The 2011 Israel Film Festival took place from May 5 through May 11 in New York City. This year, the festival honored actor Liev Schreiber, director/choreographer Stanley Donen, and director/producer Micha Shagrir. They received their awards from presenters who included Naomi Watts, Phil Donahue, and Tovah Feldshuh at the opening night gala.
Naomi Watts and Liev Shreiber. Photograph taken by Solomon Chertok.
Phil Donahue. Photograph taken by Solomon Chertok.
Numerous films were on display at the festival. Highlights included:
* “Intimate Grammar” – based on the novel – depicts the struggles of the new generation of militant Israelis with those of the older generation of Holocaust survivors through the journey of Aharon, a young man who is about to become a young adolescent.
* “Brothers” - depicts the dramatic struggle of two brothers, one of whom is not religious and the other who is, as they try to re-connect against the backdrop of a crucial judicial case between the State of Israel and Yeshiva students.
* “The Matchmaker” – a coming of age story of a teenage boy and his summer job with a mysterious matchmaker that is set against the backdrop of the Six Day War.
* “Zion and His Brother” – a dramatic coming of age story of two teenaged brothers from a broken home who depend on each other and have to face numerous challenges and back breaking decisions in order to try to move forward.
* “2 Night” – a quirky dramatic romance told in real time between a man and a woman who meet in a bar and their time together as they try to find a parking spot in order to continue their romance.
* “Land of Genesis” – a nicely filmed documentary that explores the landscapes and wildlife of Israel.
