201500:23:47Every Second Countshttps://jflix.net/movie/11-minutes-en/701EnglishEnglishHagai AdorianWomenMaale FilmsWarFictionA military ambulance is called to evacuate a seriously wounded young soldier and bring him to a helicopter pad where he will be taken to hospital. Aboard the ambulance is a staff of three young soldiers, one of whom is Karen, a young female paramedic on her first tour of duty. Faced with life and death decisions in the ambulance, Karen will either succeed in bringing her emotions and fears under control -- or fail, and be responsible for the death of a fellow soldier.A film by Hagai Adorian  Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200900:40:10The story of an integrated boarding school for Jews and Arabshttps://jflix.net/movie/16-documentary/343EnglishEnglishKatie GreenMaale FilmsDocumentaryChildren and AdolescentsTwo Jewish boys and two Muslim boys are sharing a room at a boarding school in Jerusalem. All are 16 years old . David, from an orthodox Jewish home, wants to give up religion. Mohammad, a traditional Moslem, is brilliant but keeps failing his exams. Majdi and Guy are both homesick, but for different reasons. Each of the boys must carve out a niche for himself during the painful process of growing up.A film by Katie GreenAwardsAvi Chai Foundation Prize for "Jewish Experience"FestivalsFestival of Jewish Film, Jerusalem, 2003Gerona Jewish Film Festival, Spain 2004"Parting of the Ways" screening and panel, Channel 2, 2005   Produced by Maaleh Film School200800:45:18An exploration of the most contentious piece of real estate on the face of the Earthhttps://jflix.net/movie/35-acres/211EnglishEnglishIgal HechtJewish way of lifeWarReligionAn exploration of the most contentious piece of real estate on the face of the Earth. Holy for both Jews and Muslims, the Sharam El Sharif/Temple Mount is one of the most volatile areas in Jerusalem. Many say that those who control it, control the entire land. This film investigates what's happening in those 35 Acres by documenting Palestinians and Israelis, whose entire lives revolve around the area.A film by Igal HechtRead a review of the movie in our blog201000:38:19Sometimes you have to leave in order to come backhttps://jflix.net/movie/71-square-meters/8EnglishEnglishEliran MalkaMaale FilmsFamilyFictionSometimes you have to leave in order to come back. You have to forget in order to remember. Chezi goes to his deceased parents' house the day before the bulldozers will raze it to the ground. It is the last 24 hours: 24 hours to remember his mother, his father, Bjorn Borg, an old Mezuza.Director: Eliran Malka  Produced by Ma'aleh Film SchoolAwardsThe Audience Favorite, International Student Film Festival, Tel Aviv 2010First Prize for short drama, Religion Today Film Festival, Trento Italy 2011FestivalsCrossRoads International Film Festival, Mississippi, USA199800:14:24Aya drives everybody crazy the day before her wedding, trying to control all aspectshttps://jflix.net/movie/a-bridal-breeze/156EnglishEnglishOr MenachemWomen And GenderMaale FilmsSpiritualFictionAya, a dedicated kibbutz girl, drives everybody crazy the day before her wedding. Will it be windy, or rainy or both? Assistants run back and forth with chairs and tables, trying to please her every whim, as each new weather forecast changes her opinion about how the wedding should be set up. In the end, one small detail is forgotten, and Aya's wedding ceremony is blessed with weather that no one could possibly have predicted.A film by Or MenachemAwardsAward of "Senunit" Foundation for Encouragement of Young TV Artists, for the Drama Film, from the Second Israeli Television Authority, Israel 1998.FestivalsIsrael Film Festival, Los Angeles 1998, New YorkSurprise International Film Festival, Taiwan   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200700:17:37An orthodox couple who emigrated to Israel from America struggle with many challengeshttps://jflix.net/movie/a-jerusalem-tale/159EnglishEnglishTehila Wiesenberg-KaiserJewishRelationshipMaale FilmsLazer and Baila Hirsch, an older orthodox couple who have emigrated to Israel from America, struggle with financial hardship and general misfortune. Lazer, a Bretzlav Hassid, finds that his capacity for simcha (joy) is put to the test. The couple prays for a miracle, but miracles come in unexpected guises...A film by Tehila Wiesenberg-KaiserFestivalsHaifa Film FestivalVancouver Jewish Film Festival   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200400:26:14Can Chava fall in love with a disabled guy?https://jflix.net/movie/a-little-bit-different/162EnglishEnglishRacheli Sheinfeld GadotJewish way of lifeCouplesMaale FilmsFamilyChava, an ultra-orthodox young woman, called off her engagement a year ago. Now a new match has been suggested for her. The introduction is made, but Chava experiences a sharp disappointment. Can she put aside her prejudices to give love a chance to grow?A film by Racheli Sheinfeld GadotFestivals:Jerusalem Film Festival 2004Toronto Jewish Film Festival Canada 2004Israeli Friends Film Festival, Bratislava Slovakia 2004Montreal Jewish Film Festival Canada 2004Religion Today Film Festival, Trento Italy 2004Jewish Film Festival London 2004   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200500:51:18The untold story about north African Jews under Nazi regimehttps://jflix.net/movie/qot-common-fate-en/935EnglishEnglishSerge AnkriZvi Shefy, Alan Jacobowitz, Nani WellerDocumentary filmsHistoryHolocaustEthnicityThis 2-part documentary film tells the little-known story of the Jewish communities of North Africa (Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco) during World War Two, revealing how, had fate not intervened, it was only “a matter of time” until they would share the fate of their co-religionists in Europe.Through archival and contemporary footage and stills, extensive interviews with surviving eyewitnesses and historians, as well as computer-generated animation, the film depicts Jewish life in North Africa and describes the evidence of plans by German and Italian occupiers to carry out “the final solution” far from the shores of Europe.It describes the institution and impact of racial laws, property confiscations, and the establishment of forced labor concentration camps in Italian-occupied Libya, German-occupied Tunis and under the Vichy regimes of Algeria and Morocco. It relates the general suffering, and death, of North African Jews as the result of starvation, disease and violence directed against them. It brings to light the stories of North African Jews deported to Germany concentration camps in Europe.While the encounter of North African Jews with the Holocaust and Nazi Occupation differed from that of European Jews, this film attempts to create a unified sense of Jewish history and peoplehood, by posing the question: was the “final solution” in North Africa only “a matter of time”?200500:50:36The untold story about north African Jews under Nazi regimehttps://jflix.net/movie/qot-tripoli-bergen-belzen-en/934EnglishEnglishMarco CarmelZvi Shefy, Alan Jacobowitz, Nani WellerDocumentary filmsHistoryHolocaustEthnicityThis 2-part documentary film tells the little-known story of the Jewish communities of North Africa (Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco) during World War Two, revealing how, had fate not intervened, it was only “a matter of time” until they would share the fate of their co-religionists in Europe.Through archival and contemporary footage and stills, extensive interviews with surviving eyewitnesses and historians, as well as computer-generated animation, the film depicts Jewish life in North Africa and describes the evidence of plans by German and Italian occupiers to carry out “the final solution” far from the shores of Europe.It describes the institution and impact of racial laws, property confiscations, and the establishment of forced labor concentration camps in Italian-occupied Libya, German-occupied Tunis and under the Vichy regimes of Algeria and Morocco. It relates the general suffering, and death, of North African Jews as the result of starvation, disease and violence directed against them. It brings to light the stories of North African Jews deported to Germany concentration camps in Europe.While the encounter of North African Jews with the Holocaust and Nazi Occupation differed from that of European Jews, this film attempts to create a unified sense of Jewish history and peoplehood, by posing the question: was the “final solution” in North Africa only “a matter of time”?201200:50:51Love, terror, life and death and shape the first two years of their marriagehttps://jflix.net/movie/point-of-light-en/93EnglishEnglishAriel ChenJewish way of lifeCouplesWomenMaale FilmsReligionImmaterialLove and terror, life and death, commitment and the longing for a child shape the first two years of marriage for the director and his wife.Director: Ariel ChenScreenings & Prizes: Best Documentary, Ma'aleh Ceremony 2012   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School 200600:25:39A Yom Kippur prayer from the perspective of a guy with special needs. https://jflix.net/movie/a-pure-prayer/158EnglishEnglishSara Beck DorJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsFamilyReligionSpecial NeedsIt is nearly Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), and the synagogue is still short of a tenth man to make up the quorum for communal prayer. Schwartzman has no idea what to do. Rosa, his wife, has a solution - to bring Menachem, their special needs son, to the synagogue. Menachem is 30, but he has never taken part in communal prayers.A film by Sara Beck Dor   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201700:23:47Motherhood, against all oddshttps://jflix.net/movie/ray-of-light-en/1360EnglishEnglishLihi SabagWomenMaale FilmsFamilyMichal, herself raised in a harsh socio-economic reality, has been a single parent to her baby daughter, Keren Or, since she was seventeen. Against the depressing background of the housing projects of Afula and Jerusalem, and caught in the day-to-day battle to survive financially and maybe even find love, unexpected developments plunge Michal into deeper crisis and call into question everything she believes in about parenthood, family and identity. Yet despite it all she shows an extraordinary resilience in her aspiration to be a caring and responsible mother and to provide for her child the life that she herself never received.Director: Nava Lihi sabag  Produced by Maaleh Film School200500:32:11Three sisters during a highly tense Shabbos at their Mother'shttps://jflix.net/movie/a-shabbos-mother/157EnglishEnglishInbar NamdarJewish way of lifeWomenMaale FilmsFamilyFictionThree sisters — a radio broadcaster who has abandoned her traditional roots, a religious woman in her ninth month of pregnancy, and the film's heroine, who is struggling to conceive a child—gather at their widowed mother's house for the Jewish Sabbath.A film by Inbar NamdarAwardsFirst Prize, Jewish Film Festival, Jerusalem Israel 2005Best Female Film, Religion Today Film Festival, Trento Italy, 2005Best Drama, Sichuan Film Festival, China 2009FestivalsWomen Film Festival Rehovot, Israel 2005Jewish Film Festival, Palm Beach USA 2006Israel Film Festival NY, LA & Miami 2006Jewish Film Festival, Seatle USA 2006International Film Festival, Syracuse USA 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201700:42:29A Jewish orthodox guy's journey to relationshiphttps://jflix.net/movie/single-with-god-en/1243EnglishHebrew (modern)Nadav GedaliyahJewish way of lifeCouplesDocumentary filmsFamilyBiographyGedalia (26) is a bachelor, disconnected from his parents, blogger and a musician with split personality: in the evenings he records music and a video journalist for a popular newspaper. In the afternoons and on Shabat he's an ultra-orthodox yeshiva student and in the mornings he's an instructor and mentor for youth in a religious boarding school.The girls are not interested in this strange guy. So he decides to build himself a smart and cool image by exposing his life in his blog.It just doesn't work...In order not to break down, he preoccupies himself in music composition. And in order to be famous and find love, he interviews celebrities for the newspaper.Then, he starts dating one of his blog readers and offer her marriage in a blog post. Will she accept it? And will he resolve his relations with his parents?A film by Nadav GedaliaVery funny. Very emotional. Very sad. Very optimisticYael Mishali , writer It'a hard not to appreciate the courage and even the humblenessMordi Miller, Small World (Olam Katan) magazine   201500:23:47A portrait of the greatest Hebrew liturgical poet of the twentieth centuryhttps://jflix.net/movie/a-song-of-loves-rabbi-david-buzaglo/709EnglishEnglishRafael BaluluYair Qedar, Michal Weits, Gili NadavDocumentary filmsHistoryBiographyArts and populre CultureRabbi David Buzaglo was the greatest Hebrew liturgical poet of the twentieth century. Born in Morocco in 1903, his literary output had a major impact on a community of hundreds of thousands of people. From his prolific period in the Diaspora to the years he spent in a ruptured Israel, Buzaglo’s poetry initiated an abrupt shift in Sephardic liturgical writing, but it also served as a vital link between the modern era and a tradition that dates back to Spanish Jewry’s Golden Age. But Buzaglo was more than just a great poet. The actions he took at seminal moments in history had a critical impact in shaping the identity of Maghreb Jews. This film is an intimate look at Buzaglo’s life and career, from its roots in the rich tradition of Hebrew poetry in Morocco through the liturgical revolution in Israel.A film by Rafael Balulu | Producer: Yair Qedar | Ha-Ivrim (The Hebrews) SeriesRead a review of the film in our blog 201700:23:47A personal, creative documentary of a Druze filmmaker living in the Golan Heights, about isolation and longing to a homelandhttps://jflix.net/movie/state-of-siege-en/1086EnglishEnglishWaseem SafadiDocumentaryWar And ConflictEthnicities20,000 Druze live in the Golan Heights. They identify themselves as Syrians. After the breakout of the war in Syria, the community was torn not only with conflicts that were associated with the occupation. They were divided between being pro or against president Assad regime, but also found themselves faced with more existential questions, of identity and fate.We set out on a journey with director Waseem Safadi, born and raised in the Druze village Majdal Shams (Tower of the Sun) in the Golan Heights, to discover the inner world of the Druze. We meet with different personalities from the area and experience the absurd and unique reality of the Druze community, living near the lines of ceasefire between Syria and Israel.A film by Waseem Safadi 201500:27:22The story of a woman in the orthodox process of conversion through different points of viewhttps://jflix.net/movie/a-tale-of-a-woman-and-a-robe/235EnglishEnglishNurit Jacob Yinon, Aluma FilmsJewishWomen And GenderHuman RightsReligionNurit Jacobs Yinon"A Tale of a Woman and a Robe: Ritual Immersion of Female Converts", 30 min' documentary that tells the story of a woman in the orthodox process of conversion through a different point of views, which is based on a video art that was awarded as the winner of the 2013 Israeli Documentary Forum. Shown first at the "Zaritsky Artists House" in Tel Aviv as part of a groundbreaking exhibition and was widely quoted and reviewed in all Israeli media. The project is dealing with the ritual bath (mikveh) performed by women converts in the presence of a rabbinical court made up of three male judges. This occasion can be emotionally exciting as the woman is accepted into the Jewish religion. On the other hand, it causes embarrassment due to the immodesty involved in the situation.Based on the video art which was awarded the Best Film, Free Style Category, Israeli Documentary Filmmakers Forum 2013A film by Nurit Jacob YinonFestivals and Exhibitions:* The Zaritsky Artists House Tel Aviv 2013* The Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival 2014* EPOS / The International Art Film Festival / Tel Aviv Museum of Art201300:27:43Sometimes you just can’t go back homehttps://jflix.net/movie/a-visit-to-my-parents-en/111EnglishEnglishHebrew (modern)Alon RabinovichMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsFamilyReligionAn evil spirit descends on my small, warm family. My father became a religious Jew. My mother converted to Christianity. My sister is married to a non-Jew and my father rejects her and the family. I fled from the horror and came to Israel. After my divorce, I decided to deal with my traumatic past, to return to Russia, to mend the shattered pieces of my family. Will I succeed in recovering a belief in love?a film Alon Rabinovich   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201300:16:38A Jewish religious woman finds sisterhood and a common spiritual world with nunshttps://jflix.net/movie/a-walled-garden/105EnglishEnglishEfrat CohenJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsFamilyReligionEfrat, a religious woman, who did not grow up religious, is married to a Rabbi and raising three daughters. Curiosity leads her to a Jerusalem monastery where she connects with several nuns. She is sure that the pastoral atmosphere, the quiet and solitude allow them to live a perfect religious life. A dramatic event in Efrat’s life and the nuns’ openness leads Efrat to understand, to find answers.A film by Efrat Cohen   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200500:18:33A surprising loyalty between a Holocaust survivor and his Filipino caretakerhttps://jflix.net/movie/a-maiseh/160EnglishEnglishYitzchak SverdlovMaale FilmsFamilyImmigration & absorptionSenior CitizensThe warm relationship between Mendel, an elderly Holocaust survivor, and his Filipino caretaker, Jose, is tested when Jose does not have a work permit and the police begin searching the neighborhood for illegal foreign workers.A film by Yitzchak SverdlovAwardsSpecial Award, Jerusalem Film Festival 2002Second Prize, Jewish Film Festival, Jerusalem 2002FestivalsJerusalem Film Festival 2002Jewish Film Festival Jerusalem 2002Gerona Film Festival, Spain 2003International Student Film Festival, Tel Aviv, Israel 2004   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201000:59:51A humorous, almost fantastic, story about a friendship between a Sufi Muslim and two Orthodox Jewshttps://jflix.net/movie/abu-ali-and-the-holy-temple/264EnglishEnglishVered OsmanArts and CultureReligionA humorous, almost fantastic story about a friendship between Khaled Abu Ali, a Sufi Muslim - artist, musician and theater director and two Jewish orthodox theater players, in their mutual project - rebuilding the third Holy Temple in Jerusalem through a theatrical show. The famous Israeli-Arab conflict is presented from an angle never seen before.A film by Vered Osman200500:30:36A small synagogue community is torn around questions of modernity and preservationhttps://jflix.net/movie/addes/152EnglishEnglishAvital Livneh LevyJewishMaale FilmsIsraeli SocietyHistoryThe renovation of a 100-year-old Jerusalem synagogue on the occasion of its upcoming centennial celebrations ignite a conflict over old and new, identity and obliteration of memory, the living and the dead.A film by Avital LivnehFirst Prize, DocAviv Student Film Festival Tel Aviv 2005FestivalsStudents Film Festival, Lodge Poland 2004San Fransisco Jewish Film Festival 2006Argentina Jewish Film Festival 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201500:52:19A serious dilemma for grieving parents that forces them to reconsider the way they confront their painhttps://jflix.net/movie/against-your-will/288EnglishEnglishAssaf BanittJewish way of lifeDocumentary filmsFamilyGilles and Esther Alexandre struggle with the loss of two sons to suicide committed during their military service, as well as with the resulting condemnation by the religious kibbutz in which they live. The community regards suicide as a sin and a source of shame and expects the grieving parents to swallow their pain. However, the Alexandres refuse to succumb: they launch a public campaign to reshape Jewish Orthodoxy's discourse on suicide. Now, their youngest son Binyamin is preparing to enter the army and wants their permission to join a combat unit. Loyal to his community's standards, Binyamin implores his parents to find another way to commemorate his siblings. All of this poses a serious dilemma for the grieving parents and forces them to reconsider the way that they confront their pain.A film by Assaf Banitt AwardsFedeora Jury Special Mention, Docaviv International Film Festival, May 2015 FestivalsSanta Barbara International Film Festival, USA, 2016Official Competition- Docaviv International Film Festival, May 2015200600:51:12A biographical movie about poet Agi Misholhttps://jflix.net/movie/agi-mishol-documentary/1730EnglishHebrew (modern)Ruth WalkWomenDocumentary filmsBiographyArts and Popular CultureLiteratureFor the past 30 years, Agi Mishol has lived in Kfar Mordechai, near Gedera, a place she calls "the most natural for me." In her yard, figs and pomegranates are being harvested for market.She writes in the morning, usually between 8 and 9 a.m., while her mind's alpha waves are still in a dreamlike state. It is then that a poem emerges, often in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee. She sits in her kitchen, writing on a simple sheet of paper.She cares for a menagerie of animals: three dogs (Vashti, Arthur, and Libby), six cats, rabbits, and a duck. "They're the reason I don't travel abroad," she says. "It's the responsibility."She remembers every poem she has written by heart:I woke up wrong,poorly developed.I was supposed to be glossy,but I came out matte."Agi Mishol belongs, without a doubt, to the great lineage of Hebrew women poets—Leah Goldberg, Dahlia Ravikovitch, and Yona Wallach," wrote the critic Dan Miron. In one of her poems, she wrote, 'With a single step, I could connect earth to heaven.' In the same way, the film seeks to bridge her earthy, sensual, and distinctly local Israeli world with her celestial, metaphysical one.To date, Agi Mishol has published seventeen books of poetry. She is the recipient of numerous awards, most recently the prestigious Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Award in 2019.A film by Yael Perlov and Ruth Walk, it is part of the series A Room of One's Own: Women Writing.