Founded in 2007, The Other Israel Film Festival uses film to foster social awareness and cultural understanding. The Festival presents dramatic and documentary films, as well as engaging panels about history, culture, and identity on the topic of minority populations in Israel with a focus on Arab citizens of Israel/Palestinian Citizen's of Israel, who make up twenty percent of Israel's population. Our goal is to promote awareness and appreciation of the diversity of the state of Israel, provide a dynamic and inclusive forum for exploration of, and dialogue about populations in margins of Israeli society, and encourage cinematic expression and creativity dealing with these themes. Our programming is guided by our mission to showcase quality cinema that brings to the big screen the human stories and daily lives of Arab Citizens and other minorities groups in Israel, often overlooked by mainstream Israeli society and culture.
Full program:
FILMS
77 Steps
NYC PREMIERE, Israel, 2010, 56 minutes
Directed By:
Ibtisam Mara'ana
Tags:
Women, Documentary, Romance, Human Rights
The personal journey of the director, Ibtisam Mara'ana, who leaves her Arab-Muslim village and moves to Tel-Aviv. In an attempt to find an apartment in the city, she encounters discrimination and refusal by most landlords because of her Arab origins. She finally finds an apartment, and meets her neighbor – Jonathan, a Jewish-Canadian man who immigrated to Israel. A love story evolves as they both search for a sense of belonging and home, on the background of social and political turbulence.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 11/12/2011 | 7:00 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
 | Co-presented by New Israel Fund |  |
| Sunday 11/13/2011 | 3:00 pm | NYU King Juan Carlos Center |
Co-presented by The Taub Center for Israel Studies at NYU
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| Monday 11/14/2011 | 8:45 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
 |
Co-presented by Partners for Progressive Israel (Formerly Meretz USA)
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A Place of Her Own
NY PREMIERE, Israel, 2011, 67 minutes
Directed By:
Sigal Emanuel
This documentary was filmed over the course of four years and follows Reut, a teenager who spent most of her life moving between institutions and living on the street. The film opens when Reut is seventeen and giving birth to her first son, who is immediately taken away by welfare authorities. Reut’s battle with the State for custody of her son leads her to forge a relationship with his foster family – religious Jews who live in a settlement in the Occupied Territories. Meanwhile, Reut meets and marries a Palestinian man, moves to his village and has two more children. Reut is an introverted and intriguing character who longs for stability and a place to call home. Instead, life hands her surprising twists and turns, right up to its tragic end.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 11/14/2011 | 8:45 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
| Wednesday 11/16/2011 | 8:45 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
David & Kamal
NY PREMIERE, Israel, 2010, 78 minutes
Directed By:
Kikuo Kawasaki
Tags:
Family, Children, For the Whole Family, Drama
David & Kamal is about two nine-year old boys – Kamal, an Arab Jerusalemite and David, an American Jew. David and Kamal meet in Jerusalem's Old City where Kamal is dodging bullies and trying to sell postcards. When Kamal sees David he assumes David is carrying a lot of money and pickpockets him. David chases after Kamal but runs into Kamal's tormentors. Kamal turns around and saves David and the boys escape together. Rooftop chases, secret passageways, and police cars and soldiers bring action to David and Kamal's adventure of a lifetime.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 11/12/2011 | 4:00 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
| Sunday 11/13/2011 | 3:00 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
Dolphin Boy
NYC PREMIERE, Israel, 2011, 72 minutes
Directed By:
Dani Menkin, Yonatan Nir
Tags:
Documentary, Medical, Children
After being brutally tortured by his classmates, Morad - a teenaged boy from an Arab village in the North of Israel - is suffering from a severe post-traumatic shock, disconnecting himself from the world around him. When told by doctors that dolphin-assisted therapy is the last treatment option, Morad's father leaves his job and family to move to Dolphin Reef on the Red Sea, vowing not to return unless the boy achieves full recovery. Surrounded by a dedicated doctor, new friends, and an Israeli Jewish girlfriend, Morad and his father embark on a remarkable four-year journey of recovery.
This is the tale of a parent’s patient and tender love, and the friendship between a teenager and the group of dolphins who helped him heal.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 11/10/2011 | 7:30 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| Opening Night Gala | |
| Saturday 11/12/2011 | 8:45 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
|
Co-presented by Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues
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| Tuesday 11/15/2011 | 7:00 pm | Jurow Lecture Hall, NYU Silver Center | Co-presented by The Taub Center for Israel Studies at NYU | |
Homecoming
NYC PREMIERE, Israel, 2011, 58 minutes
Directed By:
Orna Ben Dor & Noa Maiman
Tags:
Documentary, Family, Children, Migrate Workers, Human Rights
Homecoming follows three non-Jewish Israeli teens who were born in Israel to foreign workers. The film follows the teenagers as they visit their parents homes; in the Congo, Peru and the Philippines. Away from Israel and meeting their extended families for the first time, the kids are confronted with questions about the meaning of and about their own identities.This film deals with the politics of immigration and culture through a profoundly personal lens and is particularly timely as Israel has recently begun to deport illegal foreign workers and their Israeli-born children.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 11/14/2011 | 7:00 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| Co-presented by New Israel Fund | |
| Tuesday 11/15/2011 | 7:00 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
Lost Paradise
Israel, , 54 minutes
Directed By:
Various Directors
Tags:
Women, Documentary, Romance, Migrate Workers, Drama
A selection of cutting edge, award winning & engaging short films.
* Adult Content *
LOST PARADISE
Mihal Brezis & Oded Binnun / 2008 / Narrative / 10 min
A man and a woman are tenderly making love in a one-star hotel room. A moment later, when they are fully dressed, the idyll that seemed authentic is now gone.
