israel called Beit Tikva.
May 12, Wednesday
THE STONES (2004)
Time: 3:00 pm
Directed by: Raphael Nadjari
Genre: Comedy/drama
Runtime: 107 mins
Synopsis: Michale works with her father in a Tel Aviv accounting office providing services to important religious institutions. She divides her time between her child, her husband, her work and the man with whom she is having an affair. When Michale learns of the tragic death of her lover, her life is shattered.
TO TAKE A WIFE (2004)
Time: 5:30 pm
Directed by: Ronit Elkabetz and Shlomi Elkabetz
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 97 mins
Synopsis: Haifa, June 1979. The story takes place in Israel during the three days leading up to Shabbat (Saturday). Once again, Viviane is on the point of leaving Eliahu, her husband. Once again, her brothers convince her that her place is next to her husband, her children and her family.
May 13, Thursday
THE SCHWARTZ DYNASTY (2004)Time: 3:00 pm
Directed by: Hasafari and Amir Hasfari
Genre: Comedy/drama
Runtime: 105 mins
Synopsis: “The Schwartz Dynasty” is the tale of two women, joined together by their common struggle for their right to determine their own destiny, in a small town torn apart by religious extremism, petty power struggles, and bigotry. Miriam’s world falls apart after her husband, the head of a religious council, commits suicide in the wake of a financial scandal.
A MATTER OF SIZE (2009)
Time: 5:30 pm
Directed by: Sharon Maymon and Erez Tadmor
Genre: Comedy, drama and sports
Runtime: 90 mins
Synopsis: A group of fat people from the Israeli city of Ramla is fed up with the sanctity of diets and the ‘Dictatorship of the Thinness’ of the diet workshop they participate in. They leave it and discover the world of sumo, where fat people like them are honored and appreciated. Through sumo, they are connecting to themselves and to their fat bodies, each one in his way.
The entrance to the film screening is for free. For reservation, call at the Embassy’s numbers: 4411811 and 4413419.
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