***About the Series:A Room of One's Own: Women Writing is a series about women whose lives are dedicated to the craft of writing—women for whom writing is not just a profession, but an existential necessity.In 1929, the English author Virginia Woolf wrote in her book, A Room of One's Own, "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." It is remarkable how relevant these words, written decades ago, remain today. The five women featured in this series exemplify the very struggles Woolf alluded to. To make writing the center of their lives, they face a relentless and often bitter struggle for personal and financial independence, frequently making social and familial sacrifices along the way.The series consists of five episodes, each dedicated to one woman. It captures a day in her life within her natural environment—her "room of one's own." This space encompasses her writing desk, her social circles, and her daily routines. Through this lens, the series delves into the unique thoughts and characteristics that define her as a writer and explores how the act of writing propels her life forward.The common thread uniting these women is the profound importance of the written word in both their intellectual and practical lives, and the inherent struggles that arise from this commitment.By observing their daily lives, the films decode why writing constitutes their entire world and examine the interplay between their texts and their lived experiences. The series aims to sketch a portrait of the woman behind the words. In one of her stories, Orly Castel-Bloom wrote, "I live on paper." This sentence, reflecting a deep-seated need to write while also ironically hinting at the perceived "unreal" nature of a woman's life lived solely "on paper," captures the series' goal: to showcase the authors' devotion to their craft while simultaneously emphasizing the reality and significance of their lives. The series reveals women who live not just "on paper," but in the world, fully realizing their inner selves and spirits.201800:27:38Liam reflects on his previous female identityhttps://jflix.net/movie/almost-liam-en/1382EnglishEnglishSapir rokachMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsLGBTBefore leaving for Germany where he will undergo irreversible surgery, Liam reflects on his previous female identity.Raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, Liam came out as transgender while he was serving as a woman soldier in the IDF. In this film, which includes his private videos documenting some of the most profound changes that he undergoes in body and mind, Liam reflects on his journey and takes leave of his family before emigrating to Germany, where he will undergo irreversible surgery.Screenings and PrizesIMPACT Doc Awards, USA, Excellence AwardWarsaw Jewish Film Festival 2019 - First Prize, Best Documentary ShortHaifa Film Festival, Israel DOCNYC, USAAmerican Documentary Film FestivalLos Angeles Jewish Film FestivalTel Aviv LGBTQ festival, TLVFestTwin Cities Jewish Film FestivalBerlin Jewish Film FestivalGirona Film Festival, SpainHong Kong Jewish Film FestivalSan Diego Jewish Film FestivalPalm Beach Jewish Film Festival, USASan Luis Obispo Jewish Film Festival, USAAthens Short Film Festival, Greece 201100:30:05A rare glimpse into the lives of three divorced Ultra Orthodox women https://jflix.net/movie/alone-en/151EnglishEnglishShmuel MinkovJewishRelationshipWomen And GenderMaale FilmsFamilyA rare glimpse into the lives of three divorced Ultra-Orthodox women, who tell about their daily hardships, fears, and diminished status in the eyes of the community. Above all, their dearest wish is to marry again.A film by Shmuel MinkovBest Documentary, Jewish Film Festival Jerusalem Cinemateque 2012    Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200901:26:10A portrait of the renowned Israeli author Amos Ozhttps://jflix.net/movie/amos-oz-the-nature-of-dreams/228EnglishEnglishYonathan & Masha ZurIsraeli SocietyBiographyArts and populre CultureA portrait of the renowned Israeli author Amos Oz, following his memoir, "A Tale of Love and Darkness" and his political struggle for peace in the Middle East for the last years. Exploring the persona of Amos Oz, the film opens a rare window into the world as observed through the eyes of one of Israel's greatest authors. Oz is a man who, it has been said, knows Israeli society inside out - since he is an outsider, in a very profound sense, of all worlds. This is a journey in the footsteps of Amos Oz, his literary writing, and his political beliefs. The journey takes us through his memoir, "A Tale of Love and Darkness” and follows him over a period of two years in his efforts to promote the Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict..A film by Yonathan & Masha ZurThe film won the Special Audience Award for “Best Story Film” in "Film for Peace" Festival in Italy, September 2010.200700:38:03The difficulties of being both an Orthodox Jew and Gayhttps://jflix.net/movie/and-thou-shalt-love/4EnglishEnglishChaim ElbaumJewish way of lifeCouplesMaale FilmsLGBTSexual MinoritiesOhad, who is studying in the special 'Hesder' program for orthodox soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, experiences profound loneliness while he conceals from others that he is gay. After calling a religious hotline for advice, Ohad is convinced that he is 'cured'. Then Ohad's study partner Nir returns from the army. Ohad finds he can no longer evade the difficult questions, both within himself, and between himself and God.Director: Chaim Elbaum  Produced by Ma'aleh Film SchoolAwardsFirst Prize, Best Fictional Film, Maaleh Graduating ceremony, 2007First Prize, Best Drama, Jerusalem Film Festival (Wolgin) 2008Audience Award, International Student Film Festival, Tel Aviv, 2008First Prize, Best Short Film, The Jerusalem International Jewish Film Festival 2008First Prize, Best Israeli Short Film, FilmIsReal Amsterdam, May 2009Bronze Pheonix Award, Warsaw International Jewish Film Festival 2009197500:15:41Mordechai Ardon, who belonged to the Bauhaus school, was one of the most influential artists in Israelhttps://jflix.net/movie/ardon-a-portrait-of-an-artist/348EnglishYona ZeritzkyDocumentaryBiographyArts and CultureMordechai Ardon, who belonged to the Bauhaus school, was one of the most influential artists in Israel and  for many years served as the director of art studies in the ministry of education. A film by Yona Zeritzky200701:00:05An unapologetically political film, which reflects a visual reality from the settlers' point of view, depicting scenes rarely seen in the mediahttps://jflix.net/movie/arise-from-the-dust/5EnglishEnglishMenora Katzover HazoniDocumentary filmsHuman RightsIsraeli SocietyWarIn 2005 the Government of Israel destroyed 25 villages in Katif (Gaza) and four villages in the northern Shomron of Israel.One of these was Homesh, a village populated by secular Jews. A number of young Jewish orthodox families joined the village during the difficult period of the Intifada. Menora Hazani, who was among those families, documented her personal perspective of the eviction. She documented the internal conflicts, the pain, the struggle, and finally the disengagement as it occurred.A film by Menora Katzover Hazoni200600:16:10An ambitious army officer is forced to bridge the gap between his career and his familyhttps://jflix.net/movie/army-dad-en/153EnglishEnglishYifat HajbiMaale FilmsWar And ConflictFamilyChildren and AdolescentsOn the exact date that Gideon, a tough young officer in the IDF, needs to prepare his recruits for a parade, his wife decides to bring their 6-year-old son to the base and leave him there. The clash between this naughty little boy and the military life of the army results in a number of comic and dramatic situations which force Gideon to bridge the gap that has existed for years between his family life and his army career.A film by Yifat Hajbi   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200700:51:18The story of Israel's "white folks"https://jflix.net/movie/ashkenaz-en/922EnglishEnglishRachel Leah JonesDocumentaryIsraeli SocietyHistoryAshkenazim-Jews of European origin-are Israel's "white folks." Like most white folks in a multicultural society, they don't think of themselves in racial or ethnic terms because by now, "aren't we all Israeli?" Yiddish has been replaced with Hebrew, religion with secularism, exile with occupation, the shtetl with the kibbbutz, old-fashioned irony with post-modern cynicism and pale girls with dark curls by bleached blonds with a suntan. But the paradox of whiteness in Israel is that Ashkenazim aren't exactly "white folks" historically.A story that begins in the Rhineland and ends in the holy land (or is it the other way around?), ASHKENAZ looks at whiteness in Israel and wonders: How did the "Others" of Europe become the "Europe" of the others?A film by Rachel Leah JonesOsnat Trabelsi // producerGraduate of the Department of Film and Television at the Tel Aviv University. Chairwomen of the Israeli Documentary Filmmakers' Forum. Owner of Trabelsi Productions, which produces political and social films. Among the films she produced are international award winning films such as Arna's Children (director: Juliano Mer Khamis), Strawberry Fields, Ashkenaz, Pizza in Auschwitz, Jaffa, the orange's clockwork and the original ground breaking webdoc “Gaza-Sderot”. She initiated and directed the first International Human Rights Film Festival in Tel Aviv and Ramallah. In 2007 she was chosen by The Marker as one of 40 women who make change in society.200200:51:53A rare look into the lives of ultra-orthodox women, their activities and their grasp of their identitieshttps://jflix.net/movie/atonement-tikkun/251EnglishEnglishTaliya FinkelJewish way of lifeWomenImmaterialAnthropologyIf I saw someone screaming like my mother, I would think they were mentally disturbed if it wasn't 100% authentic..." So says the son of Rabbinate Lea Kook, a charismatic and controversial ultra-orthodox leader from Tiberius.This film offers a rare and intimate look into the world of ultra-orthodox women, documenting the Rabbinate intensively for two years. The filmmaker's unprecedented access captures a staunch believer in a prophecy the world refuses to hear, whose cooperation was a form of "Tikkun" (spiritual correction).By observing her from such a close distance, the viewer is left to confront the controversy surrounding Lea Kook: is her conviction genuine, or is it a calculated performance?A film by Taliya Finkel200901:18:43A inter-generation women's journey between Morocco and Israelhttps://jflix.net/movie/azy-ayima-en/975EnglishEnglishSami Shalom ChetritDikla PartoshDocumentary filmsHistoryEthnicityA journey into the life of the film director's mother, Yekut, from her adolescence in Morocco to the newcomers' city of Ashdod, Israel. A journey between generations and cultures and an exploration of the relationship between Yekut and son, between her poetry and his.The trigger and axis of the film is Yekut's graduation picture from her school in the Moroccan desert, 70 years ago.She embarks on a journey to find her classmates who live today in different corners of Israel and tell their stories and memoires. For the first time, in Hebrew mixed with Moroccan, their stories are intertwined together and are consolidated to a moving new story. Memories of childhood and adolescence in Morocco and the move to Israel, with crises and happy moments, are told from a feminine voice and perspective.A film by Sami Shalom Chetrit201501:27:38An ambitious group of younsters is running for gold in the world championship in breakdancehttps://jflix.net/movie/babylon-dreamers-en/317EnglishEnglishRoman ShumunovInbal CohenIsraeli SocietySportsAnthropologyThe film follows a group of young break-dancers who call themselves the “Unstoppabullz”, immigrants from the former Soviet Union who live in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the Israeli city of Ashdod. The group is like a family to its members, who decide to pursue their childhood dream – to compete in the break-dancing world championship in Germany. This decision presents a nearly impossible challenge for a group with so few resources. In documenting the group’s unique journey, we are exposed to our heroes’ dramatic personal stories: MIXER, 27, one of the leaders of the group, married with a two-year-old daughter and another baby on the way, decides to take in his little brother and sister (ages 10 and 11), since his alcoholic mother is incapable of caring for them. On top of all this, there is Mixer’s big dream, to succeed in break-dancing, his greatest passion. This is his art, his way of letting loose, striving for more, believing, hoping and dreaming. If he abandons the dream and settles for a life in Babylon, it would be like giving up on himself entirely. The decision to compete and the trip to Germany are, in a sense, Mixer’s war cry. POTTER, 21, is a conscripted soldier living with his mother, who has been struggling with mental illness for many years. Potter has developed remarkable adaptive strategies to survive the daily challenges of life with his mother, whose violent mood swings could lead her to snap at any moment. At times, Potter finds shelter in his grandmother’s house.The movie features rare glimpses into the street lives of these youngsters, unique underground rap scenes throughout the film. The songs are all original works written by RENAT and ROMA, two brothers and members of the band, a self-portrait of second-generation immigrants. The movie is a journey, intimately following the band and our two heroes, up until the wild moment when they make their dream come true and perform on the biggest break-dance stage in the world. A film by Roman Shumunov200900:56:28An honest investigation of the aftermath of the Gaza Disengagementhttps://jflix.net/movie/banished/210EnglishEnglishIgal HechtIsraeli SocietyWarBanished tells the story of the aftermath of the Gaza Disengagement. Director Igal Hecht completes his Disengagement trilogy which started with Qassam (2004) and Disengaging Democracy (2006). The film investigates in-depth what went wrong with the rehabilitation of those forcefully removed and why is it that the Israeli media has avoided the topic. True to his nature Hecht, does not shy away from asking the hard questions. The film has been in production since 2006 and includes interviews with Chaim Yavin, Gush Katif residents, Nitzan Chen and others. Israel's former foreign minister (Tzipy Livny) is also featured.A film by Igal Hecht201100:33:09Soldiers serving at a checkpoint face unexpected life threatening eventshttps://jflix.net/movie/barriers/10EnglishEnglishGolan RiseMaale FilmsIsraeli SocietyWarFictionUri, a young officer, together with two soldiers under his command, are manning a checkpoint in the territories. Two women from the 'Watch' organization try to interfere with their work. Uri is confused as he receives an order to close the checkpoint because of a bomb threat amidst the women's screaming. An unpredictable outcome ensues....Director: Golan Rise  Produced by Ma'aleh Film SchoolAwardsFirst Prize for Live-Action Shorts - Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2013First Prize for Short Drama - Jerusalem Film Festival 2011Best Film Intercultural Dialogue' at the International Munich Film Festival.197301:26:39A year before his decease, Ben Gurion recalls the great events that shaped his lifehttps://jflix.net/movie/ben-gurion-remembers-en/817EnglishEnglishSimon HeseraDocumentary filmsHistoryBiographyDavid Ben Gurion, the first prime minister of the state of Israel, recounts the events which shaped his political journey and those of the state he helped to establish. During the preparation of the film, Ben Gurion met with the leaders of the western world and Israel. A year after the pruduction ended, Mr. Ben gurion passed away. The film was supposed to be broadcast on October 6, 1973. In the morning of that day, the Yom Kippur war broke up and the film was burried in the basements of the Israel Broadcast Authority for 43 years, until it was restorated by the producer's daughter, Mooly Landesman, a filmmaker herself.Read a review in New York Times from October 8, 1973, 2 days after the alegged broadcast date201000:33:09The story of Netzarim community, through the eyes of a young girlhttps://jflix.net/movie/between-heaven-sand-en/1305EnglishEnglishYehudit PasalJewish way of lifeDocumentary filmsIsraeli SocietyPoliticsTo order a public screening / lecture together with the film: seret.hafaka@gmail.comMy sister Neta was then 19 years old, a graduate of the communications study course. She decided to start filming the Netzarim community the moment the Disengagement Plan was decided upon. During two years she filmed and filmed and filmed. How a community was buried under rubble. How a community decided to continue. How faith maintains life. How there's strength to begin anew. Three women opened their hearts and homes to her: Shlomit Ziv, Arielit Ben Tzvi and Ruti Fogel HYD. She joined them on a journey of faith and strength. They coped daily with the home, the children and society. They especially had to deal with their inner soul, feelings and choices in light of the difficult decree and the destruction. After two years, she packed up all 120 tapes she'd filmed in a box that collected dust over the years. The story of the Netzarim community was buried there, in her room. Until Ruti was murdered. That Saturday night Neta called me. 'Take the tapes', she said.' Tell the story'. 
This is the personal story of the Netzarim community that was uprooted from their homes and land in 2005 in accordance with the Disengagement Law and as part of the evacuation of all of the Gush Katif communities.
Throughout the making of this film I continually searched for the personal story, the one that touches one's heart. I found it with these three heroic women. They're strong. Brave. Shlomit, Arielit and Ruti – I will always carry with me the lessons I learned from how you persevered during this terrible crisis. I find myself remembering certain things you said as I deal with various difficult issues in my life. This film isn't about the expulsion, or about death or destruction. This film shows how to deal with a serious crisis. It's about picking up the pieces and choosing what to tell your child during the difficult hours. It's about the ability to take a break from all the chaos around you and to explain the ongoing process to yourself and derive strength to continue on your chosen path. This is a rare documentation of real-time coping; small, daily choices with monumental consequences. This is a story of love, femininity and gentleness, alongside strength and resilience. This is a real life story.
Yehudit Pasal - director"Moving and poignant…. As though I were personally experiencing the sights and the pain. Powerful!"
--Rama Burshtein ("Fill the Void", "Through the Wall"). We wish to thank you for this poignant meeting. I asked the girls how it was.                                                    
They said: How did they know they enjoyed it? Because they discussed it all night long. That means it moved us. Your speech was powerful. Charismatic. Each one in her own way. You awakened in us inspiration, humility, faith and trust in G-d, and love for art. From a Torah point of view which includes love of the Land. We learned what it means to live meaningful Israeli lives. May you continue to see success and growth, keep in touch."
--Limor Levkowitz Levan, Educational Director Kfar Pines Religious Girls' High-School199900:52:35Three daughters whose fathers had been killed in the war, tell their storieshttps://jflix.net/movie/between-two-fathers-en/863EnglishHebrew (modern)Mooly LandesmanWomen And GenderDocumentaryFamilyThree daughters whose fathers had been killed in the war during their military in the service, tell their stories. It's a movie about longing, about growing up with an adopting father and about memories.A film by Mooly and Tslil Landesman201500:25:39Anti-semitism unmaskedhttps://jflix.net/movie/beyond-paranoia-war-against-jews/831EnglishEnglishMonique SchwarzDocumentaryHuman RightsHistoryPoliticsUsing richly layered interviews with Jewish writers, academics, journalists and communal figures, acclaimed Australian filmmaker Monique Schwarz explores the history of anti-Semitism worldwide, exposing sinister new variations of the oldest hatred.Beyond Paranoia is a passionate, personal and fearless exposé of the emergence in our time of the “new anti-Semitism.” It is a wake up call to all who thought, “never again”.Jews in the West feel safe and accepted in the havens chosen by their parents and grandparents, many of whom were survivors of the unspeakable crimes of the Holocaust.Some Western Jews have lived in their home communities for hundreds of years. Yet in recent decades a rise in violence against Jews has forced Jews everywhere to hire protection for their institutions, schools and synagogues as unprecedented waves of anti-Jewish hatred spread throughout the East and West.This hatred is masquerading as anti-Zionism. Propaganda, half-truths and media bias have primed "politically correct" intellectuals to demonize Israel, the Jewish State. Left-wing politicians, media pundits, filmmakers, feminists, students and academics condemn Israel's response to defend itself in the name of anti-imperialism, antiracism and pacifism.Beyond Paranoia reveals that behind this intellectual smoke-screen lurks the familiar hatred of Jews as “other”; as the Christ-killers in Christianity, as the “Monkeys and Pigs” of the Quran, and as the secret, all-powerful international conspirators pulling the strings behind banks and governments.Beyond Paranoia fights back against these lies and accusations, It unravels the rich and complex tapestry of anti-Semitism that has been woven into human society over the centuries in both the East and West. It argues that the anti-Zionist and anti-Israel violence and hatred that we now see emanating from Islamic countries and from large sections of the West, is simply the same anti-Semitism that Jews have known for thousands of years.A film by Monique SchwarzIMDbSelected Interviewees:Professor Robert WistrichItamar MarcusProfessor Raphael IsraeliDr. Manfred GerstenfeldAharon AppelfeldTuvia TenenbomHillel NeuerProfessor Phyllis CheslerDr. Mordechai KedarDownload full press kit201600:51:18Searching for the unknown Holocaust in the former Soviet Unionhttps://jflix.net/movie/beyond-the-nistru-en/1041EnglishEnglishBoris MaftsirZvi Shefy & Boris MaftsirDocumentaryHistoryHolocaustA documentary project by Boris MaftsirOn June 22, 1941 – The German and Romanian armies attack the USSR on the southern part of the front. The Romanians aimed to return to the Dniester River and regain control of Bessarabia and North Bukovina which were taken from them in the summer of 1940 by the Soviets. In late August 1941 the Germans grant the Romanian government the region on the east bank of the Dniester River, or as it is known in Romanian – Nistru. Hitler names this area – Transnistria. The film “Beyond the Nistru” depicts some of the Holocaust events that took place during the first year of the greatest patriotic war in Romanian occupied Soviet Union territories. Episode 1 – Revenge of the Romanians – Depicts the pogroms and assassination of Jews in Moldova (Bessarabia) from the onset of Operation Barbarossa on June 22, 1941 until the beginning of the deportation of Bessarabia and Bukovina Jews to Transnistria.Episode 2 – Purification – Depicts the deportation of Jews from Cernauti and other towns in Bukovina and their suffering and death until they reached the ghettos of Transnistria.Episode 3 – Typhoid Outbreak – The winter of 1941/42 in Transnistria and in the Bershad and Shargorod ghettos – the death of tens of thousands of Jews from typhoid, freezing cold and starvation. The project includes eight films. Click here to explore the full collection. http://www.holocaustinussr.com/** if you have an active subscription to the platform, you can skip the following message** The film is available for free, for personal viewing, which includes a watermark. To watch it, simply click on the Play button above.If you'd like to watch the film in higher quality and without a watermark, please click on Rent and choose the rental period.For institutional use and public screening, please click on Download and choose the appropriate license.201500:23:47A portrait of the Zionist national poethttps://jflix.net/movie/bialik-king-of-the-jews/710EnglishEnglishYair QedarDocumentary filmsHistoryBiographyArts and populre CultureHe was the most beloved Jew of his time. 100,000 people attended his funeral in 1934 in Tel Aviv. he became the Zionist national poet at the age of 30 – who was Chaim Nachman Bialik, also known as the King of the Jews? Using an especially designed animation for this film, a narration of Bialik by Chaim Topol (Fiddler of the Roof), and early 20th century music sung by Ninnette, Israel's' most popular singer, the film unveils the story of this once very known and loved man who layed the layers for Israeli culture.A film by Yair Qedar | Producer: Yair Qedar | Ha-Ivrim (The Hebrews) SeriesRead a review of the film in our blog 201700:20:12Mystery and imagination surround what seems to be a simple building renovationhttps://jflix.net/movie/biography-en/1381EnglishEnglishArik KaufmanMaale FilmsSenior CitizensFictionA war widow writing her husband's biography suspects one of her neighbors of foul play.Miriam, an elderly war widow tormented by her young husband's death, surrounds herself with archival recordings and writes his biography in her crumbling apartment. Though she wishes only to be left alone to complete her task, her aggressive neighbors, hungry to evict her, have other ideas. 