PB Film

Norton Museum Of Art Presents Israeli Film Series

WEST PALM BEACH, FL (Oct. 7, 2015) –Israel is a Jewish state, but it is also a land of many ethnicities and religions. In conjunction with the exhibition, This Place: Israel Through Photography’s Lens, the Norton Museum of Art is proud to present the film series, Many Faces of Israel, which showcases this diversity by presenting movies made by an array of Israeli, Palestinian, and Bedouin directors and film students. Themes include Israel’s demographic melting pot, the struggle of minorities, the geopolitical importance of water; the personal and societal clash of the secular and the religious, and the role food plays in Israeli and Arab societies. The films – dramas and documentaries – focus on the human side of Israel, which is too often overshadowed by the political debate. The series was compiled by Karen Davis, who has been programming Israeli, Jewish, and international film festivals for decades, including a 20-year run as director of the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival. 

The series schedule is as follows: 

October 22, 2015 / 6:30 p.m. / During Art After Dark

Israel is a state that was founded by immigrants whether they came from Yemen, Europe, Russia, or the Americas. This program looks at indigenous black Bedouins and black Jews from Ethiopia, one of the newer groups who have made aliyah (literally, the “going up,” or migrating to Israel.)

The Film Class                        Uri Rosenwaks, director                                             53 minutes

A film class taught in the Bedouin city of Rahat becomes a great life lesson for the students and instructor alike. The tragic story of the black Bedouin unfolds through a film class and the personal stories of the female students.

These Are My Names              Ruth Mason, director                                                  30 minutes

Every name tells a story and Ethiopian names, which were changed by Israeli immigration officials, reflect the richness, wisdom, and beauty of their culture.

November 22, 2015 / 2 p.m. (Sunday Afternoon)

Jerusalem on a Plate, 2014                 James Nutt, director                                        56 minutes

Internationally-renowned chef/author Yotam Ottolenghi returns to his hometown of Jerusalem to discover the hidden treasures of its rich and diverse food scene.  He cooks with Arabs and Jews in homes and in restaurants, sampling family recipes that have been passed down through generations, whether it’s collage, a sweet sheep’s pastry, a fiery zhoug from Yemen, or stuffed aubergine with cinnamon from Hungary.  Beautifully filmed, it will leave you hungry for more!

Life and Hummus, 2015                      Alex Matros, director                                      40 minutes

A Jewish-American filmmaker travels through Israel and the West Bank in hopes of finding “the world’s best hummus.”  His search for the food’s origins introduces him to both Arabs and Israelis with a common love for the iconic, regional cuisine that transcends politics.

December 3 / 6:30 pm / During Art After Dark

From Tel Aviv University’s Department of Film and Television: In 2012, noted documentarian/film editor Yael Perlov initiated a project in which Tel Avi University graduates and Arab filmmakers were asked to explore a strongly unifying subject: WATER.

Still Waters                              Nir Sa’ar & Maya Sarfaty, directors               14 minutes

By an ancient spring near Jerusalem, an Israeli couple finds a quiet moment away from the rat race of Tel Aviv life.  The cool-water spring is also used by a group of Palestinians heading to their jobs in Israel.  At high noon, they are forced to look each other in the eye.

Raz and Radja                         Yona Rozenkler, director                                17 minutes

Raz, a tired reserve soldier, guards a broken army truck and Rajda, a Palestinian who broke curfew.  The two repeatedly try to jump start the truck while a friendly donkey refuses to leave them alone.

Make Yourself At Home          Heli Hardy, director                                        14 minutes

Rauda is a 19-year-old girl from the village of Dahamash.  When her mother can’t get to a housecleaning job in a wealthy neighborhood, Rauda replaces her. Meeting Noya and Adam, two Israeli teenagers, Rauda begins to re-examine her life from a new perspective.

Women of Refaiya                   Yoav Shavit, director                                      13 minutes

In the Palestinian village of Refaiya, there is no water infrastructure, so women are obliged to carry water buckets from a nearby natural spring.  Following several women from the El-Amur family, the film reveals life in a place where water is considered a luxury.

January 14, 2016 / 6:30 pm/ During Art After Dark

From Ma’aleh School of TV, Film and the Arts: This film school, in the heart of Jerusalem, is the only one in the world devoted to exploring the intersection of Orthodox Judaism and modern life.  Its unique, cutting-edge films foster deeper understanding and dialogue between religious and secular groups.

A-Maiseh, 2003                       Yitzik Sverdlov, director                    18 minutes

The warm relationship between Mendel, an elderly Holocaust survivor, and his Filipino caretaker, Jose, is tested when police begin searching for illegal foreign workers and Mendel discovers Jose does not have a work permit.

Eicha, 2001                             Laizy Shapira, director                        21 minutes

Eicha is a young, religious girl living on a settlement.  Named after the Biblical Scroll of Lamentations, read on the commemoration of the destruction of the Second Temple 2,000 years ago, she decides to change her name and her identity on her 18th birthday.

The Orthodox Way, 2003        Ilan Eshkoli, director                          25 minutes

This romantic comedy about dating the Orthodox way focuses on Eli, who goes on a blind date to please his aunt.  Everything that could possibly go wrong, does, and Eli and his date spend a bizarre evening driving around the streets of Jerusalem.

The Water-Seller                     Mohammed Fuad, director                                         14 minutes

Water-seller Abu Firas works around the clock in Bethlehem, which suffers from a shortage of running water. Through his daily journey in his water truck, Firas shows us the unique city of Bethlehem.

More About Karen Davis

Karen Davis has been involved with Israeli, Middle Eastern, Jewish, and international films for almost 25 years as a festival programmer, reviewer, and lecturer.  She is currently the artistic director of the Palm Beach Israeli Film Series, moderates the Cinema Club in Deerfield Beach, and programs for the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, and directed the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival for 20 years. A graduate of CCNY and Harvard University, Davis attributes her love of film to growing up in an upper West Side Manhattan neighborhood that had four movie theaters within a 10-block walking distance!

About the Norton Museum

The Norton Museum of Art is a major cultural attraction in Florida, and internationally known for its distinguished Permanent Collection featuring American Art, Chinese Art, Contemporary Art, European Art and Photography. The Norton is located at 1451 S. Olive Ave. in West Palm Beach, FL., and is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed on Mondays and major Holidays). General admission is $12 for adults, $5 for students with a valid ID, and free for Members and children ages 12 and under. Palm Beach County residents receive free admission every Saturday with proof of residency.

For additional information, please call (561) 832-5196 or visit www.norton.org.