View Trailer
STITCHES
Dana Kediar / 2009 / Drama / 24 min
Nadine, an Arab young working fruit picker, is engaged to be married. While her mother sews her wedding dress, Nadine’s heart goes out to Shachar, her Jewish foreman. The two lead a forbidden love affair which forces Nadine to confront her reality.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 11/13/2011 | 7:00 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
| Wednesday 11/16/2011 | 8:45 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| Co-presented by Heeb Magazine | |
My Lovely Sister (Special Limited Presentation. By Invitation Only)
Israel, 2011, 91 minutes
Directed By:
Marco Carmel
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 11/17/2011 | 7:30 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| Closing Night. By Invitation Only. | |
Naomi (Hitpartzut X)
Israel, 2010, 90 minutes
Directed By:
Eitan Tzur
This award winning thriller takes place in the mixed city of Haifa. Ilan Ben Natan, a 58-year-old Astrophysics Professor, is obsessively in love with his young wife, Naomi. When Ilan discovers that his deepest fears have come true – Naomi has a lover – he is unable to control himself. He confronts the lover and commits a horrible act, the consequences of which will weigh heavily on his conscience.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 11/11/2011 | 9:15 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
| Saturday 11/12/2011 | 8:45 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
| Sunday 11/13/2011 | 1:00 pm | 92YTribeca | There is no additional information for this event. | |
New Voices
Israel, , 60 minutes
Directed By:
Various Directors
YELLOW MUMS
Firas khoury / 2010 / Drama / 35 min / US PREMIERE
Nizar (9) is a young Palestinian introverted altar boy and a social outcast. During this years' Easter, Nizar decides to compete with the village children in the traditional "breaking eggs" games. He is cheating his way to win, all for the sake of Jesus. It would be the first time Nizar questions his faith. View Trailer
Rukaya Sabbah / 2010 / Drama / 25 min / US PREMIERE
An unexpected meeting between 13 year old Tamer and Khalil, an old man who suffers post traumatic stress disorder, leads to a special friendship.
A kid in Tamer's class, does everything to ruin this friendship.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 11/13/2011 | 3:00 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
| Monday 11/14/2011 | 7:00 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
Shout
US PREMIERE, The Netherlands, 2010, 75 minutes
Directed By:
Sabine Lubbe Bakker, Ester Gould
Young ‘Golanis’ – Druze born on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights – are given an opportunity to study in their parents’ homeland: Syria. Full of self-confidence, best friends Ezat and Bayan leave their village to discover their Arab roots. But Damascus proves to be a colorless metropolis where they often feel far from home. Shout is a film about friendship in one of the world’s forgotten conflict zones; a documentary about growing up and the search for identity and a sense of belonging.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 11/11/2011 | 7:30 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
| Sunday 11/13/2011 | 5:00 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
The Human Turbine
US PREMIERE, Israel, 2010, 60 minutes
Directed By:
Danny Verete
The Human Turbine takes us to Susia, a Palestinian village in the Hebron Mountains. There, in a village surrounded by Jewish settlements, villagers and Jews have come together to generate resources that neither the Palestinian Authorities nor Israel provides. Together, this group has harnessed wind and solar energy to bring electricity to the caves and tents in which the villagers live. Now, they want to use renewable energy to provide running water to the residents of Susia. This film documents both the remarkable and enterprising efforts of this collaboration and the depth of the collaborators’ friendship.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 11/13/2011 | 5:00 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| Co-presented by B'Tselem | |
| Tuesday 11/15/2011 | 7:00 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| Co-presented by Rabbi for Human Rights NA & Givat Haviva | |
The Office (TV Series)
US PREMIERE, Israel, 2010, 50 minutes
Directed By:
Eitan Tzur
Tags:
Satire
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 11/12/2011 | 7:00 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
| Sunday 11/13/2011 | 7:30 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| Co-presened by New Israel Fund | |
The Promise
US PREMIERE, UK, 2011, 81 minutes
Directed By:
Peter Kosminsky
In this groundbreaking Channel 4 Production, we follow the period leading up to Israel's establishment, mirrored in the ramifications in Israel today.
The Other Israel Film Festival will feature the first episode in the series. The following 3 episodes will be screened at The JCC every wednesday - Nov. 23, Nov. 30, and Dec. 7. Click here for details.
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 11/15/2011 | 8:45 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
| Wednesday 11/16/2011 | 7:00 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
Torn
NY PREMIERE, Israel, 2011, 52 minutes
Directed By:
Ronit Kertsner
Tags:
Documentary
Only twelve years after being ordained as Catholic priest Romuald Waszkinel learned that he was born to Jewish parents. The film follows Waszkinel from his church in Poland to a religious kibbutz in Israel. Waszkinel does not reject his Catholicism in favor of Judaism – instead he struggles with two identities, unable to renounce either. But though Waszkinel embraces both Judaism and Catholicism, the religions and the State of Israel refuse him. Can Waszkinal remain a Catholic priest and be an Observant Jew at the same time?
| Date | Time | Venue | Info | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 11/15/2011 | 8:45 pm | The JCC in Manhattan The JCC in Manhattan The Samuel Priest Rose Building 646-505-5708 Directions: By Subway: 2, 3, or 9 to 72nd Street
|
Co-presented by SAJ - The Society for the Advancement of Judaism
| |
| Wednesday 11/16/2011 | 7:00 pm | Cinema Village Cinema Village 22 East 12th street 212-924-3363 Directions: By Subway: N, R, 4, 5, 6 or L trains to 14th Street Union Square
| There is no additional information for this event. | |
Presented by The Israel Film Center at The JCC in Manhattan