201500:50:43The mysterious life and death of Tirza Atarhttps://jflix.net/movie/bird-in-room-he/1205EnglishHebrew (modern)Documentary filmsBiographyArts and populre CultureTwo poets, father and daughter, in a dangerous game of words. The mysterious life and death of Tirza Atar (1941-1977) - the daughter of poet Nathan Alterman, one of the all-time paragons of Israeli and Jewish culture. Atar composed hundreds of poems and song lyrics that penetrated the hearts of large audiences, wrote popular children’s books and translated plays staged in theaters. Nevertheless, her fragile, beauteous image and her short, turbulent life remain shrouded in mystery, many years after her tragic death at the age of thirty-six. The film fuses the fascinating parts of the life and work of this slight woman of prodigious talent, a kind of local princess, whose entire being and output were enmeshed in her complicated and charged relationship with her father, a national poet. The film includes brief enactments, with the participation of an actress, that converge - along with recollections, song segments and photos from her private family albums - into a multilayered emotional and lyrical journey that illuminates not only the life and work of Tirza Atar but also the life and work of Alterman. A film by Ari DavidovichREVIEWSFrom characters to narrative to visuals, this is an outstanding documentary on every level.Aaron Howard, JHVA heartfelt movie, filled with sacred moments. Davidovich succeeds in both the selection of the protagonists as well as in the framework in which he tells this drama. The great eagle and the little sparrow get along very well in this intimate display-window.Gidi Orsher / GALAZ Radio“With tears in my eyes I've watched this wonderful, heartbreaking and so very beautiful, smart and humble film. Young Tirza, Tel Aviv, Alterman and such a great poetry. What an amazing culture was created in 70 years. Run!”Igal SarnaFestivals and AwardsSpecial Mention - Haifa International Film Festival, Haifa, IsraelUK Jewish Film FestivalHouston Art Film Festival, USAMaster of Art Film Festival, Sofia, BulgariaDoku.text Film Festival, National Library of Israel, Jerusalem200400:26:42A bittersweet film about love and Israeli songshttps://jflix.net/movie/birkonim/149EnglishEnglishMichal Brunschwig LeviMichal Brunschwig Levi, Rivka ImbarJewishRelationshipMaale FilmsFictionBirkonim are the little booklets containing Grace After Meals which are given out at Jewish Wedding Celebrations. They usually bear an individual design or logo chosen by the Bride and Groom, the date of the wedding and the names of the newlyweds.Tzippi, a young architect, is still waiting for her young husband, from whom she has been separated, to return to her. When he calls her up and asks for a meeting she is sure that he is finally coming back to her.A bittersweet film about love, wedding booklets and Israeli music from another age.A film by Michal Brunschwig Levi   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200901:15:46Two Haredi women are banned by their communities because they chose to disrespect bus segregationhttps://jflix.net/movie/black-bus/249EnglishEnglishAnat Yuta ZuriaAnat Yuta Zuria & Sigal LandesbergJewishWomen And GenderHuman RightsReligionIdentitySarah writes a harsh blog about the bleak lives of Haredi women. Shlomit is an independent photographer who documents violent incidents on segregated buses on which women are required to sit at the back. Both of them were banned by their communities because of their desire to live normal, unsuppressed lives. These young women operate entirely alone and pay a very high price for violating the number-one rule of Haredi society: "Never air dirty laundry in public". As they expose the violence of Haredi fanatics, acting in the name of modesty, they are punished by persecution and vilification. What will happen to them when they can no longer bear being shunned by their own family and friends? Which way will they choose? Where will they go? Black Bus "Soreret" tells the story of their single handed and courageous attempts to document and lead to a change in the Haredi society from which they have fled.A film by Anat Yuta ZuriaAwards & Festivals: First Prize, Haifa International Film Festival, IsraelBerlinale Film Festival, Forum of New Cinema, Germany200900:20:46The conflicting demands of love, war and religion test the strength of a bond during the 2nd Lebanon warhttps://jflix.net/movie/blessed/150EnglishEnglishHadas Kahan-SchlisselJewishRelationshipMaale FilmsReligionRuth's husband Uri is fighting in the Second Lebanon War. Ruth has glued the radio, listening to the names of soldiers who have been killed. When Uri comes home to leave, the couple must delay their first embrace until after Ruth has immersed herself in the ritual bath, the Mikveh. The couple is caught in a web in which the conflicting demands of love, war and religion test the strength of the bond between them.A film by Hadas Kahan-Schlissel   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200401:02:29https://jflix.net/movie/blood-engagement-documentary-english/1711EnglishEnglishAda UshpizShula Spiegel and Ada UshpizWomenHuman RightsChildren and AdolescentsThe personal story of two Ethiopian prisoners – one who murdered his girlfriend, the other who stabbed his wife 12 times – is the beginning of a year-long journey following the victims and their families. Thus, the weakest link in the Ethiopian community’s immigration crisis in Israel is slowly exposed: domestic violence.80% of Ethiopian prisoners in Israeli prisons have been convicted of violent crimes against women. In a reality of unemployment, poverty, alienation, detachment, foreignness and racism, the decline of the traditional power of the man as the head of the family is one blow too many for him. As the Ethiopian woman is conquered by the taste of freedom for women in Israeli society, the man clings to the privileges granted to him by tradition and refuses to let go of his grip on the only small piece of God left for him: his wife. The result of the collapse of an entire conceptual world in a heartbeat is often fatal: murder and suicide.Through the specific story of immigration and family violence in the Ethiopian community, a cultural gap is also revealed, which raises critical questions about democracy, tradition, permissiveness and the cruelty of the law, from the perspective of those born into a traditional, clan-based society.Blood Engagement won an honorable mention at the Doc Aviv Festival and was screened at many other film festivals, including the Human Rights Festival in Barcelona, ​​the Munich Documentary Festival, the Astra Anthropological Festival in Romania and more.200901:10:33The incredible story of an exceptional test pilothttps://jflix.net/movie/born-to-fly/9EnglishEnglishUri BorredaWarHistoryBiographyThe incredible story of an exceptional test pilot. His exciting life story is intertwined with the history of Israel aviation. All his aviation accomplishments can be described as firsts. Danny Shapira, Israel's number one pilot and one of the world's finest. Shapira's flight log features thousands of daring and hair-raising flights, from some of which he nearly did not return.A film by Uri BorredaThe story of Danny Shapira  - the Jerusalem PostDanny Shapira in Israeli F-15 Eagle Units in Combat (book)Danny Shapira in Operation Diamond (Israeli Air Force website)201701:10:33Becoming a boxer during the Holocaust saved his lifehttps://jflix.net/movie/boxing-for-life-en/751EnglishEnglishUri AckermanHistoryBiographyHolocaustThis is the story of a 16 year old boy from Belgium, who was faced with the choice of boxing for survival. The story makes a curious turn at the boxing ring, where he meets Victor "Young" Perez, a Tunisian born Frenchman, and the first ever Jewish World Flyweight Champion, who had become a legend during his time. The story becomes more amazing when it becomes apparent that the entire story takes place at the Auschwitz Death Camp.The Jewish boy's name is Noah Klieger, who is today 82 years old; a highly reputable reporter for the Yediot Aharonot daily newspaper; a reporter for the French Sports Magazine, L'EQUIPE; a former editor of the Sports Section of Yediot Aharonot; as well as a former chairman of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Team. The story is based on Noah's book "Dozen Rolls For Breakfast "A film by Uri Borreda201500:23:47A portrait of Y.H. Brenner, a brilliant author and a sharp critic of his generationhttps://jflix.net/movie/brenner-the-awakener/713EnglishEnglishYair QedarYair Qedar, Michal Weits, Gili NadavDocumentary filmsBiographyArts and populre CultureIn 1921, six dead bodies were found near the Red House between Tel Aviv and Jaffa. One was the body of Y.H. Brenner, a brilliant author, the sharp critic of his generation, a man of ambiguous sexuality and the characteristics of a raging prophet; he was well known throughout the Jewish world. An official report, written but sealed shortly after these events, was discovered only recently. It features in this film, along with animated sequences by David Polonsky (“Waltz with Bashir”), conversations with Brenner scholars, rare period stills, and selections from his works.A film by Yair Qedar | Producer: Yair Qedar | Ha-Ivrim (The Hebrews) SeriesRead a review of the movie in our blog 200601:01:21The story of a conjoint bi-national, bi-lingual school inside an Arab villagehttps://jflix.net/movie/bridge-over-the-wadi/324EnglishEnglishTomer HeymannIsraeli SocietyChildren and AdolescentsEducationFor the first time in Israel, a group of Arab and Jewish parents decide to establish a conjoint bi-national, bi-lingual school inside an Arab village. The film follows the school's first year and portrays through the personal stories of its characters, how complicated and fragile is the attempt to create an environment of co-existence against the backdrop of the complicated reality around.201300:26:13Eyal's family is scared to see him transforming into an orthodox religious. Will they reach an understanding?https://jflix.net/movie/bringing-the-wind/113EnglishEnglishNoam KeidarJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsFamilyReligionFiction Eyal returns home from a trip to India. While traveling he has made the decision to become religiously observant. Initially, he delays revealing this to his family but soon he can no longer hide it from them. His secular parents are scared and shocked by the change in him. The transformation is hardest for Eyal's father, who has long planned that his son will join him as a partner in his successful law firm. No longer able to bear conflict and pain at home Eyal leaves to take refuge in a Breslov Hassidic community. It is in this totally unfamiliar environment that he must somehow build the bridge that will lead him back to his family.A film by Noam Keidar   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201100:26:08Shirley is waiting for a heart transplant to save her lifehttps://jflix.net/movie/broken-heart/147EnglishEnglishEfrat KaufmanWomen And GenderMaale FilmsIdentityShirley, a 23-year-old blogger, spends months in hospital waiting for a new heart. While she waits, she learns about the meaning of getting and giving.A film by Efrat Kaufman   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200100:19:14A mother sets out on a journey to the valley where her son was murderedhttps://jflix.net/movie/by-way-of-the-wadi/164EnglishEnglishBilha BachrachMaale FilmsDocumentaryWar And ConflictOhad was murdered by terrorists at Wadi Qelt, a nature reserve of exceptional beauty and home to a number of Christian monasteries, not far from Jerusalem. Five years later, the director Bilha Bachrach, Ohad's mother, sets out to wander in the Wadi, with no fixed intention. This external journey of rocks and stones becomes an internal journey of memory and longing, as Bilha finally arrives at the exact spot where her son was killed.A film by Bilha BachrachScreenings & Prizes:"Neighbours" International film festival Haifa 2001International Students' Film Festival Belgrade 2001International Students Film Festival Ogsburg Germany 2001   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School198400:15:41A biography of Israeli born artist Moshe Castelhttps://jflix.net/movie/castel-a-portrait-of-an-artist/353EnglishEnglishHebrew (modern)Yona ZareckyDocumentaryBiographyArts and CultureA biography of Israeli artist Moshe Castel, whose wall reliefs appear on many buildings in IsraelA film by Yona Zarecky201201:12:54The extraordinary personality and biography of Rabbi Shagar, told by his pupil, filmmaker and Rabbi Vardihttps://jflix.net/movie/chasing-the-shadow-en/984EnglishEnglishDocumentaryBiographyReligionA personal cinematic journey of director Rabbi Mordechai Vardi, following the decease of his teacher, Rabbi Shagar from cancer at age 57.As a pupil who felt rejected, the director finds himself in an unsolved position and now, after Rabbi Shagar passed away, he sets out to scrutinize the relationship between a rabbi and a his pupil. could that relationship exist, in general, without being complex? Rabbi Mordechai Vardi is the rabbi of Kibbutz Rosh Tzurim and a director, scriptwriter and head of script-writing department at Ma'aleh school of Television, Film, & the Arts.Read more about Rabbi Shagar (Shimon Gershon Rosenberg)200600:22:27A radio host tries to change her life on airhttps://jflix.net/movie/cheftzi-on-air-en/117EnglishEnglishDalit Eliraz-OchanaRelationshipMaale FilmsFictionChefzi is a radio broadcaster who offers romantic advice to her single, female callers. One night, she decides to take her own advice and proposes marriage on live radio to her boyfriend Yonatan. To Chefzi's surprise, her theories don't work in practice and her world begins to collapse.A film by Dalit Eliraz-OchanaAwards:First Prize for short film, Seoul Women Film Festival 2006Promised Director, International Students Film Festival Tel Aviv 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201600:51:18Episode 1: Galloping Horse, Stubborn Bullhttps://jflix.net/movie/chiefs-of-general-staff-en-1/1005EnglishEnglishTor Ben MayorDocumentaryWar And ConflictHistoryBiographyPoliticsThe wars and the peace agreements, the casualties, the parents and the protests, the loneliness and the responsibilities, the decisions and the criticism, the general staff and the government, the politicians and the agendas, the threats and risks, the dilemmas, the disengagement, the fate of country and the judgement of history.Twenty chiefs of the general staff shaped the Israeli Defense Forces – IDF, since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, commanding thousands of combatants and leading countless operations, while remembering those who never came back from the battlefield.Twenty chiefs of the general staff, confronting the political considerations and trying to retain a moral code in tough times. Six of them are interviewed in this series, others have passed away.For the first time in history, the chiefs of the general staff of the IDF are sharing with us their experiences, thoughts and memories.Each episode deals with a different theme, trying to analyze the complexity of the CGS role: to what extent, beyond the military operation, is the army responsible for preserving democracy? Should it be involved in the educational system? And why are so many retired CGS seem like natural candidates to be prime ministers of Israel?The story is told first hand by former CGS, along with their family members, close friends, academic researchers, political leaders and journalists, thus enabling us to explore reality from all aspects. With the participation of former CGSs Ehud Barak, Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, Dan Halutz, Gabi Ashkenazi, Benny Gantz, Shaul Mofaz, former security minister Moshe Arens, General (ret.) Dan Tolkovsky, General (ret.) Amram Mitsna, General (ret.) Shlomo Gazit, Brigadier-general (ret.) Dr. Dov Tamari, Dalia Rabin, Omer Bar-Lev, Yael Dayan, Gidi Elazar, Adv. Zvia Gross, Prof. Itzhak Greenberg, Dr. Uri Milstein, Eitana Padan, Ron Ben-Ishay, Prof. Orna Sasson-Levi, former IDF spokeswoman Ruth Yaron, Avner ShalevCreators: Raz Hazon, Zvi Shefy, Tor Ben Mayor201600:51:18Episode 3: Restraint is Power Toohttps://jflix.net/movie/chiefs-of-the-general-staff-en-3/1007EnglishEnglishTor Ben MayorDocumentaryWar And ConflictHistoryBiographyPoliticsThe wars and the peace agreements, the casualties, the parents and the protests, the loneliness and the responsibilities, the decisions and the criticism, the general staff and the government, the politicians and the agendas, the threats and risks, the dilemmas, the disengagement, the fate of country and the judgement of history.Twenty chiefs of the general staff shaped the Israeli Defense Forces – IDF, since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, commanding thousands of combatants and leading countless operations, while remembering those who never came back from the battlefield.Twenty chiefs of the general staff, confronting the political considerations and trying to retain a moral code in tough times. Six of them are interviewed in this series, others have passed away.For the first time in history, the chiefs of the general staff of the IDF are sharing with us their experiences, thoughts and memories.Each episode deals with a different theme, trying to analyze the complexity of the CGS role: to what extent, beyond the military operation, is the army responsible for preserving democracy? Should it be involved in the educational system? And why are so many retired CGS seem like natural candidates to be prime ministers of Israel?The story is told first hand by former CGS, along with their family members, close friends, academic researchers, political leaders and journalists, thus enabling us to explore reality from all aspects. With the participation of former CGSs Ehud Barak, Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, Dan Halutz, Gabi Ashkenazi, Benny Gantz, Shaul Mofaz, former security minister Moshe Arens, General (ret.) Dan Tolkovsky, General (ret.) Amram Mitsna, General (ret.) Shlomo Gazit, Brigadier-general (ret.) Dr. Dov Tamari, Dalia Rabin, Omer Bar-Lev, Yael Dayan, Gidi Elazar, Adv. Zvia Gross, Prof. Itzhak Greenberg, Dr. Uri Milstein, Eitana Padan, Ron Ben-Ishay, Prof. Orna Sasson-Levi, former IDF spokeswoman Ruth Yaron, Avner ShalevCreators: Raz Hazon, Zvi Shefy, Tor Ben Mayor201600:51:18Episode 5: The Protector of Democracyhttps://jflix.net/movie/chiefs-general-staff-en-5/1008EnglishEnglishTor Ben MayorDocumentaryWar And ConflictHistoryBiographyPoliticsThe wars and the peace agreements, the casualties, the parents and the protests, the loneliness and the responsibilities, the decisions and the criticism, the general staff and the government, the politicians and the agendas, the threats and risks, the dilemmas, the disengagement, the fate of country and the judgement of history.Twenty chiefs of the general staff shaped the Israeli Defense Forces – IDF, since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, commanding thousands of combatants and leading countless operations, while remembering those who never came back from the battlefield.Twenty chiefs of the general staff, confronting the political considerations and trying to retain a moral code in tough times. Six of them are interviewed in this series, others have passed away.For the first time in history, the chiefs of the general staff of the IDF are sharing with us their experiences, thoughts and memories.Each episode deals with a different theme, trying to analyze the complexity of the CGS role: to what extent, beyond the military operation, is the army responsible for preserving democracy? Should it be involved in the educational system? And why are so many retired CGS seem like natural candidates to be prime ministers of Israel?The story is told first hand by former CGS, along with their family members, close friends, academic researchers, political leaders and journalists, thus enabling us to explore reality from all aspects. With the participation of former CGSs Ehud Barak, Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, Dan Halutz, Gabi Ashkenazi, Benny Gantz, Shaul Mofaz, former security minister Moshe Arens, General (ret.) Dan Tolkovsky, General (ret.) Amram Mitsna, General (ret.) Shlomo Gazit, Brigadier-general (ret.) Dr. Dov Tamari, Dalia Rabin, Omer Bar-Lev, Yael Dayan, Gidi Elazar, Adv. Zvia Gross, Prof. Itzhak Greenberg, Dr. Uri Milstein, Eitana Padan, Ron Ben-Ishay, Prof. Orna Sasson-Levi, former IDF spokeswoman Ruth Yaron, Avner ShalevCreators: Raz Hazon, Zvi Shefy, Tor Ben Mayor201600:51:18Episode 2: Lonely at the Tophttps://jflix.net/movie/chiefs-general-staff-en-2/1009EnglishEnglishTor Ben MayorDocumentaryWar And ConflictHistoryBiographyPoliticsThe wars and the peace agreements, the casualties, the parents and the protests, the loneliness and the responsibilities, the decisions and the criticism, the general staff and the government, the politicians and the agendas, the threats and risks, the dilemmas, the disengagement, the fate of country and the judgement of history.Twenty chiefs of the general staff shaped the Israeli Defense Forces – IDF, since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, commanding thousands of combatants and leading countless operations, while remembering those who never came back from the battlefield.Twenty chiefs of the general staff, confronting the political considerations and trying to retain a moral code in tough times. Six of them are interviewed in this series, others have passed away.For the first time in history, the chiefs of the general staff of the IDF are sharing with us their experiences, thoughts and memories.Each episode deals with a different theme, trying to analyze the complexity of the CGS role: to what extent, beyond the military operation, is the army responsible for preserving democracy? Should it be involved in the educational system? And why are so many retired CGS seem like natural candidates to be prime ministers of Israel?The story is told first hand by former CGS, along with their family members, close friends, academic researchers, political leaders and journalists, thus enabling us to explore reality from all aspects. With the participation of former CGSs Ehud Barak, Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, Dan Halutz, Gabi Ashkenazi, Benny Gantz, Shaul Mofaz, former security minister Moshe Arens, General (ret.) Dan Tolkovsky, General (ret.) Amram Mitsna, General (ret.) Shlomo Gazit, Brigadier-general (ret.) Dr. Dov Tamari, Dalia Rabin, Omer Bar-Lev, Yael Dayan, Gidi Elazar, Adv. Zvia Gross, Prof. Itzhak Greenberg, Dr. Uri Milstein, Eitana Padan, Ron Ben-Ishay, Prof. Orna Sasson-Levi, former IDF spokeswoman Ruth Yaron, Avner ShalevCreators: Raz Hazon, Zvi Shefy, Tor Ben Mayor201600:51:18Episode 4: Uniforms and Suitshttps://jflix.net/movie/chiefs-general-staff-en-4/1011EnglishEnglishTor Ben MayorDocumentaryWar And ConflictHistoryBiographyPoliticsThe wars and the peace agreements, the casualties, the parents and the protests, the loneliness and the responsibilities, the decisions and the criticism, the general staff and the government, the politicians and the agendas, the threats and risks, the dilemmas, the disengagement, the fate of country and the judgement of history.Twenty chiefs of the general staff shaped the Israeli Defense Forces – IDF, since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, commanding thousands of combatants and leading countless operations, while remembering those who never came back from the battlefield.Twenty chiefs of the general staff, confronting the political considerations and trying to retain a moral code in tough times. Six of them are interviewed in this series, others have passed away.For the first time in history, the chiefs of the general staff of the IDF are sharing with us their experiences, thoughts and memories.Each episode deals with a different theme, trying to analyze the complexity of the CGS role: to what extent, beyond the military operation, is the army responsible for preserving democracy? Should it be involved in the educational system? And why are so many retired CGS seem like natural candidates to be prime ministers of Israel?The story is told first hand by former CGS, along with their family members, close friends, academic researchers, political leaders and journalists, thus enabling us to explore reality from all aspects. With the participation of former CGSs Ehud Barak, Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, Dan Halutz, Gabi Ashkenazi, Benny Gantz, Shaul Mofaz, former security minister Moshe Arens, General (ret.) Dan Tolkovsky, General (ret.) Amram Mitsna, General (ret.) Shlomo Gazit, Brigadier-general (ret.) Dr. Dov Tamari, Dalia Rabin, Omer Bar-Lev, Yael Dayan, Gidi Elazar, Adv. Zvia Gross, Prof. Itzhak Greenberg, Dr. Uri Milstein, Eitana Padan, Ron Ben-Ishay, Prof. Orna Sasson-Levi, former IDF spokeswoman Ruth Yaron, Avner ShalevCreators: Raz Hazon, Zvi Shefy, Tor Ben Mayor202001:02:29A distressing portrait of a lost childhoodhttps://jflix.net/movie/children-documentary/1704EnglishEnglishBilal SaedHuman RightsChildren and AdolescentsWar And ConflictThe Israeli authorities had observed minors who take an active part in the Intifada (uprising), especially with knives. Those minors are arrested and interrogated. Ada Ushpiz, a renowned and sensitive filmmaker and a journalist, succeeded in approaching the kids and families up close and gain their cooperation and trust. She accompanied the dubious insurgents over several years and intimately documented the events.An amazing and moving documentary masterpieceMDR TV, BerlinMore than two hours with Palestinian children and their families, shot over years, masterly put together by a director with a point of view and big heart for the kidsFilmkommentaren.dkHeart BreakingDoc EuropaDocumentarist Ada Ushpiz has created a distressing, intimate studyScreen DailyWatch an interview of film director Ada Ushpiz with film critic Avner Shavit, in the framework of the Jerusalem Film Festival (Hebrew with English subtitles)Ada Ushpiz - film directorAda Ushpiz is a renowned Israeli film producer and director. She graduated in Philosophy and History from Tel Aviv University and worked as a journalist for many years, specializing in politics. She has directed numerous documentaries, including Detained (2001), Bloody Engagement (2004), Desert Brides (2008), Good Garbage (2012) and Vita Activa, The Spirit of Hannah Arendt (2015), an intimate portrait of Hannah Arendt. 200701:00:00Growing up in the Kibbutz, told by the first generation of childrenhttps://jflix.net/movie/children-of-the-sun-en/1171EnglishEnglishRan TalIsraeli SocietyAnthropologyChildren of the first kibbutzim in Israel were born in the early 20th century to youthful parents, full of hope. They have been called “Children of the Sun”, because they considered them children of the “Sun of Nations” Revolution in Israel. They were born into a utopia and were destined to become the “New Man”. They were educated in an ideological society that aspired to replace the traditional family with the collective one, to subjugate the will of the individual in favour of the common good and a life of equality.“Children of the Sun” tells the story of the journey in search of a society’s memory and the concepts that have passed from the world. The film is a collage comprised of over eighty amateur films. Rare footage that was shot at the kibbutzim between 1930 and 1970, rare recordings and conversations with family and friends.The tapestry of rare materials from which the film is compiled creates both a very personal and very public story, a form of super story about one of the most fascinating myths of the Zionist movement in the Land of Israel..A film by Ran TalREVIEWSA Mosaic of Mibbutz MemoriesHaaretz"Children of the Sun" shinesJerusalem PostClick here for more reviewsAWARDSAudience Award  – Israfest Festival, NY, 2008Grand Prix  – The 6th Warsaw International jewish Film Festival, Poland, 2008Best Best Documentary Award  - The 6th Warsaw International Jewish Film Festival, Poland, 2008Best Sound  – The 6th Warsaw international Jewish Film Festival, Poland, 2008Best Documentary  – The Israeli Academy Awards, 2008FIAT Award for Best Use Archival Footage , 2008Best Documentary  – The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008Best Directing  – The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008Best Production  – The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008Best Editing  – The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008Best Original Score  – The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008Best Sound  – The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008Best Research  – The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008Walgin Award for Best Documentary Film  – The Jerusalem Film Festival, 2007Best Editing Award  - The Jerusalem Film Festival, 2007The Audio Visual Award  - The Jerusalem Film Festival, 2007201901:02:29https://jflix.net/movie/cindy-film-shemer-gaon-en/1699EnglishEnglishShemer Gaon BarabaAdar Shafran and roni Abramovski // Firma פירמהWomenFictionZoologyNavit, a young dairy farmer in a village at the south of Israel drives together with her dad Victor to sell their cow Cindy to an Arab meat dealer. Navit, convinced that her dad thinks she is a pro dairy farmer, but she realizes that Victor brought her to the meeting for different reasons.Duration: 16 minutes // Narrative201500:53:19The film weaves Dahlia Ravikovitch's poetry and biography into an intricate storyhttps://jflix.net/movie/clockwork-doll/290EnglishEnglishRuth WalkDocumentary filmsPsychologyArts and Popular CultureMusicThe poetry of Dahlia Ravikovitch emerges from an extraordinary, personal and uniquely wonderful place. Other poets strive repeatedly to achieve all that is so naturally present in her poems" (Baruch Kurzweil, Literary Critic, 1959).Ravikovitch struggled with depression and fluctuated between intense vitality and eagerness to partake in any moral and political discussion, and deep loneliness that led to her attempting suicide. All of which is reflected clearly in her poems.The film weaves her poetry and biography into an intricate story, trying to solve the riddle of her life through people who knew her intimately as well as through rare archive material.A film by Ruth WalkFestivalsAustralia Israel Cultural Exchange- Palace Cinema, August 2015Docaviv International Film Festival, May 2015201300:13:31On the day of retirement, past and present begin to blurhttps://jflix.net/movie/closing-up-en/110EnglishEnglishAchva HershtikCouplesMaale FilmsSenior CitizensFiction Nahum, a 75-year-old picture frame shop owner. He wraps up and empties the contents preparing to close the shop. In the last few years, things were slow and people hardly came into the store. On the last day, there are customers and unexpected things happen. Nahum’s past and present begin to blur.A film by Achva Hershtik   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200000:23:47A provocative modern day portrait of a religious couplehttps://jflix.net/movie/cohens-wife/1EnglishEnglishNava Nussan HefetzJewish way of lifeCouplesWomenMaale FilmsFictionAfter being raped by a stranger, a young ultra-orthodox woman awaits a Rabbinical decision about whether or not her husband should divorce her. Jewish law states that 'If the wife of a Cohen (descendant of a priest) is raped, she is forbidden to her husband.' Cohen's Wife is a provocative modern day portrait of a couple torn between religious law and marital devotion.Director: Nava Nussan Hefetz  Produced by Maaleh Film School200500:18:24A romantic comedy with a poignant subtext about the engagement processhttps://jflix.net/movie/come-back-shulamit-en/146EnglishEnglishSheva Shrader-SabagJewish way of lifeCouplesMaale FilmsFamilyOn the way from a fitting for her wedding dress, Shulamit is involved in a car accident which results in amnesia. Shulamit can remember nothing related to her fiance or to her upcoming wedding. The wedding is due to take place in three weeks, and the families are in an uproar. A romantic comedy with a poignant subtext about the engagement process.A film by Sheva Shrader-SabagFestivalsIsraeli Film Festival NY, 2006Women's Film Festival NY, 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201100:23:44When the rope begins tearing apart, the family needs to find a way to repair their relationshipshttps://jflix.net/movie/come-to-daddy/96EnglishEnglishDanny TzurMaale FilmsFamilyChildren and AdolescentsThe Heart of the Desert.Two brothers decide to go on a snap line in the dessert, on their mother's memorial day. The presence of their father, who is waiting for them at the bottom of the hill, is affecting their descent. When the rope begins tearing apart, the family needs to find a way to repair their relationships.Director: Danny Tzur   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201300:24:20A spiritual journey into the mind of a Yeshiva studenthttps://jflix.net/movie/cornerstone-en/129EnglishEnglishDavid TauberJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsIsraeli SocietyReligionFictionIdentityIn yeshiva when you're hungry eat. When you're tired sleep. If you're not hungry or tired, sit and learn. If you're not learning, what are you doing here? What happens when you are stuck between success and failure, between faith and doubt? What happens along the edges of the Beit Midrash (Study Hall)?A film by David TauberAwardsBest Drama, Ma'aleh Graduate Ceremony 2013Best Jewish Film, Ma'aleh Graduate Ceremony 2013   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200500:51:57A film about women, God and everything in between.https://jflix.net/movie/covenant-brith/238EnglishEnglishNurit Jacobs YinonJewishWomen And GenderHuman RightsIdentityNurit Jacobs YinonA Jewish fetus grows for nine months in its mother's womb. Eight days after the birth, her husband must circumcise him. The husband blesses, while the mother remains a distant spectator upon the covenant that is made between her son and her Maker. The moment, which in reality lasts for a number of seconds, is just a tip of the tension between faith, religion and religious law, between cultural conventions and the most basic feelings of a mother, who in any other case would give her life to prevent her son from being hurt. The film focuses on the eight days between birth and circumcision, a week in which powerful emotions bring women to the heights of joy and the depths of pain, in which the extremities of the relationships with God are found. God who takes part in the creation, who determines one's fate, who is closer and further away than ever. Is there a way for a woman to worship her God? To love her God? To be angry at him? Covenant is a film about women, God and all that's in between.A film by Nurit Jacobs YinonFestivals: Best documentary film of Religion Today International film festival, Trento, Italy, 2006 Jersey Shore Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2007Nazareth International Human Rights Film Festival, Israel, 2006 Dickinson College, USA, 2007Austin Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2007Delray Beach Film Festival, USA, 2007Nazareth International Human Rights Film Festival, Israel, 2006Religion Today International Film Festival, Trento, Italy, 2006 Holy Land in the Heartland, USA, 2006 Sesily International Film Festival, Georgia, USA, 2006 Warsaw Jewish Motifs Film Festival, Poland, 2006 The Jewish Experience Section – The Jerusalem International Film Festival, 2005201800:52:33An inner look at the world of Jewish ultra orthodox women through hairhttps://jflix.net/movie/covered-up-en/1213EnglishEnglishRachel ElitzurJewish way of lifeDocumentary filmsReligionRachel, an ultra-orthodox young woman, entered an 'arranged' marriage ready to be a "kosher" woman doing the will of her husband. After her marriage fails and she gets divorced, she asks permission to remove her wig – an unusual move in the ultra-Orthodox society. Facing the opposition from her parents and society, she starts to question the religion’s attitude to woman and her own body and mind.A film by Rachel ElitzurRachel grew up in an ultra orthodox house and is a graduate of Ma'ale film school in Jerusalem.Today she manages the ultra orthodox Jewish film studies in Ma'ale film school and has completed her fiction film The Youngest (Mejinke). 200900:20:21A father and son try to bridge a long time gap between them during one weekendhttps://jflix.net/movie/cracks-en/145EnglishEnglishErez HadadJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsFamilyAaron decides to stay behind at the Yeshiva one weekend when all his friends have left to go home. He is surprised by the arrival of his father, with whom he has had no contact for some time. The prayers and meals which they share together over the Sabbath, are shadowed by tension and the embarrassing silences between them. The ice begins to break eventually, but too late, it turns out, for both of them.A film by Erez HadadFestivalsBest film on Jewish Issues, Ma'aleh Graduation Awards 2008International Film Festival, Haifa 2009Religion Today Film Festival, Trento Italy 2009   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201000:32:44Eli, an air force pilot, is grounded and only his son, Tomer, can see his painhttps://jflix.net/movie/daddy-bird-en/143EnglishEnglishEliav MasonMaale FilmsWar And ConflictPsychologyFamilyChildren and AdolescentsFictionTomer is 8 years old. His father, Eli, is an air-force pilot. Eli and his friends know how to fly airplanes, how to navigate by the stars, and how to fight in the air. This is the stuff of bedtime stories, and Eli is the best storyteller in the world. One day Eli comes home from work and is no longer a pilot. But only Tomer knows the big secret – his father can fly without the help of airplanes or friends.A film by Eliav Mason   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201400:41:59Stories from court, told from the perspective of the Public Defensehttps://jflix.net/movie/defense-files-death-en/1220EnglishEnglishMoish goldbergAmiqam GoldmanDocumentary filmsHuman RightsCriminologyAn unprecedented documentation of the Public Defense work in Israel. The six episodes series follows public attorneys and their defendants, revealing human stories and moving emotional dramas.Won the Israeli Documentary Film Forum Award for Best Documentary SeriesA series by Moish GoldbergRead here about the Public Defense in Israel (Wikipedia)The Public Defense in the Ministry Of Justice (English)201400:41:59Stories from court, told from the perspective of the Public Defensehttps://jflix.net/movie/defense-files-family-en/1221EnglishEnglishMoish goldbergAmiqam GoldmanDocumentary filmsHuman RightsCriminologyAn unprecedented documentation of the Public Defense work in Israel. The six episodes series follows public attorneys and their defendants, revealing human stories and moving emotional dramas.Won the Israeli Documentary Film Forum Award for Best Documentary SeriesA series by Moish GoldbergRead here about the Public Defense in Israel (Wikipedia)The Public Defense in the Ministry Of Justice (English)201400:41:59Stories from court, told from the perspective of the Public Defensehttps://jflix.net/movie/defense-files-monet-en/1228EnglishEnglishMoish goldbergAmikam GoldmanDocumentary filmsHuman RightsCriminologyAn unprecedented documentation of the Public Defense work in Israel. The six episodes series follows public attorneys and their defendants, revealing human stories and moving emotional dramas.Won the Israeli Documentary Film Forum Award for Best Documentary SeriesA series by Moish GoldbergRead here about the Public Defense in Israel (Wikipedia)The Public Defense in the Ministry Of Justice (English)201400:41:59Stories from court, told from the perspective of the Public Defensehttps://jflix.net/movie/defense-files-rehab-en/1222EnglishEnglishMoish goldbergAmiqam GoldmanDocumentary filmsHuman RightsCriminologyAn unprecedented documentation of the Public Defense work in Israel. The six episodes series follows public attorneys and their defendants, revealing human stories and moving emotional dramas.Won the Israeli Documentary Film Forum Award for Best Documentary SeriesA series by Moish GoldbergRead here about the Public Defense in Israel (Wikipedia)The Public Defense in the Ministry Of Justice (English)201400:41:59Stories from court, told from the perspective of Public Defensehttps://jflix.net/movie/defense-files-women-en/1219EnglishEnglishMoish goldbergAmiqam GoldmanDocumentary filmsHuman RightsCriminologyAn unprecedented documentation of the Public Defense work in Israel. The six episodes series follows public attorneys and their defendants, revealing human stories and moving emotional dramas.Won the Israeli Documentary Film Forum Award for Best Documentary SeriesA series by Moish GoldbergRead here about the Public Defense in Israel (Wikipedia)The Public Defense in the Ministry Of Justice (English)201400:41:59Stories from court, told from the perspective of the Public Defensehttps://jflix.net/movie/defense-files-young-en/1223EnglishEnglishMoish goldbergAmikam GoldmanDocumentary filmsHuman RightsCriminologyAn unprecedented documentation of the Public Defense work in Israel. The six episodes series follows public attorneys and their defendants, revealing human stories and moving emotional dramas.Won the Israeli Documentary Film Forum Award for Best Documentary SeriesA series by Moish GoldbergRead here about the Public Defense in Israel (Wikipedia)The Public Defense in the Ministry Of Justice (English)200801:26:58This is the story of three relatively educated and independent Bedouin women trying to survive, each in their own way, a life of polygamy.https://jflix.net/movie/desert-brides/33EnglishEnglishAda UshpizWomenDocumentary filmsHuman RightsFamilyMiriam El Kwader, a Bedouin wedding photographer, and mother of seven, living in an unknown and neglected Negev village, reveals through her camera lens, the world of Bedouin weddings; the most distressing issue revealed is polygamy. This is the story of three, relatively educated and independent women, trying to survive, each in their own way in their world – a life of polygamy. One is a "first wife", living in constant fear that her husband will bring home a second wife. The other two are pushed into marrying already married men and become "second wives", forced to cooperate within a structure they despise or are afraid of. The family tragedies presented in this film, highlight the strength and survival of the social structures and their injustices; leaning usually on the victims' partial cooperation.A film by Ada Ushpiz Awards:Winner - DocAviv International Film festivalWinner- Israeli international Women's Film FestivalWinner- Best Cinematography, Israeli Academy Documentary awardsIMDb200601:20:42What happened to Israeli democracy before, during and after the historical 2005 Gaza Disengagementhttps://jflix.net/movie/disengaging-democracy/209EnglishEnglishOfri Segev, Lior Cohen and Igal HechtIgal Hecht & Talia KleinHuman RightsIsraeli SocietyWarDisengaging Democracy, from award-winning documentary filmmaker Igal Hecht, takes a rare and provocative look at what happened to Israeli democracy before, during and after the historical 2005 Gaza Disengagement.A film by Igal HechtFestivals:2010 Hamilton Jewish Film FestivalShowcased at Harvard University Aired Nationally on CTS Television and i-channel in Canada200000:25:03Aunt Diya takes her nephew to an unforgettable journey to her birthplacehttps://jflix.net/movie/doda-diya/163EnglishEnglishMoshe HuriJewishMaale FilmsFamilyImmigrationAnthropologyI've been living with my aunt (Doda) Diya for six months now and that's what she says every time I complain I'm a penniless student. Doda Diya, a widow who leads a simple life, had waited 40 years to fulfill her biggest dream; returning to Jerba, a tiny island off the south of Tunisia where she grew up, to celebrate a memorial event for a righteous woman along with hundreds of other Jews.A film by Moshe HuriAwards:Special Award, Jewish Film Festival, Jerusalem 2001Festivals:Haifa International Film Festival 2000Jewish Film Festival, Bryton England 2000Israeli Film Festival, NY, LA, Miami USA 2000Students Film Festival, Belgrade Yoguslavia 2000Events:New Delhi, India 2001Jewish Museum, Paris 2002   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201701:18:51Searching for the unknown Holocaust in the former Soviet Unionhttps://jflix.net/movie/drawers-of-memory-en/1043EnglishEnglishBoris MaftsirZvi Shefy & Boris MaftsirDocumentaryHistoryHolocaustA documentary project by Boris MaftsirIn the sixth film of the project about the Shoah in the Former Soviet Union, filmmaker Boris Maftsir sets out on a journey to uncover the memory of the Holocaust in Latvia, where he was born and grew up until he made aliya to Israel in 1971. The drawers of memory open as the search exposes the complex history of the Jews of Latvia: before, during and after the Holocaust.First drawer  - an unusual attempt by a group loyal to the memory of the victims to put together a full and detailed list of all the Jews who were in Latvia on the eve of WWII.Second drawer  - the work of Latvian “guardians of memory” who have taken on the idea of remembering the image of their Jewish neighbors who are no longer.Third drawer - a personal drawer of Boris Maftsir who learns and discovers his own memories of the Holocaust.  The project includes eight films. Click here to explore the full collection. http://www.holocaustinussr.com/** if you have an active subscription to the platform, you can skip the following message** The film is available for free, for personal viewing, which includes a watermark. To watch it, simply click on the Play button above.If you'd like to watch the film in higher quality and without a watermark, please click on Rent and choose the rental period.For institutional use and public screening, please click on Download and choose the appropriate license.200500:59:52The fascinating story of a talented photographer, a deserter from the Nazi party, who married Jewish womenhttps://jflix.net/movie/dunkel-last-film-en/1348EnglishHebrew (modern)Zarhi WilnaiDocumentary filmsHistoryFamilyBiographyThe film uncovers the fascinating story of Fred Dunkel, a German Christian photographer, producer and businessman, who was married to a Jewish woman and was forced to leave Nazi Germany in the 1930's for Palestine (today's Israel), along with his wife and daughter.Dunkel, who was a member of the Nazi party, was declared deserter by the German authorities.  The film participated in Jerusalem International Film Festival and in festivals around the worldIn Israel, he worked as a photographer and director and was recruited for Zionist propaganda. He also provided shooting and editing services to different institutions and private parties, British and Jewish alike. In his work, Fred Dunkel documented the development of the settlement period in Israel, from the 1930's to the establishment of the State of Israel. After the death of his first wife, he married Martha, a Czech immigrant and Holocaust survivor, who had come to Israel at the outbreak of the Second World War.At the age of 57, Dunkel becomes a father, but just a month later, he suffers from a fatal heart attack, during the bombing raids of the Israel War of Independence.A film by Tali OhaionFred Dunkel on wikipediaTel Aviv in the 1940's, by Fred Dunkel, from the Spielberg Jewish film Archive Participated in Jerusalem film festival, Palermo FF, Bar Montenegro FF, Frankfurt Jewish FF.  200100:21:17On reaching her 18th birthday, Eicha decides to formally change her name and try and establish a new identityhttps://jflix.net/movie/eicha-en/265EnglishEnglishLaizy ShapiraJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsFamilyChildren and AdolescentsIdentityEicha is a young religious girl living on a settlement.  Her unusual name, Eicha, is the Hebrew title of the Biblical scroll of Lamentations, read once a year on the 9th of Av to commemorate the destruction of the Temple 2000 years ago.  On reaching her 18th birthday, Eicha decides to formally change her name and try and establish a new identity, but the process turns out to be more complicated than she expects...A film by Laizy ShapiraAwards:Best Film, Students Film Festival, Tel Aviv 2002Best Editing, Cinema Festival, Italy 2001First Prize, Zoe Internet Film Festival 2004Festivals:International Film Festival, Jerusalem 2001Humour Film Festival, Umberia Italy 2001Students Film Festival, Belgrade 2001Jewish Film Festival, Palm Beach USA 2001Short Film Festival, Potsdam Germany 2002Israeli Film Festival, NY, Chicago, Miami 2002Overlook Festival, Milan Italy 2002Michoalis Festival, Letter to Man, Saint Petersburg, Russia 2002"Next  Screen" Festival, Tel Aviv 2002 Students Film Festival, Tallinn Estonia 2002Jewish Film Festival, NY Jewish Museum 2003Israeli Film Festival, Paris France 2003Montplier Film Festival, France 2003Capabelio Film Festival, Rome, Italy 2003Karlovi Vari Film Festival, Czech Republic 2003Jewish Film Festival, Pittsbourgh, USA 2003Jewish Film Festival, Rochester USA 2003Jewish Film Festival, Pleasantville USA 2003Jewish Film Festival, Vankouver, Canada 2003Mishkolts Film Festival, for young directors, Hungary 2004Students Film Festival Tel Aviv 2004Students Film Festival, Prishtina Kosovo 2004 Zoe International Film Festival 2004Short Film Festival, Bosan, Korea 2004   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201500:50:38The courage and determination of a handful of scientistshttps://jflix.net/movie/element-112-the-marinov-affair/243EnglishEnglishDror ShostakScience And TechnologyFamilyThere are some people whose curiosity and the quest for knowledge does not let them linger about idly and becomes the journey of their lives. This is the story of the courage and determination of a handful of scientists who pursued their research for over forty years in the face of widely accepted norms. Their research was led by the Israeli physicist, native of Jerusalem, former Palmachnik and kibbutz founder, Professor Amnon Marinov.The film tells a story that made waves in the scientific community and has not yet come to its conclusion. In addition, it provides a rare opportunity to reveal a fragment of the conduct of a powerful community that is usually hidden from public sight.The film was made by Amnon Marinov's daughter. After his passing, she found herself immersed in his extensive archives, trying to sort out the puzzle of her father and his collaborators' pioneering research. Forty years’ worth of documents called out as a silent testimony to their tenacious struggle within the scientific community. With the enthusiasm of some of his collaborators, and with an urge to bring to life his outstanding personality, they succeeded to tell his unique story by making it into this inspiring film.A film by Dror Shostak200300:31:33Elyokim a brilliant talmudic student, is in love with Rachel, the daughter of his Rabbihttps://jflix.net/movie/elyokim/266EnglishEnglishMiri BockerJewishRelationshipMaale FilmsFictionAnthropologyElyokim, who is an ultra-orthodox and a brilliant talmudic student, is in love with Rachel, the daughter of his Rabbi. The social conventions which govern Elyokim's world mean he will never be formally introduced to Rachel. Elyokim takes matters into his own hands.A film by Miri BockerAwards:Special Award, International Film Festival, Haifa Israel 2002First Prize for short film, Jewish Film Festival, Jerusalem 2002First Prize, Israeli Film Festival NY, LA 2003First Prize, Girona Film Festival, Spain 2003First Prize, Yidish Film Festival, Berlin Germany 2003Script Prize, Student Film Festival, Tel Aviv 2004Festivals:Jewish Film Festival, Jerusalem Israel 2002International Film Festival, Haifa Israel 2002Israeli Film Festival, NY, LA 2002Girona Film Festival, Spain 2003Yiddish Film Festival, Berlin Germany 2003International Student Film Festival, Tel Aviv 2004Student Film Festival, Beijing China 2004Jewish Film Festival, Pitigliano Italy 2004Jewish Film Festival, Chicago USA 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200100:17:03A soldier falls in love with the settler he has to evacuate, and the story becomes complicated...https://jflix.net/movie/evacuation-order/267EnglishEnglishShoshi GrinfeldCouplesMaale FilmsWarFictionOn a little hilltop in the Samarian hills, a pretty young settler lives alone in her caravan. A man and woman soldier are sent to inform her that the caravan is illegal and is being dismantled. The man soldier falls in love with the settler, and the story becomes complicated...A film by Shoshi GrinfeldFestivals:Jewish Festival in Ventura, California 2010Los Angeles Festival 2010Students Festival in Helsinki, Finland 2005Washington Jewish Festival, SCREENING ROOM, 2005New Rochelle Festival, USA 2004Pristina Festival, Kosovo 2004Miskolc Festival, Hungary 2004Israeli Australia Festival 2004Westchester Jewish Festival, USA 2003Capalbio Cinema Festival, Rome 2002Seoul Festival for Women films 2002Haifa Festival 2001   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School199500:25:39Men, brotherhood and army reserve from the perspective of a womanhttps://jflix.net/movie/ever-shot-anyone-en/829EnglishEnglishMichal AviadDocumentaryWar And ConflictThis documentary explores Israeli male culture from a woman’s point of view, as the director joins a military squadron in their operational reserve duty. The participated in many film festivals and was aired on television in Canada, Israel, Holland, Denmark, Russia and other countries.A film by Michal Aviad200901:10:33The Ship that Launched a Nationhttps://jflix.net/movie/exodus-true-story-en/1370EnglishEnglishUri Borreda, Itzik LernerHistoryHolocaustFor a certain generation, the story of the Exodus, the ship that carried 4,500 Jewish refugees from post-war Europe to Mandatory Palestine, encapsulates the essence of Israel’s creation – a journey, an exodus – from the hellish depths of the Holocaust to the exhilarating heights of independence and nationhood.None of the 4500 holocaust survivors who embarked the ship Exodus in Sete south of France could in his or her wildest dream imagine that the unforgettable journey in high seas will end up back in the land of horror, Germany.This is the story of three orphaned kids who in the end of the war (WW2) return home to discover there is no home, no parents. No family left. They realize the only safe haven for them is Palestine (Erets Israel). After a journey of two years across shattered Europe and a big help from the French government, they finally reach the shores of southern France. They embark on a river boat called "President Warfield" to an unforgettable journey in high seas where English navy destroyers rammed the Exodus time and again until they had to surrender, plowing slowly to the port of Haifa. Immediately after being deported back, this time on deck of three English ships (floating Gail) to Germany to a place they all know too well, a concentration camp.  On the day the Exodus arrived all shattered with three dead and hundreds injured on deck, the UNSCOP committee and recommended to the U.N. to establish a Jewish state in Israel. The survivors of the Exodus with their spirit, determination, endless faith and bravery, have proved the main factor in the establishment the state of Israel.Read more about the story of Exodus in The Librarians blog200900:41:03A spiritual journey through Judaism and music influenced by the Torah (Bible)https://jflix.net/movie/faith-singers/280EnglishEnglishIgal HechtJewishSpiritualMusic"Faith Singers" is a spiritual journey through Judaism and music influenced by the Torah (Bible). It follows two artists living in the Holy Land who express their Jewish faith to audiences through Reggae and Hip Hop. No Politics, just spirituality and music!A film by Igal Hecht201100:29:12Tension rises between a mother in crisis and her teenage daughterhttps://jflix.net/movie/hothouse-maale-en/670EnglishEnglishLeah FleishmanWomen And GenderMaale FilmsFamilyFictionThe anticipated visit of their grandmother is ruining the life of a mother and her teenage daughter. When the electricity stops, and the flowers they ordered do not arrive, they need to draw closer to each other and solve their problems.A film by Leah Fleishman   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200200:31:47A makeshift family of disparate people living in accordhttps://jflix.net/movie/fat-cows-lean-cows/337EnglishEnglishMeni EliasHilla Medalia, Neta Zwebner-ZaibertFamilyAnthropologyIn a world torn by race and social classes, "Fat Cows Lean Cows" portrays another possibility: that of disparate people living in accord. Yossi, an Israeli, has owned a dairy farm near Gaza for nearly 50 years. He and his longtime workers, an Arab named Ibrahim and Eddie, from Thailand, have created a makeshift family. Eddie, with his inquisitive mind, stimulates discussions about Israeli and Arab history, all the while yearning to be with his young son. Ibrahim, the father of seven, escapes into Edith Piaf records to stave off his familial separation. Yossi, the patriarchal figure, gives everything he has to the farm and his workers, but his health and the future of the farm are in question. "Fat Cows Lean Cows" tenderly documents this improvised family's attempt to survive in a chaotic and unstable world with beautiful and nuanced storytelling to say that yes, we too can get along.A film by Meni Elias202500:33:09After his film 'Single with God', Nadav pursues his quest for enlightenmenthttps://jflix.net/movie/father-with-gos-documentary-english/1710EnglishHebrew (modern)Jewish way of lifeDocumentary filmsFamilyNadav Gedalya (33) is an experienced musician and journalist. He has been noted in the media as one of 30 desirable bachelors. His personal film "Single with God" where he tells his story of getting married without being part of a defined religious sector, became very popular and has thousands of views. Nadav's self confidence increases even further when he receives his MA in the Humanities with honors, establishing him as an accomplished writer with his own column. His eldest daughter Talia, (4), praises his fatherhood and shines until Eden arrives, a sensitive and gentle boy that completely undermines Nadav's self-confidence. Nadav soon discovers that despite all of his success, he has no idea how to calm his new son who is now a two year old toddler who has a hard time dealing with life, stubborn and crying over every little thing (with some resemblance to his dramatic father). Nadav is conflicted: he is unable to restrict the child since he does not want to upset him, but at the same time he cannot live in peace with the chaos at home. He is depressed, feeling guilty and ashamed and this leads him to stay in his room and later to escape to spend time with friends. He is shocked at the intensity of the complex fatherhood he is suddenly dealing with, reminding him that he is incompetent in the most natural and important role, that he never imagined could be this hard. In contrast, parenthood comes naturally and easily to his wife Hila. This leads to him feeling jealousy towards her. On a tiring journey to get away, Nadav finds himself feeling shame and guilt. He is supposedly doing "what is required of him", working and helping at home but he feels an emptiness inside. He believes and knows there is a different kind of fatherhood, much more present and loving but has no way of obtaining it. The unpleasant feelings, together with the escape to "happier" places outside, create inner pressure that is hard to reduce and Nadav (who constantly films the occurrences) is shown feeling physical pain, dizziness and a real fear that he could die from this. He has trouble determining what he feels, but it looks and feels bad, especially as it is so hard to define. Gradually, through his funny 4 years old daughter Talia, Nadav rediscovers fatherhood with Eden, who reminds him of himself, feeling pain and fleeing to his creativity and career in order to feel his worth. Once he understands this, Nadav chooses to be reborn and connect to his authentic roots and to draw strength from them. He never thought he would cry so much in the process, until all the parts of him that were in hiding, open up and heal. Nadav "burns" in a tunnel of negative feelings, making his way towards his child's heart. He discovers the true, pure, loving child beneath the cynicism, the pretension and the external self-confidence. The process appears to be painful and the tears flow endlessly, but the primordial-modern insistence on natural and sincere bonding with his son Eden, motivates him to stop running from what he feels and to love purely, without applause and an audience, unconditional, as he never imagined he could love. This effort to connect to fatherhood is extremely surprising, as Nadav discovers that as a result his children are blooming, writing songs with a fascinating sub-text that has to do with his life.About the filmmakerNadav Gedalya - filmmaker, actor, musician and journalist, known for his unique personal writing and directing style. In the last 15 years, he had created hundreds of articles and reports on culture, philosophy and media for leading media outlets, as well as books he has published. He played on television and has independently produced a range of projects, including the successful film, "Single man with God" (42 minutes), the online series "Giladi will sell you", the film "Pension" (20 minutes, drama), a personal music album, singles and music videos. 200500:50:14A Jewish religious orthodox actress, playwright and comedian challenges the traditional Jewish perspective on women https://jflix.net/movie/for-making-me-a-woman/261EnglishEnglishYoram SchafferJewishWomen And GenderIsraeli SocietyArts and CultureHadar Galron (formerly Nurit), is a Jewish religious orthodox actress, playwright and comedian. In her artistic work, she challenges the traditional Jewish perspectives on women and their role in the family and the Jewish life, while choosing to remain religious.A film by Yoram Schaffer199500:19:44A futuristic drama about a religious family living on a settlementhttps://jflix.net/movie/fragments-of-a-dream/268EnglishEnglishYakov FriedlandJewishMaale FilmsWar And ConflictFamily"Fragments of a Dream" is a futuristic drama about a religious family living in Judea-Samaria in a period when the fate of the settlements is uncertain. The film expresses the changes occurring in the lives of the protagonists, in the relations between them and in their outlooks. Questions are raised of belief and identity in Jewish life, in relation to the State of Israel as the beginning of the Messianic era, as opposed to the post-Zionist era.A film by Yakov FriedlandAwards:Citation by the Israeli Association of Film Directors, 1995Second Prize for Fiction Films, Magnes Jewish Video Competition, Berkeley 1997Festivals:Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, Israel 1996Magnes Jewish Video Competition, Berkeley 1997Boston Jewish Film Festival, USA, November 1998Public Screenings:Cambridge University, England, November 1998London, England, December 1998.   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201601:19:30Fighting for freedom of speech around the worldhttps://jflix.net/movie/free-speech-fear-free/1169EnglishHuman RightsPoliticsDirector Tarquin Ramsey started his cinematic journey at age 15, asking only one question: what is free speech?It all began after meeting Sri Lankans in North Sri Lanka immediately after the civil war. Four years later, the film was shown in its first festival and won the top award.Ramsey speaks to CIA whistleblowers, famous actors, investigative journalists, world renowned hackers and other free speech advocates. He takes us on his journey of understanding the true meaning of freedom of speech and the threats facing its extinction.A film by Tarquin Ramsey202300:57:43A Six-Part Documentary Web Serieshttps://jflix.net/movie/freeeom-farm-sanctuary-6-episodes/1669EnglishEnglishTaliya FinkelCouplesWomenDocumentary filmsIdentityThis optimistic and profoundly moving documentary invites us to follow the journey of the unique relationships that develop between the 'imperfect' farm animals rejected from the food industry rehabilitated at Freedom Farm Sanctuary in Israel, and their "imperfect" human volunteers marginalized by society, who deeply relate to them, and go above and beyond to care for them. With sensitivity, humor, and love, this documentary reminds us of the real meaning of the word compassion, and shows us where the path to healing ourselves and the world begins.Each chapter in the series documents the story of a different volunteer and animal, and follows their journey of getting to know one another and building trust.Winner of: 2021 Best web- series, Israeli Documentary Film Awards 2021 Best documentary series, Minnesota web fest, USA2021  Best unscripted series, SeriesFest, Denver USA2021 Best web- series, Paris Art and Movie Award festival, France2021   Best web series, Changing Face, Sydney Australia2021  Excellence in Internet television award, DC Web Fest, Washington USAProduced for KAN Israel Broadcast Corporation. Directed by TALIYA FINKEL201100:56:39Avshalom awaits his father to be released from prison while developing his Parkour abilitieshttps://jflix.net/movie/freeflow/244EnglishEnglishRamy A. KatzIsraeli SocietyFamilyChildren and AdolescentsSportsAhead of his father's release from prison, the virtual reality of the Parkour world in which Avshalom is a superhero, starts to crack. The inevitable upcoming showdown with the man he testified against, is going to dictate his mother's fate.The father's arrest three years ago shocked the Gil family. The father was sentenced to three years in jail, and Riki (42) remained the sole provider for her family of eight. The court banned Avshalom's father from seeing his children. In 10th grade, Avshalom dropped out of school and was unable to keep a job. As his childhood world collapsed, Avshalom started creating an alternative reality for himself in which he was a superhero.The film accompanies the internal and external conflicts Riki and her son, Avshalom, experience during nine months the family's father returns home. Ahead of her husband's release from prison, Riki seeks to clear her husband's name and fights to maintain the disputed truth, that she was the one guilty of splitting up the family, and the absent father was the victim. Now She will have to deal with a man who returned home after three years in prison.A film by Ramy A. KatzFestivals and Awards:The Other Israel's Award for an Israeli Documentary Film - Haifa International Film Festival. Prvi Kadar- Grand Prix for best documentary of 6. International festival of documentary and short movie "Prvi kadar"- East Sarajevo-Bosnia and Herzegovina.Belgrade Docu & Short Film Festival 2012-Official selection.Other Israel Film Festival(New York)-Official selection.Tranzyt Film Festival 2012-Official selection. Warsaw Jewish Film Festival 2012-Official selection. Addis Ababa International Film Festival 2013.201201:00:00The stories of captivating and touching individuals in a national parkhttps://jflix.net/movie/garden-of-eden-en/1183EnglishEnglishRan TalIsraeli SocietyAnthropologyDuring the spring, summer, fall and winter seasons of one full year, the film documents the park’s transformation, and with a spectacular expression of cinematic beauty, it tells the stories of the people who visit the park and work therein: Yaacov, whose wife left him and who has since been living a sad and lonely existence; Athir, who is planning to move to Canada because life in Israel does not enable him to reach his full potential; Yael, who was forced to wed at the age of 13 and suffered many years of physical and mental abuse; Itzhak, who has yet to recover from the death of his brother in war and seeks a refuge from the mourning in the cool waters. These are but some of the captivating and touching individuals which the camera encounters. Director Ran Tal, who dismantled and reassembled the myth of the kibbutz in his film “Children of the Sun”, studies the innermost parts of Israeli society with humor, beauty, pain and compassion in the least expected location – a recreation park.​​​​​​​​​A film by Ran TalREVIEWSA touching documentaryHaaretzA film which is all about observance and attentivenessWallaClick here for more reviewsAWARDSBest Director  - Jerusalem International Film FestivalBest Feature  - Mediteran Film Festival - Grand PrixBest film  - Miradas Doc, SpainBest Documentary  - The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2013Best Editing  - The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2013Best Sound  - The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2013Best Original Score  - The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2013Best Photographing  - The Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2013201300:20:25What will happen when his girlfriend discovers the truth?https://jflix.net/movie/getting-serious/98EnglishEnglishMatan GolombJewish way of lifeCouplesMaale FilmsReligionA Jerusalem romantic comedy about a young moderately orthodox man who pretends to be more religious than he is. What happens when his girlfriend discovers the truth?A film by Matan Golomb   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200000:21:37During a national service, Shira attempts to help a 14 year old student in crisis. But things go wrong...https://jflix.net/movie/girl-at-risk-en/878EnglishEnglishRaaya Vardi TabulYair Menahem Mizrahi Gefen Chen Zionׁ- ARIELWomenMaale FilmsFiction19 year old Shira is doing her National Service at a high school. Annoyed that she has been given no serious responsibilities, she attempts to help a 14 year old student in crisis, and is forced to pay a price for her naivety..Director:  Raaya Vardi Tabul  Produced by Maaleh Film School201900:14:14A story about alienation, friendship and homehttps://jflix.net/movie/give-it-back-en/1197EnglishEnglishRuchama ErenhaltMaale FilmsImmigration & absorptionChildren and AdolescentsFictionEducationOlivia is a 12 year old immigrant from New York. She is trying to find her place in the new world she just landed in, Israeli society. Instantly she connects with Alem, an Ethiopian boy who sits next to her in class. It doesn't take long for her to realize that their friendship is social suicide. This is a story about alienation, friendship and home. A Film by Ruchama Erenhalt  Produced by Maaleh Film School201201:02:29https://jflix.net/movie/good-garbage-documentary-english/1707EnglishEnglishAda Ushpiz and Shoh shlamHuman RightsChildren and AdolescentsWar And ConflictIn the suburb of Yatta village near Hebron, in the heart of desolate rocky grounds, lies one of the biggest garbage dumps in the West Bank, which serves the district of Hebron and the settlements of Kiryat Arba, Havat Ma’on, Susia and Carmel. At dawn, and sometimes during the night too, a few dozens of Yatta’s inhabitants await the settlers’ garbage trucks. Most of them are children and teenagers between 9 and 16, who compete who will set upon the unloading trucks first and gather, among the dirt and stench, anything from coke cans to broken TVs, anything that has recyclable iron. “The good garbage” is the one coming from Kiryat Arba: electrical appliances, like mixers, TV parts, refrigerators; even old clothes. Garbage trucks coming from Palestinian villages in the district of Hebron are usually not awarded with the same enthusiasm and are not treated at all by some. Sometimes trucks arrive at night too, and the children - awaiting them inside improvised tents made of clothes from the garbage dump - use the darkness to burn tires and extract the iron out, taking the risk that soldiers will show up and chase them.  During morning hours, children, youngsters and adults continue to arrive. Some descend the hills by foot after a two hours walking, others wander on donkeys or by cars. Those are the unemployed people of Yatta. Most of them are ex-laborers in Israel, whose entrance permits have been revoked due to wide limitations on entrance permits to Israel or due to criminal reasons, such as: involvement in car theft in Israel, selling firearms to the Tanzim and more. According to locals’ estimates, about 200 Palestinians from Yatta earn their living, barely and miserably, from “the garbage of the Jews”. A sort of improvised domestic retailing evolved around the garbage dump. The iron is sold to dealers in the village center, who in turn traffic it to a dealer in Ashkelon; but clothes and other objects are passed on to the women in the house, who wash them, fix them, and sell them cheaply.  Eventually the iron may end up in China or somewhere else.Within a radius of 2-3 km, between piles of garbage scattered on some hills, lies a violent instinctive world full of battles for subsistence, poverty, degradation, games of honor, along daily confrontations. When a truck arrives from the settlements, the violence grows. Children hang from the crane to rummage through the loader before it throws from above packs of wet black garbage, which cover those who are near the truck. Shoving, fighting, for every piece of iron. Within this micro cosmos, a tangled system of weak and strong was formed, sometimes on a family basis, sometimes based on dependence relationships of adults against children.The film unfolds the stories of Haron, 11 years old, Ibrahim, 17 years old, Yosef, 40 years old, and Bedawi, 60 years old, a representative mosaic of characters, revealing a routine of a personal and family war of existence in the reality of occupation. Their personal stories touch on the common pains of the occupation: the fate of a father with a child who sold land to Jews, a mother who was prevented from reuniting with her family in Jordan, a young son of a father serving a life sentence in an Israeli prison, and illiterate and hard-working parents, who are forced to encourage their children to work in the garbage dump, but at the same time dream of seeing them win for a matriculation certificate, in the hope that they will break the cycle of poverty. In Yata occupation is present every moment between the four walls of the house, even when the soldiers are only in the entrances of the village.Watch a Q&A session between Michael Moore and co-director Shosh Shlam Winner of Best Documentary in Magnolia film festival.Winner of Best Cinematography, the Documentary Forum201100:31:41A yeshiva student falls in love with his grandfather's beautiful Indian caregiver https://jflix.net/movie/good-guy/269EnglishEnglishNoam YellinekRelationshipMaale FilmsSenior CitizensFictionA young yeshiva student falls in love with a beautiful young Indian caregiver in his grandfather's house.A film by Noam YellienkScreening & Prizes:"Jewish Eye" Film Festival, Ashkelom October 2012Religion Today Film Festival, Trento Italy October 2012   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201100:31:41A yeshiva student falls in love with his grandfather's beautiful Indian caregiver https://jflix.net/movie/good-guy/684EnglishEnglishNoam YellinekRelationshipMaale FilmsFamilyIdentityA young yeshiva student falls in love with a beautiful young Indian caregiver in his grandfather's house.A film by Noam YellienkScreening & Prizes:'Jewish Eye' Film Festival, Ashkelom October 2012Religion Today Film Festival, Trento Italy October 2012   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200701:00:00A biography of world music master Yair Dalal https://jflix.net/movie/yair-dalal-music-documentary/1168EnglishEnglishEhud TomalakBiographyMusicEthnicitiesLike the historical “Perfume Road”, it is a musical journey of Yair Dalal - from the Persian Golf to Jaffa, from antiquity to modern times, from playing with Bedouins in the desert to nomination of the BBC World-Music Award.Inspired by his music Masters-ancestors from Iraq-Babylon he vows to carry on their vanishing legacy.  A native “Middle-Eastern Israeli”, Yair struggles for recognition in his roots and convictions by establishing his music school so to realize a social-cultural bridge between East and West.A film by Ehud Tomalak and Amos MichaeliWith: Yair Dalal, Duby LenzThe Alol Ensemble: Yair Dalal - Oud, violin, singingAvi Agababa - PercussionErez Munk - PercussionAsaf Zamir - PercussionHaim Ankri - VocalsEli Benakot - EwiAriel Elayev - AccordionHeleil Al’Aweiw - Bedouin fluteAtiah Shlive- GurunYotam Haimovitz - SitarEyal Sella - Clarinet, flute  Guest players:  Awad Shlivi - Sumsumia, Abu Yusef  - Rababa,  Muhammad GarbiaYair Dalal website 201700:57:38Searching for the unknown Holocaust in the former Soviet Unionhttps://jflix.net/movie/gotenland-en/1044EnglishEnglishBoris MaftsirZvi Shefy & Boris MaftsirDocumentaryHistoryHolocaustA documentary project by Boris MaftsirIn November 1941, the German  Army occupied the Crimea peninsula.In a short time, murderous Aktionen of the Jews begin - as in the rest of the Soviet occupied territories.The Nazis planned to turn the Crimea into an inseparable part of the Third Reich - they called it GOTENLAND - the land of the Goths.The shores of Crimea were supposed to be the shores of a German Riviera.German families were to settle in vast estates on the peninsula.The Nazi idea was not realized.But one part of the plan - the total murder of the Jews and members of the Crimean community - was carried out.The seventh film in a documentary project by Boris Maftsir talks about the uniqueness of the tragedy of the destruction of the Crimea Crimchaks community and the liquidation of the Jewish kolkhozes -  together with the other Jewish communities of the Crimea.The stories were  filmed in places and time analogous to the operations that took place in the winter of 1941-42 and in the summer of 1942.  The project includes eight films. Click here to explore the full collection. http://www.holocaustinussr.com/** if you have an active subscription to the platform, you can skip the following message** The film is available for free, for personal viewing, which includes a watermark. To watch it, simply click on the Play button above.If you'd like to watch the film in higher quality and without a watermark, please click on Rent and choose the rental period.For institutional use and public screening, please click on Download and choose the appropriate license.200500:33:09A sensitive film about the final stop for terminal patients - the hospicehttps://jflix.net/movie/grace-hessed-en/1245EnglishEnglishIlan YagodaDocumentary filmsSenior Citizens“You know, I feel as if I’ve known this place since I was born. A home. I say that this is a place of life. Everything here is alive. Even death is alive...”The final stop for terminal patients beyond the reach of medical treatment, a hospice provides palliative care to patients determined to die with dignity. Filmmaker Ilan Yagoda takes us inside the stories playing out at an Israeli hospice, where the average stay is a modest 14 days. Alternately inspiring and heartbreaking, this poignant verité-style doc carefully follows six families as they attempt to say goodbye to their loved ones. The stories are personal, but common: a man who believes he was struck ill as punishment for leaving a fallen comrade on the battlefield; a woman who realizes she has walked through a loveless life; a son struggling to let go of his father. Yagoda eschews interviews and voice-overs, but his portraits are still intimate, candid and deeply familiar. In Grace, we find that the search for solace and the yearning for reconciliation can be quiet, beautiful, haunting and common to us all.A film by Ilan YagodaThe result is a stylish, soulful piece, which succeeds in impressing upon the audience the grace of forgiveness. There is no present reality in this film, but it nevertheless is deeply relevant. This is not a statement on the here and now, more a statement on several eternal questions. Time OutThrough the lens of Ilan Yagoda, the last 14 days of those cancer patients seem full than ever. humour, love, introspection and a truthful preparation for separation from the loved ones are all part  of life in the house of death. Yagoda serves us with 78 minutes of love, compassion and an empowering lesson in saying goodbye. Hanna KleinmannPrizes and AwardsWinner of the Editing Award,  Docaviv film festival, IsraelScreened in HotDocs film festival, CanadaScreened in Viosion du Reel, SwitzerlandParticipated in Input conference, Taiwan202300:20:59A personal journey in an attempt to control consumerism and social mediahttps://jflix.net/movie/guide-for-the-courageous-observer-documetary/1688EnglishEnglishNadav GedaliaDocumentary filmsArts and Popular CultureIdentityA journey of personal observing, beyond the addictive screens, towards meaning.A young Israeli journalist disconnects from the screens that are running his life and sets out on a journey of personal observing in the public sphere. On this humoristic journey through the streets, he gradually discards his cynicism and is surprised to discover the beautiful, natural and powerful emotions concealed behind the screens of modern life.It is no secret that the noise coming from the screens surrounding us, has taken over a central part of our lives. We work, shop, sell, embrace, love, are angry and even "moved" through screens. In this manner, our attention is drawn towards continuous notifications, away from the potential good will we have within us.The possibility of living a truly exciting life is taken from us.Now, whoever attracts our attention the most, receives our heart, or important parts of it.What does our heart look like without the attractive screen nourishment? What does the world around us look like when we actually observe it? What are we missing out on when we connect to screens? "The Guide for the Courageous Observer" (Status film) is a simple film that is hard to define until you watch it.The film is made of short stories and statuses, joined together to create a 45 minute video, in five parts, presenting a personal journey of observing with humor and sincerity, offering new perceptions."The Guide for the Courageous Observer" is for those that wish to observe life itself, in the deep sense of it and to be moved by it.About the Film CreatorThe film's director is Nadav Gedalya, actor, musician and journalist, known for his unique personal writing and directing style. In the last 15 years, he has produced hundreds of articles and reports on culture, philosophy and media in leading media networks, as well  as books he has written. He has acted on television and has independently produced a range of projects, including the successful film, "Single man with God" (42 minutes), the online series "Giladi will sell you", the film "Pension" (20 minutes), a personal music album, singles and clips.201501:12:54A colourful journey through the history of Israeli cinemahttps://jflix.net/movie/hagiga-part-1/299EnglishEnglishNoit GevaMoshe Edri, Leon Edri, David ZilberDocumentary filmsHistoryArts and Popular CultureThe forefathers of Israeli cinema - Ephraim Kishon, Uri Zohar and Menachem Golan – came to cinema from the world of entertainment. These filmmakers stepped into the tiny, emerging film industry with practically no money – but with a keen sense of what their audience would like. Armed with humor, chutzpah and courage, they managed to make international headlines, including Oscar nominations and prizes at Cannes. The movies of the 1960s and the 1970s become more and more ambitious. These films present a portrait of the newly formed Israeli society –  a melting pot of immigrants and soldiers where irony and underdogs were the true heroes.A film by Noit GevaAwards & Festivals:Toronto JFF, Canada, 2016Australia International Jewish Film Festival, 2015LA Israeli Film Festival, 2015Jerusalem International Film Festival, 2015201501:13:05The successes of Israeli cinema in the 1960s and the 1970s made way for a period of confusion and disappointment within the 1980shttps://jflix.net/movie/hagiga-part-2/300EnglishHebrew (modern)Noit GevaDocumentary filmsHistoryArts and Popular CultureThe successes of Israeli cinema in the 1960s and the 1970s made way for a period of confusion and disappointment within the 1980s. But this era also ushered in something new. The fallout after the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin, coupled with the development of commercial television and the emergence of Israeli filmmaking schools, spurred a generation of highly creative artists. Dozens of movies are produced each year, and the creators become more diverse: women, religious, and Palestinian filmmakers begin to find their voices, and new genres emerge. Films such as ‘Late Marriage’, ‘The Band’s Visit’, ‘Waltz with Bashir’ and ‘Footnote’ garner international success, and Israeli directors become known throughout the world.  Israeli cinema continues to react to the social, military and political reality, although at times, in delay. The Lebanon War, the murder of Rabin, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the widening social gaps within Israeli society present the backdrop for controversial films that receive international praise and criticism.A film by Noit GevaAwards & Festivals:Toronto JFF, Canada, 2016Australia International Jewish Film Festival, 2015LA Israeli Film Festival, 2015Jerusalem International Film Festival, 2015200100:22:01A dramatic event will force Yael to choose between two menhttps://jflix.net/movie/hallel/169EnglishEnglishLiat Vagshel CohenRelationshipWomen And GenderMaale FilmsFamilyAs the result of a small car accident, Yael, an orthodox married woman undergoing fertility treatment, meets the young secular owner of a bookstore. Through her new friendship with him, she is drawn into a world of poetry and prose, a world she has not previously known. This world becomes a great comfort against the background of her infertility and the resulting strain on her marriage. Her caring husband is pushed to the sidelines, and only a dramatic event will force Yael to choose between the two men.A film by Liat Vagshel Cohen   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200400:15:41An optimistic short comedy about mother, Passover and lovehttps://jflix.net/movie/hametz-leaven/347EnglishEnglishItzik YuvalJewishRelationshipFamilyIt is Passover Eve, a few hours before the festival is due to begin. The famous Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv is due to play the semi final against Barcelona. Rubi, a divorced 45-year-old sports teacher who lives with his mother, is dying to watch the game, but to please his mother, he must first do the ritual of "Bedikat Hametz", a thorough check of all the rooms in the household to ensure that their home is free of foods forbidden on Passover. The sudden appearance of Ruth, a vacuum cleaner saleswoman on the doorstep, alters everybody's plans for the evening.A film by Itzik Yuval201301:03:03A biography of one of the prominent founders of Gush Emunimhttps://jflix.net/movie/hanan-porat-settled-faith-documentary-english/1708EnglishEnglishHebrew (modern)Gil MezumanGil MezumanHistoryBiographyHanan Porat became the leader and symbol of the settler movement in winter, 1975. He was carried on the shoulders of dozens of men in Sebastia, in the heart of Samaria, after Rabin’s government authorized the establishment of a settlement in Elon Moreh, caving to the pressure of the settlers, led by Porat.  history changed: in 2025, around half a million Jews live in dozens of settlements throughout the West Bank.In winter 2010, Hanan is diagnosed with cancer. He knew his days are numbered and set out on a journey through the key stations in his life. Hanan Porat: Settled in Faith is a historical document, personal and national. It presents the soul searching of Porat and of the entire Gush Emunim movement: was it a right choice to dedicate his life to public activity instead of Torah study and spirituality? Did the political path which he chose prove itself? What was the price exacted by the settlement enterprise? Will the destruction of the Jewish settlements in Gaza be repeated in the West Bank?Screened at Jerusalem Jewish Film FestivalRead more about Hanan Porat:WikipediaWorld MizrachiThe Jewish Press201500:21:34A special needs woman has great spiritual depth and self-awarenesshttps://jflix.net/movie/hanna-is-beautiful/81EnglishEnglishShira MeisharCouplesMaale FilmsSpecial NeedsAnthropologyHanna, a special needs 37-year-old who shows a moving and philosophical insight into her situation, lives in protective housing, following her daily routine and hoping for love. Earning well below the minimum wage in the kitchens of a government ministry, Hanna applies for a re-evaluation of her salary in the light of her high level of competence at work. The film accompanies her through her hardest and happiest moments.Hanna is an unforgettable character of great spiritual depth and self-awareness, who effortlessly demolishes all our preconceptions about special needs adults.A film by Shira Meishar Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200701:08:20She was saved during the holocaust by a priest who would become, years later, the popehttps://jflix.net/movie/hanuzska-en/320EnglishEnglishNurit KedarBiographyHolocaustLike many other Jewish children, young Hanuzska was hidden in a monastery during World War II. She had hidden her Jewish identity and became a devote member of the monastery. A true friendship was created between her and the priest. Years later, as an Israeli who came back to her Jewish roots, she sets out on a journey back to Europe, where she will tell her story and the story of that priest, who became John Paul II, the Pope.A film by Nurit Kedar201200:25:18Two brothers struggle with a promisehttps://jflix.net/movie/happy-hanukah-bodenheimer/665EnglishEnglishHadas DissenJewishMaale FilmsFamilyChildren and AdolescentsReligionTwo young brothers struggle with a promise:'When the Messiah comes, the dead will arise and your father will come home.”A film by Hadas Dissen   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201200:58:02An incredible journey from the inferno of the battlefield back to the ocean of lifehttps://jflix.net/movie/happy-you-are-alive/677EnglishEnglishHilla MedaliaNeta Zwebner Zaibert, Ayelet Cohen & Liron Gross.War And ConflictPsychologyMusicIdentityFor more than two years the film crew captures Kobi Vitman, an inspiring musician, and Naftali Kinel's incredible journey from the inferno of the battlefield back to the ocean of life. Their stories expose the traumatic effects of war, both on the individuals and on society, raising questions and bringing awareness. The film captures Kobi's impulsive works of self-expression that grow to become War Rock Opera and Naftali's therapy with a PTSD expert psychiatrist Mooli Lahad. This film sheds light upon the roughest waters of life, and by doing so teaches us how from the most unimaginable pain we can find strength.A film by Hilla Medalia200100:22:45My life with a brother with special needshttps://jflix.net/movie/hello-yaakov-hello-malka/685EnglishEnglishOfir SchteinbaumMaale FilmsFamilyChildren and AdolescentsSpecial Needs My special needs brother Elad is now 19. My parents are finding it harder and harder to take care of him, but as they begin to look for sheltered accommodation for him, they begin to realize how painful the upcoming separation will be.A film by Ofir SchteinbaumFestivals:International Student Film Festival, Belgrade Yugoslavia 2001Sprout Film Festival NY 2010   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200702:16:46Who was Herzl, the visionary of the state of Israel, beyond the myth?https://jflix.net/movie/herzl-biography/712EnglishHebrew (modern)HistoryBiographyWho was the real Herzl? - Benjamin Theodore Herzl is considered the father of modern political Zionism, but in this 3 episodes series we get to know him more personally - his aspirations as a teenager, his literary works, the relations with his wife and parents and the tragedies. A highly aesthetic production, which includes dramatic reenactments.A film by Amnon Rubinstein 198900:27:14A biography of artist Iziash Hoffstatter, whose life was "an optimistic tragedy"https://jflix.net/movie/hoffstatter-a-portrait-of-an-artist/352EnglishEnglishHebrew (modern)Jachin HirchDocumentaryBiographyArts and CultureIziash Hoffstatter, born in Poland and a Holocaust survivor. A renowned Israeli artist, worked as a night guard and defined himself as a "tragic optimist", due to his complicated, tough lifeA film by Jachin Hirch200601:03:51Documenting the Lives of Security Prisoners in an Israeli Jailhttps://jflix.net/movie/hothouse-home-of-security-prisoners/316EnglishEnglishShimon DotanDocumentaryWar And ConflictIsrael detains over 10,000 Palestinian prisoners. They are deemed "security prisoners" by the Israeli government, but, to many in the Palestinian world, they are viewed as leaders and martyrs for the crimes they have committed against innocent people. While some of the prisoners have renounced violence in favor of peace, many others are as dedicated to their causes as the day they were incarcerated and are creating virtual terrorist training camps within the prison's walls.A film by Shimon Dotan200600:56:01Documenting the Lives of Security Prisoners in an Israeli Jailhttps://jflix.net/movie/hothouse-home-of-security-prisoners/697EnglishEnglishShimon DotanDocumentaryWar And ConflictIsrael detains over 10,000 Palestinian prisoners. They are deemed 'security prisoners' by the Israeli government, but, to many in the Palestinian world, they are viewed as leaders and martyrs for the crimes they have committed against innocent people. While some of the prisoners have renounced violence in favor of peace, many others are as dedicated to their causes as the day they were incarcerated and are creating virtual terrorist training camps within the prison's walls.A film by Shimon Dotan200500:30:00An intimate portrait of a family during the disengagement from Gaza Striphttps://jflix.net/movie/house-103-en/142EnglishEnglishOhad DombMaale FilmsIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictFamilyAugust 2005. The Tal family are living out their final moments in a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip. "Disengagement", Ariel Sharon's political plan to evict the 22 Jewish communities of the Gaza Strip, will go into effect within a few days. The film is an intimate portrait of the family members' struggle to come to terms with their fate.A film by Ohad DombFestivalsInternational Jewish Film Festival, Argentina FICJA 2006SLEEPWALKERS International Student Film Festival, Estonia 2006First Time Director Film Festival, Singapore 2006NEIGHBOURS International Film Festival, Haifa Israel 2006THE JEWISH MOTIFF International Jewish Film Festival, Warsaw, Poland 2007   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201500:55:27 The untold story of the Mountain Jews community.https://jflix.net/movie/i-am-a-mountain-jew/679EnglishEnglishNisan KatzImmigrationAnthropologyI am a Mountain Jew tells the untold story of the Mountain Jews community. The film follows a group of these young mountain Jews who immigrated to Israel many years ago and are now embarking on a journey to Caucasus to explore and connect with their roots. Having being subjected to stigmas about their so-called violent community all their life, they are determined to break the isolation and formalize their own identity and connection to Israeli society.A film by Nisan Katz200300:50:41Israeli reality as imagined through the eyes of a group of film directorshttps://jflix.net/movie/i-have-dream/312EnglishEnglishYoni ZiglerDocumentaryIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictIsraeli reality as imagined through the eyes of a group of film directors.Produced by Matar Productions200301:04:04Israeli reality as imagined through the eyes of a group of film directorshttps://jflix.net/movie/i-have-dream/696EnglishEnglishYoni ZiglerDocumentaryIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictIsraeli reality as imagined through the eyes of a group of film directors.Produced by Matar Productions201000:55:23Pays tribute to unsung heros and to many American Jews who volunteered and contributed to the realization of the creation of the Jewish Statehttps://jflix.net/movie/i-was-there-in-color/184EnglishAvishai KfirJewish way of lifeIsraeli SocietyHistoryBiography'I Was There In Color' is an extraordinary and never before seen movie about the historical birth of Israel in color. The historic footage was shot by Fred Monosson, a Jewish American businessman from Brookline-Boston, who died in 1972, leaving in his basement ream of 16 mm film. Until that discovery, the history of Israel was only captured in black and white. Now, for the first time ever Israel's history is told in color.A film by Avishai Kfir201300:25:16Grandma Rebecca is forced to leave her home and memorieshttps://jflix.net/movie/i-will-see-you-again/109EnglishEnglishAchva HershtikMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsFamilySenior Citizens Grandma Rebecca is forced to leave her home and memories and move in with her children and grandchildren. The separation from her home and her life is unbearably hard. Her family guides her with love and sensitivity to a new future that also has room for her memories.A film by Achva Hershtik   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200900:15:35 The special relationship between an elderly father and his son who has Down's syndromehttps://jflix.net/movie/i-am-ready/273EnglishEnglishSpanish; CastilianEsther Siton-KatzMaale FilmsFamilySenior CitizensSpecial NeedsThe special relationship between an elderly father and his Down syndrome son breaks down when the father's memory begins to fail due to the onset of Alzheimer's disease.The collapse of their stable and happy routine force upon the two a painful resolution of their problems.A film by Esther Siton-KatzAwards:First Prize, Jewish Film Festival, Athens Georgia USA 2011Festivals:Jewish Film Festival Miami 2009Israel Film Festival New York 2009Festival for Special Needs Actors, Jerusalem 2009Atlanta Jewish Film Festival 2010Moscow Special Needs Film Festival 2010Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival 2010Jewish Film Festival, Toronto Canada 2011   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200600:51:12Ida Fink wrote only in Polish, but touched many hearts all over the wordhttps://jflix.net/movie/ida-fink-the-garden-that-floated-away/1729EnglishHebrew (modern)Ruth WalkDocumentary filmsBiographyArts and Popular CultureLiteratureThe film The Garden that Floated Away tells the story of Ida Fink, one of Israel's most distinguished authors. With her pristine Polish prose, she recounts the Holocaust era, touching upon its horrors without sacrificing elegance and beauty. The film highlights the profound connection between her life and the reality depicted in her work, reflecting the musical and cinematic qualities of her stories.Ida Fink's home in Holon is a tiny apartment, where a writing desk faces a balcony overlooking a garden. This is the garden she gazes upon while typing on her old Polish typewriter. It is also "the garden that floats away," the namesake of her story that portrays her childhood garden as a symbol of a life lost, never to be the same.Inspired by Ida's modest lifestyle, the film intimately follows her at 83 years old as she moves out of the apartment where she lived and created for 45 years. She and her 81-year-old sister are embarking on a new future together, sharing an apartment in Tel Aviv. It is the first time they have lived together since the war, when they wandered across Germany and Poland, posing as Polish farmhands and factory workers in a desperate attempt to survive. The film explores the price of that survival and the struggle to reclaim one's true identity after years of denying it.A film by Yael Perlov and Ruth Walk, it is part of the series A Room of One's Own: Women Writing.***About the Series:A Room of One's Own: Women Writing is a series about women whose lives are dedicated to the craft of writing—women for whom writing is not just a profession, but an existential necessity.In 1929, the English author Virginia Woolf wrote in her book, A Room of One's Own, "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." It is remarkable how relevant these words, written decades ago, remain today. The five women featured in this series exemplify the very struggles Woolf alluded to. To make writing the center of their lives, they face a relentless and often bitter struggle for personal and financial independence, frequently making social and familial sacrifices along the way.The series consists of five episodes, each dedicated to one woman. It captures a day in her life within her natural environment—her "room of one's own." This space encompasses her writing desk, her social circles, and her daily routines. Through this lens, the series delves into the unique thoughts and characteristics that define her as a writer and explores how the act of writing propels her life forward.The common thread uniting these women is the profound importance of the written word in both their intellectual and practical lives, and the inherent struggles that arise from this commitment.By observing their daily lives, the films decode why writing constitutes their entire world and examine the interplay between their texts and their lived experiences. The series aims to sketch a portrait of the woman behind the words. In one of her stories, Orly Castel-Bloom wrote, "I live on paper." This sentence, reflecting a deep-seated need to write while also ironically hinting at the perceived "unreal" nature of a woman's life lived solely "on paper," captures the series' goal: to showcase the authors' devotion to their craft while simultaneously emphasizing the reality and significance of their lives. The series reveals women who live not just "on paper," but in the world, fully realizing their inner selves and spirits.199800:29:18A talented musician, an outspoken teenager, and suddenly - devoutly religioushttps://jflix.net/movie/ido-en/272EnglishEnglishGilad GoldschmidtMaale FilmsFamilyReligionMusicThe charismatic leader of a punk rock band, Ido is a talented musician, an outspoken teenager, and suddenly - devoutly religious. Moving to the community of Beitar, he immerses himself in Jewish study, while his family and friends try to cope with his dramatic transformation. Following Ido for a year, this film vividly expresses his inner growth- and the reactions of those in the secular world he has left behind.A film by Gilad Goldschmidt Awards:Ma'ale School Award best film for 1998, presented by "Keshet", the Israeli second channel. Jury Mention Award, the 14th International Student Film Festival, Tel-Aviv 1998.Festivals:The 14th International Student Film Festival, Tel Aviv, June 1998.The Jerusalem International Film Festival, Wolgin Competition, July 1998.The 10th Boston Jewish Film Festival, November 1998.The IDA Documentary Film Competition, Los Angeles, October 1998.Israel Film Festival, Los Angeles 1998, New York 1999.Bergen county Israeli Film Festival, New Jersey, March 1999.Seattle Jewish Film Festival, Seattle, March 1999.She-Suchte International Student Film Festival, Potsdam Germany, April 1999.Magnes Jewish video competition, Berkely, U.S.A,1999Public Screenings:Fyherty International Documentary Film Seminar, Israel, October 1998.Cambridge England, October 1998London, December 1998.Israel Art Museum, Jerusalem, March 1999.   Film School 200301:10:35A deep cultural gap between the Yemenite families and the Yiddish Satmar Communityhttps://jflix.net/movie/in-satmar-custody/689EnglishEnglishNitzan GiladiJewishHuman RightsFamilyImmigrationChildren and AdolescentsAnthropologyIn Satmar Custody reveals the story of the Jaradi's, a Jewish Yemenite family, one of many that were brought from Yemen to the US (Monroe, NY) by the Ultra-orthodox Satmar Community which operates a propaganda machine against the immigration to Israel.The story exposes a deep cultural gap between the Yemenite families and the Yiddish Satmar Community that became distractive and tragic to families who have traveled thousands of miles to an entirely different planet of their own, with strange rules, norms, morals and lifestyles.Still in Yemen, Yemenite Jewish families are brainwashed by skillful missionaries, unable to defend themselves in the eye of this intricate and deceptive operation. The film follows the life of Yahia and Lauza Jaradi who were brought from Yemen into the Satmar Community. It starts on the day that the Jaradi couple received an urgent phone call notifying that their two and a half-year-old daughter, Hadia, died in a hospital in Paterson, N.J. Through their search for their daughter's body, they are getting closer and closer to what seems as the very painful truth about her faith.A film by Nitzan Giladi Reviews:'A most stirring and disturbing film.....built like a thriller, in an atmosphere of mystery.' -Joan Dupont, The International Herald Tribune'The scene, straight from some shtetl described by Isaac Bashevis Singer, conceals a contemporary tragedy of ancient Greek proportions in director Nitzan Gilady's chilling and thoroughly engrossing documentary In Satmar Custody.' -Village Voice By Leslie Camhi'...Nitzan Gilady delivers a stranger-than-fiction story of group coercion with a poetic, elliptical style.' -The Boston Phoenix by Matthias Frey'In Satmar Custody has all the requisite elements- tension, pace, pain, despair, hope, voyeurism and above all, a wonderful sense of time and place...it is a sensitive, sad and sobering film, providing a glimpse into the world of Satmar Chassidic Society...Not to be missed!' -Ynet, Israel'Watching the film In Satmar Custody is both enraging and difficult, due to it having been made so well. A feeling of helplessness is mixed with hoping for a happy ending. The rage bubbles up simultaneously with waves of sympathy and mercy...' -Zman Tel Aviv, Israel'In Satmar Custody is a poetry filled with endless sorrow. An exquisite mixture of brave research, patient, talent and art. Not o be missed' -Yediot Acharonot, IsraelFestivals: (partial)Marseille Documentary Film Festival 2003Jerusalem Film Festival 2003IDFA 2003Golden Gate Competition – San Francisco International Film FestivalNewport Beach International Film FestivalPalm Beach International Film FestivalInput, BarcelonaMunich Documentary Film FestivalBeverly Hills Film FestivalToronto Jewish Film FestivalCork, IrelandCape Town World CinemaPioneer Theater, New York – A theatrical run 201100:31:46Tamar, a 17-year old girl, was raped, but doesn't dare to speak about ithttps://jflix.net/movie/in-silence-en/139EnglishEnglishTom Dadon-MIshalyWomen And GenderMaale FilmsPsychologyChildren and AdolescentsFictionTamar, a well-adjusted 17-year old from a happy home, is raped at the religious girls' high school where she is a student. She becomes withdrawn and hostile, mystifying her parents who assume that this is normal teenage angst. The more Tamar's despair goes unnoticed, the more desperate she becomes.A film by Tom Dadon-MIshaly   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201300:03:20A thought provoking film about the national expropriation of grief from the familieshttps://jflix.net/movie/in-the-land-of-bereavement-en/964EnglishEnglishAvi HemiDocumentaryIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictMemorial Day, “Good to Die for Our Country”, “Recalling the Dead” stickers, the national siren.Bereavement is the get together of the Jewish people in Israel. Nevertheless, it seems we never stopped for a minute to ask ourselves about the role of bereavement in our lives, who profits from it and who pays the price.In his film, The Land of Bereavement, director Avi Hemi sets out to scrutinize the ethos of bereavement with those who have to experience it in their personal lives, among them are writers Yoram Kaniuk and Ruvik Rosenthal. The personal tragedy, the expropriation of their grief for the benefit of the public and politicians, the uselessness of the national solemn ceremonies and the feeling of the never ending death, accompany their lives since the loss of their dearest. In the film they raise painful questions about the price of independence and the power of fate: is the loss of their beloved ones worthy for the existence of the state? What is so threatening in hearing different opinions and who’s afraid to find out there might be another truth?201201:10:20One of the most captivating chapters in the development of modern architecture - the story of Erich Mendelsohnhttps://jflix.net/movie/incessant-vision/200EnglishEnglishDuki DrorHistoryArts and Popular CultureThis film is a cinematic meditation about the untold story of Erich Mendelsohn whose life and career was as enigmatic and tragic as the path of the century.He drew sketches on tiny pieces of paper and sent them, from the trenches to a young cellist, who was waiting for him in Berlin. She thought he was a genius and after WW1 she helped him become the busiest architect in Germany. When she planned to leave him, for a communist poet, he built a perfect house for her, entirely planned by him, from the lake view living room to the silver-wear and her evening gowns. When the Nazis came to power, they escaped the house and Germany forever. Erich and Louise Mendelsohn have wondered between continents, between world wars, between success and failure. The buildings that Erich built around the world, scattered as a trail of their journey, have changed the history of architecture.Award-winning filmmaker, Duki Dror (The Journey of Vaan Nguyen, Raging Dove) has created a spectacular interpretation based on Erich and Louise's relationship, for one of the most captivating chapters in the development of modern art.A film by Duki DrorAwards:Honorable Mention at the Jerusalem International Film Festival 2011Festivals:Potsdam, Germany, Film Museum Potsdam, June 2012Berlin Jewish Film Festival, June 2012Architecture and Design Film Festival, April 2012 Documentary Edge Film Festival New Zealand, April 2012 Denver Jewish Film Festival, March 2012San Diego Jewish Film Festival Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, February 2012New York Jewish Film Festival, January 2012Guangzhou 2011 International Documentary Film Festival, December 2011Washington Jewish Film Festival, December 2011Vancouver Jewish Film Festival, November 2011Saint Louis International Film Festival, November 2011 Weitzmann Institute, Rehovot Israel, October 2011San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, July 2011Jerusalem International Film Festival, July 2011201101:01:21Rock and world music artist Dudu Tassa in search of the musical roots of his familyhttps://jflix.net/movie/iraq-n-roll-en/1084EnglishEnglishGili GaonDocumentaryArts and CultureMusicSaleh and Daud (David) Al-Kuwaity were Jewish musicians, living in Iraq in the 1930s. They are considered the creators of modern Iraqi music, and two of the greatest Arab musicians in history. In Iraq, they were extremely respected, often performing in the court of the King. They established the National Iraqi Radio, and became well known in the Arab world. In the 1950s, they immigrated to Israel, where no one listened to their music. Their glory vanished and they felt that their music had betrayed them. They forbade their family members from becoming musicians and experiencing the same pain.Despite this strict command, two generations after the death of his grandfather Daud, Dudu Tassa has become a leading performer in today's Israeli rock ‘n' roll scene. He is the only member of his family who had the courage to become a musician, and now, he is venturing into the painful and challenging musical heritage of his ancestry. Dudu decides to release an album, taking the original music of the Al-Kuwaity brothers and playing their compositions in modern style and arrangement. Through this music, Tassa attempts to bridge time, space, and culture, and heal the family's pain.A film by Gili GaonIraq n’ Roll is a serious examination that follows contemporary rocker Tassa as he pieces together his forebears’ life stories—largely through conversations with relatives and others—and uncovers a half-forgotten archive containing their rare recordings, which later inspire his own innovative compositions.Video LibrarianContemporary Israeli musician Dudu Tassa encounters the Al-Kuwaity brothers and his family history through their music, creating a musical dialogue between the generations. Midnight EastDirector Gili Gaon follows the very engaging and talented Tassa as he thrills to discover archives of his family’s musical history.Film ForwardAwardsBest Documentary Award – Sole e Luna International Film Festival, Italy, 2012Gold Remi Award – WorldFest Houston, USA, 2012Special Ger Orchestra Award – Jewish Motifs International Film Festival, Poland, 2012Participated in Jerusalem Film Festival and broadcast in Israeli Channel 22 and Channel 10.IMDb201701:29:44The myth of life, death and heroism of Yosef Trumpeldorhttps://jflix.net/movie/good-to-die-en/1410EnglishHebrew (modern)itay Nevo LandesbergDocumentary filmsHistoryBiographyWar And ConflictGenerations of Israeli youngsters grew up on the myth and legend attributed to Yossef Trumpeldor “is it good to die for your country”. Was it his patriotic will or a spell for the next generations?Yossef Trmpeldor was a soldier, a combatant, an officer, a farmer, a Zionist leader and a socialist. He was a living legend and became a symbol for the whole Jewish-Zionist movement after his death in the battlefield.The film is a journey through the war victims of Tel Yossef, the kibbutz that was founded at 1921 and is called in memory of Trumpeldor. Telling their stories is done in parallel to investigating the myth and its roots. For many, it was clear that Trumpledor was fighting for life and for freedom. The answer to question “what do we die for” was obvious for year, but is it still so today?A film by Itay Landesberg Nevo201301:34:35Homemade films edited to a fascinating story which tells the story of the state of Israel along 7 decadeshttps://jflix.net/movie/israel-a-home-movie/176EnglishEnglishEliav LiltiIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictHistoryStarting in the early 1930s, home movies were made by private individuals documenting their personal and family lives alongside historic events in Palestine/Israel. Each amateur cinematographer had a camera of his own, but each saw something different.A film by Arik Bernstein and Eliav Lilti200100:53:11An inner look at life in a Jewish settlementhttps://jflix.net/movie/it-happened-after-the-spring-en/140EnglishEnglishMenora Katzover HazoniMaale FilmsIsraeli SocietyWar And Conflict"In the Spring I bought myself a camera. The whole of our settlement was in bloom right then, so I filmed butterflies and flowers. But then everything changed, and there were other things to film."In "It Happened After the Spring", Menora Katsover, the daughter of a scion settler family who founded the Elon Moreh settlement in Samaria, documents the life of the settlement in 2001 in the shadow of the Al-Aksa Intifada.After graduating, Katsover went on to make two feature-length documentaries to complete the trilogy. The second in the series, "The Skies are Closer in Homesh" documents her marriage and the birth of her son in the relatively new and isolated settlement of Homesh. The film was shown at the DocAviv documentary film festival and on Israel's Channel 2 TV. The last film in the trilogy, "Arise From the Dust", documents the forced evacuation of Menora and her young family from Homesh, during the Disengagement of 2005.An unapologetically political trilogy, these films reflect a visual reality from the settler point of view, depicting scenes rarely seen in the media.A film by Menora Katzover Hazoni   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School199700:25:39Two cousins, best friends and one poetic, observational filmhttps://jflix.net/movie/jenny-and-jenny-en/1241EnglishEnglishMichal AviadAnat SperlingWomenFamilyChildren and AdolescentsJenny and Jenny meet everyday. Jenny and Jenny talk everyday. Jenny and Jenny write each other all the time. Jenny and Jenny have a broken heart. And happiness. They are 17 years old, cousins, born and raised in Bat Yam, a working class town south of Tel Aviv.The film follows Jenny and Jenny one summer in their lives, accompanies them when they wander between childhood and womanhood. The two girls live life of great passion and innocence all at the same time, in the blurred areas where reality and dreams mix together.How is the world deciphered in the eyes of Jenny and Jenny? What form does the feminine identity take in their eyes? What do they love and what they suffer from? A film by Michal Aviad199700:19:44This film reveals what happened to hundreds of Ethiopians on their difficult journey to Israelhttps://jflix.net/movie/jephtahs-daughter/274EnglishEnglishEinat KapachJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsFamilyImmigration & absorptionReligionThe year is 1984. A Jewish family is on its way by foot from Ethiopia to Sudan, from where they will board a plane for Israel. The father, whom the family's life depends on, is seized by brigands. Things change when his eldest daughter comes across the place. The story is typical of what happened to hundreds of Ethiopians on their difficult journey to Israel, in the 1980's, when they crossed the desert, in order to reach the Promised Land.A film by Einat KapachAwards:First prize of the City of Jerusalem for the Best Fiction Film, 1996Festivals:The 14th Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, 1996The Boston Jewish Film Festival, USA 1998Henri Langolis International Student Film Festival, Poitiers France 1998.Student Golden Lion Film Festival, Taipei Taiwan 1999Israeli Film Week in Bonn, Germany 2001Sukagawa International Film Festival, Japan 2002Celebration of Jewish cinema, Jerusalem 1999Women Film Festival Rehovot Israel 2012   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201200:18:30Co-existence in highly tensed Jerusalemhttps://jflix.net/movie/jerusalem-er/52EnglishArabicEnglishYael PerlovYael Perlov and Kobi MizrahiWomenDocumentary filmsWarDr. Stalnikowicz runs the hospital ER along with Dr. Salameh, who is a Palestinian Israeli from the north. The two of them come in early each morning, and every day is confronted with new moments, both revelatory and shocking. A quiet day rarely exists.Dr. Salameh has wanted to be a doctor since she was ten years old as her grandfather was often ill. She decided to do her residency in Jerusalem before going back to the north, but she is concerned about being so far away from her parents. Dr. Salameh has more of an Israeli accent and isn't automatically identified as Palestinian-Israeli, so there are times when she hears racist comments at the hospital. Dr. Stalnikowicz moved to Israel from Chile in 1973 just six months before the military coup. She found work at the hospital, fell in love with it, and has never left. She doesn't find it difficult to work at the hospital on a personal level, but the geography makes it hard for both sides to communicate. As one patient puts it, everyone suffers in the hospital, regardless of which side they're on. Sometimes, Israeli soldiers arrive, creating feelings of antagonism, or what Dr. Stalnikowicz calls "silent violence." Patients from the occupied territories are often carried in by family members because ambulances can't reach them.There is a talk of Dr. Salameh running the ER in the future. Dr. Stalnikowicz tells Dr. Salameh that she wants to leave behind someone who can do good things, but Dr. Salameh isn't sure she would be comfortable after Dr. Stalnikowicz left. She also doesn't think she would be given the opportunity because she's Palestinian-Israeli.Dr. Stalnikowicz wishes that the hospital could serve as a microcosm for Israel. Dr. Salameh laments how far from reality that is. The two women drive home at the end of another day at the ER. JERUSALEM ER moves beyond bigotry and daily difficulties to expose an irrepressible dedication to providing equal heath care to Israelis. The hospital is proof of the capability of people from various beliefs to exist under one roof with a common goal in mind. Ultimately, the story moves deeper than the personal encounters of doctors and patients, as the internal frame of the hospital shows how differences can be set aside for the well-being of all individuals.A film by Hilla Medalia200601:21:50Behind the scenes of the World Pride events in Jerusalemhttps://jflix.net/movie/jerusalem-is-proud-to-present/233EnglishEnglishNitzan GiladyLGBTHuman RightsIsraeli SocietySexual MinoritiesIn the summer of 2006, Jerusalem was to host, for the first time in history, the World Pride events, which were to culminate in a traditional gay pride parade. The planned events stirred turmoil in the politically complex city, with Jewish, Muslim and Christian religious leaders banding together in an uncompromising battle against what they said would defile the holy city. On the other side stood the activists of the Open House, Jerusalems LGBT community center, who planned the events. Steadfast in the face of the heated and violent anti-gay sentiment, they had to deal with threats to much more than just their right to march.A film by Nitzan GiladyFestivals:Docaviv (ISRAEL)Cleveland International Film FestivalGuth Gafa (Ireland)PIFF (Provincetown, US)Banff World Television Film FestivalLondon Jewish Film FestivalFresco LGBT Film FestivalSeattle LGBT Film FestivalWashington Jewish film festivalNew York Jewish film festivalChicago LGBT film festivalAtlanta Jewish film festivalBoston LGBT Film FestivalPreview image: Nettadi201700:41:59A film about a man who fulfilled a dreamhttps://jflix.net/movie/joseph-and-josephine-en/1237EnglishEnglishRonit TayarDocumentary filmsBiographyArts and populre CultureImmaterialLife and EnvironmentAfter three years of dedicating my time, thoughts and money, I fulfilled a dream and turned a truck into a luxurious mobile home, the first of its kind in Israel.My name is Yosi Tayar (54) and until recently, I lived in Tel Aviv. Around me were concrete monsters that killed my skyline and blocked the sunlight. I’m single, a father to twelve year-old Shira, my daughter of whom I have joint custody. I work as an animator, surrounded by good friends, a loving family, and mother Geula; the closest person to me, who has a unique Tripolitan style talent to get on my nerves.At the age of fifty, a warning bell started ringing in my head, alerting me that it's time for me to mold new content into my life. One evening I saw a TV program about people who turn automobiles into mobile homes. The idea excited me, and with my ‘Peter Pan spirit’, I decided to build a mobile home and make a film in which I show life through the eyes of a man who wishes for freedom but is limited by conventional fences and Israeli reality. A new spirit swept through my life. It took me three years to build a house on wheels, and what years those were! Like Odysseus, making his way to Ithaca, to his beloved Penelope, so I moved toward the goal I set for myself. Like Odysseus, who overcame every obstacle on his way home, so I overcame any obstacle that stood in my way: the banks, who refused my mortgage requests, because what kind of guarantee is a home on wheels?! Friends who doubted, professional workers who did not meet deadlines and almost dismantled the project. The need to earn a living, that pushed me to work on television programs for children. My desire to be a super-dad for my only daughter. And my mother, close and loving, that never stopped worrying.I had no idea what a joy it would be to drive my home truck, Josephine, for the first time. So much pride, so much freedom. But I realized the significance of my achievement on the day my mother Geula, who did not believe in it and thought it was impossible, who begged me to stop wandering around and live like everyone else, who was so afraid of my failure, invited strangers to come in and see the house that her son built with his own hands. The success of my Josephine attracted other people like me, with mobile homes, and I found the ‘villages on wheels,’ a movement that seeks a change in lifestyle. But one Friday night I went to sleep in my truck and did not wake up. The autopsy report said, “A sudden death by fatal disturbances of heart rhythm.” My journey on earth ended, or perhaps is beginning againA film by Joseph Tayar and Ronit Tayar200600:08:43A clash between tradition and modernityhttps://jflix.net/movie/kaparot-en/138EnglishEnglishKeren HakakJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsFamilyReligionLiat, a young woman from a traditional home, seeks independence and a new identity while she fixes up her rooftop apartment in Jerusalem. Liat has left home partly to distance herself from the heavy traditions her father has always imposed upon her.A film by Keren Hakak   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201000:19:00A 13 year old kid is frightened by his erotic dreamshttps://jflix.net/movie/keeper-of-the-covenant-en/120EnglishEnglishYosef NobleEliav Mason , Miryam AdlerJewishMaale FilmsPsychologyChildren and AdolescentsMatan's Bar Mitzva is two days away, the day he will become a man. For the past few months he was been disturbed by erotic dreams. Matters are made worse when Matan turns to a website for advice.Director: Yosef Noble   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200500:49:30The story of the horsemen unit during the Israeli War of Independencehttps://jflix.net/movie/kiddo-en/263EnglishEnglishDanor GlazerYoram Schaffer & Roni BerkovitchHuman RightsWar And ConflictHistoryFamilyIt begins as a nostalgic family documentary about the adventures of Eliezer, the director's father, in the horsemen unit during the Israeli War of Independence. But as history unfolds, their relationship takes an unpleasant turn.A film by Ofra Shimoni-Shahor201901:31:19L'histoire de la renouvellement des communautés Juive à Judée - Samariehttps://jflix.net/movie/the-driving-spirit-french/1319EnglishFrenchIsraeli SocietyHistoryBiographyPolitics« Nous nous sommes tapés la tête contre un mur, jusqu à ce que le mur se brise». Menora Hazani nous rapporte le témoignage poignant de son père et ses amis qui, après la guerre des six jours, ont réalisé leur rêve, le renouvellement d’une vie juive en Judée - Samarie. Un documentaire révolutionnaire. 201000:54:57A portrait of dynamic, restless and unique Haredi womanhttps://jflix.net/movie/lady-of-the-court-en/286EnglishEnglishAmnon BenjaminIdan Regev, Yael FeldboyJewish way of lifeDocumentary filmsIdentityRivka Paluch, the "Lady of the Court", an Ultra Orthodox woman of the Hassidic community and a political journalist in the past, was Prime Minister Sharon's advisor for religious affairs and the power behind the joining of the Haredi parties to Sharon's government. A dynamic, restless and unique woman.The film allows us a rare glance at Rivka's world, who at a bold and revolutionary step leaves her private kingdom out to the modern world and becomes a true bridge between the two worlds. With talent and belief in her way, Rivka becomes the first Haredi woman to join and advice Prime Ministers, a key figure in campaign management abroad, and all that while raising her seven children.While continuing her position in her family and within the Hassidic community, she's reinventing herself while paving her way back to the public and political arena. Another one of her complicated journeys is finding a match for her marriageable daughter. This journey takes us to an exciting reality, a forever tradition – the "matchmaking".A film by Amnon BenjaminFestivals:Shanghai TV Film Festival 2011Haifa International Film Festival 2010200000:15:41A journey between Israel and Berlin with Yigal Tomarkinhttps://jflix.net/movie/land-wind-and-rust-a-portrait-of-an-artist/350EnglishEnglishHebrew (modern)Amnon TeitelbaumDocumentaryBiographyArts and CultureA journey between Israel and Berlin with Yigal Tomarkin, a renowned artist. he was born to a Christian mother and a Jewish mother, hates and loves Israel and Europe, placed to which he is totally attached. A film by Amnon Teitelbaum199901:41:46The road the Israeli society has traveled through the decade between the Lebanon war and the Oslo agreementshttps://jflix.net/movie/last-resort/182EnglishEnglishAner PremingerHuman RightsIsraeli SocietyFictionIdentityThe year is 1993. Night-time.September 13 (The Oslo Agreement is signed in Washington – Rabin-Arafat handshake takes place during this night). The remains of a deserted Nahal settlement with social ambitions from the early 80s are scattered over mount Hazon (literal meaning: vision) in the lower Galilee. Noam Wax, the charismatic leader of the group, gathers his friends back on the mountain, using surprising and manipulative methods to rouse their interest. His purpose is to complete a documentary film about the settlement that will help him overcome the trauma and scars left over from those days. This is Noam's first contact with his friends after eleven years of silence, during which they didn't know where he was or what had become of him. The six friends rush to the mountain, only to be faced with the personal and ideological sense of betrayal Noam has been feeling since they broke apart. The same time, they are all facing their own crisis, related to unsolved issues dating back to time of the settlement. Their night together turns into a moral stocktaking, that reflects the road the Israeli society has traveled in the decade between the Lebanon war and the Oslo agreements, ending on a surprising and tragic note. "I have been meeting with the cast of the "Last Resort" for many months and it took a lot of hard intensive work to build the complex relations between the characters. We filled gaps stretching for eleven years in their lives, and using improvisations from our own experience gave life to the script until the actors could identify with the characters and bring them to life. This enriching stimulating work wove my fictional film and the documentary Noam Wax, the protagonist, is working on, into one entity" (Aner Preminger)A film by Aner Preminger202101:02:29The fantastic story of the poor immigrant who became a senior government ministerhttps://jflix.net/movie/lieber-man-avigdor-lieberman-documentary/1691EnglishEnglishNurit KedarIsraeli SocietyBiographyPoliticsThe meteoric rise of Avigdor Lieberman was the first sign of a new era in the state of Israel – and with it, the fall of “the old elites,” the rightwing trend, and the emergence of “the second Israel” as the dominant political force. But Liberman himself, who immigrated at the age of 20, without a penny in his pocket, remains a mystery. How did he make it? Is he corrupt or a victim? A racist or a pragmatist? And what lies behind his special relations with Benjamin Netanyahu, dating back to the eighties? Nurit Kedar’s film deciphers the Liberman story from a new perspective, one that has to do with the social changes that Israel underwent in the last two decade.A film by Nurit Kedar201301:02:29He is both a Jew and an Arab. And tornhttps://jflix.net/movie/life-sentences-documentary-en/1692EnglishEnglishNurit Kedar & Yaron ShaniIsraeli SocietyBiographyPoliticsAn Arab man marries a Jewish woman. They give birth to a girl and a boy and live in quiet harmony among the Arab-Jewish community. Nobody realizes that behind dozens of mysterious terror attacks which devastate the state of Israel in the late 60's, stands no other than the Arab father. When he is caught, his Jewish wife and kids become "the family of the Arab terrorist". The mother decides to flee the country with her kids and settle in, on the other side of the world, in the heart of the Jewish Ultra-orthodox community in Montreal, Canada. No one suspects the real identity of the boy and the girl who study together with other religious Jewish kids. When they grow up, the two will take opposite roads – She will become an ultra-orthodox Jew, and he will fall in love and marry his Muslim cousin. Mommy-Nimer-Shlomo-Solomon-Ahmed-Pinto is this lonely boy who had lived in many worlds, talked many languages and had many names. His sad view embraces humanity in compassion which can only be produced by his unbelievable story.   A film by Nurit Kedar & Yaron Shani200400:31:20What pushes a man towards his known death?https://jflix.net/movie/like-a-dream-that-fades/161EnglishEnglishYochai RosenbergJewishMaale FilmsWar And ConflictPsychologyHillel Lieberman left his home for the last time two days before Yom Kippur. He was on his way to Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, which had been sacked, burned and taken over by an Arab mob on the eve of the 2nd Intifada. Wrapped in a Tallit, and without food or a weapon, he left his wife and children and walked out to his certain death. Yochai Rosenberg the director travels out to Nablus to try to find the no man's land that lies between faith, zealoutry, and madness.A film by Yochai RosenbergFestivals:"Friends" festival of Israeli Cinema, Slovakia 2004Mexico, 2004Festival of Religion, Trento, Italy 2004   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201000:50:27A touching father-daughter relationship and the story of the dying out Samaritan secthttps://jflix.net/movie/lone-samaritan/327EnglishEnglishBarak HeymannHeymann Brothers FilmsDocumentary filmsFamilyReligionAnthropologyThe Samaritans, a tiny religious sect, are dying out. But they still maintain extremely harsh rules against assimilation: if you leave the fold, you and your family are as good as dead. Israeli actress Sophie Tzedaka is one such woman. One by one, she and her three sisters became "Jews" and were excommunicated by their 700-person community. So was their father.“Lone Samaritan” is a touching father-daughter journey that transcends all beliefs. It explores universal issues of faith and modernity, the role of women in religion, and the individual’s right to forge an independent identity—especially when that means violating a tradition you still hold dear.Best Documentary Award - Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Canada, 2010Best Documentary Award - Filmmakers Forum Competition, Israel, 2010Creative Documentary award - Paris Human Rights Film Festival, France, 2011Best Asian Documentary Golden Magnolia Award - Shanghai TV Festival China, 2011Best of Category, Human Rights Issues - 8th Annual Montana CINE International Film Festival, USA, 2011Award-Winning Human Rights Film - Official Best Of Fest, USA, 2012Best Documentary  - PUFF Portugal Underground Film Festival, Portugal, 2012 ‘Outstanding Film’ Manny Award at the Take Two Film Festival, USA, 2013 Remi Award at the WorldFest Houston Film Festival, USA, 2013201800:23:47Is the story about King David true or a legend?https://jflix.net/movie/long-live-king-david-en/1353EnglishEnglishIdo Zand and Yael LeibovitzIdo Zand and Yael LeibovitzDocumentary filmsHistoryReligionPoliticsKing David, the famed sovereign, united all tribes of Israel into one kingdom. The state of Israel sees itself as the successor this kingdom. However, a growing number of scholars now believe that the biblicle story about this kingdom is no more than a fable. This argument has come to involve politics, religion, and many emotions. Where famed biblical battles were once held, archeologists now vie for prestige and honor, left-wing and right-wing proponents wage ideological battles, and Palestinians and Jews fight for the land and for a place in history. Download the transcriptFind of Ancient City Could Alter Notions of Biblical David  / NY TimesKing David's Palace Is Found, Archaeologist Says  / NY TimesIsrael unearths a sacred Roman-era road in East Jerusalem, unsettling a Palestinian neighborhood  / Washington PostRESOURCES AND FURTHER EADINGDavid and Solomon: In Search of the Bible's Sacred Kings and the Roots of Western Tradition // Israel Finkelstein & Neil Asher SilbermanIn the Footsteps of King David: Revelations from an Ancient Biblical City // Yosef Garfinkel. Saar Ganor, Michael Hasel200600:28:58A story of the unique relationship between a mother and her adopted daughterhttps://jflix.net/movie/luz-movie/173EnglishEnglishYael KanielWomenMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsFamilyImmigration & absorptionChildren and AdolescentsThis is the story of the unique relationship between Lisa and her adopted daughter, Luz. Unable to have children, Lisa adopted Luz from Columbia when Luz was three months old. The bond between them is special and despite their differences, the two have built a home which is loving and strong. Now 18 years old and troubled by questions of identity, Luz re-opens her adoption file while Lisa builds a home with her new husband. A dramatic new development in their lives threatens to destroy all the old bonds, and forces Luz and her mother to confront the basic questions: What is a home? What is motherhood? And what is the meaning of a blood relationship?A film by Yael KanielAwards:Best Short Film, International Film Festival Haifa 2007   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201200:25:18A complex relationship between a mother and daughterhttps://jflix.net/movie/ma-nishtanah-en/91EnglishEnglishEliraz ShohatJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsWarFamilyPassover eve. The last of the Hametz (leaven) is burned. The burden of emotion is heavy for a mother and daughter who must wrestle with the pain of a father and brother now gone, and with their loneliness.A film by Eliraz ShohatScreened at the Haifa Film Festival   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School 201201:16:45A humorous homage to the chickpea's most distinguished dishhttps://jflix.net/movie/make-hummus-not-war/187EnglishTrevor GrahamWar And ConflictAnthropologyCould a regional love of hummus be the recipe for peace in the Middle East? This was the question on director Trevor Graham’s mind when he set out to film Make Hummus Not War, a documentary about the Middle Eastern conflict you don’t see on the nightly news.One of the oldest known prepared foods in human history, hummus is claimed by multiple Middle Eastern nationalities. So when Graham, a self-described hummus tragic, learned of a 2008 Lebanese plan to sue Israel for acting as if it had proprietary rights over the dish, he was intrigued and hungry for more. With Israel, Lebanon and Palestine fighting once again — over who ‘owns’ the hummus heritage — he set off on a personal journey into a colorful culinary history.Make Hummus Not War is Graham’s humorous journey though the hummus bars and kitchens of, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and New York. Along the way, he encounters the doyenne of Middle East cuisine Claudia Roden, zealots, Jewish settlers, biblical characters, political activists, chickpea farmers, novelists and Sheiks, for whom hummus is a near religious obsession.A film by Trevor Graham197800:15:41Marcel Janco, an Israeli artist artist and one of the founders of the Dada schoolhttps://jflix.net/movie/marcel-janco-a-portrait-of-an-artist/349EnglishLeo FilerDocumentaryBiographyArts and CultureMarcel Janco  - a painter, sculptor, poet, architect and above all an artist of Dadaism and one of the founders of this universal school.A film by Leo Filer201500:29:11Raising crucial, social and political questions about impossible ethical dilemmashttps://jflix.net/movie/mazal-means-luck/84EnglishEnglishMazal Ben YishaiMazal Ben Yishai, Itzik HermanMaale FilmsFamilyBiographySpecial NeedsMazal Ben Yishai, the film's student director, was born to a special-needs couple and raised alongside them by her grandparents. Camera in hand, Mazal documents the nuanced dramas unfolding daily within her family and weaves into the archival footage shot by her grandfather over the years of her childhood. The result is a rare and moving documentary that raises crucial social and political questions about the impossible ethical dilemmas faced by Mazal as her grandparent's age and her parents become concerned about who will care for them in the future.A film by Mazal Ben Yishai   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200900:14:54A mother and her only child try to cope with the death of the child's fatherhttps://jflix.net/movie/memory-game/195EnglishEnglishNaor GiladMaale FilmsFamilyChildren and AdolescentsA mother and her only child try to cope with the death of the child's father. While the mother throws out the father's belongings in order to try and move forward, the child collects them in a secret hideaway to try and store memories. Will this battle over loss and memory tear them apart or enable them to reconstruct their lives together?A film by Naor GiladAwards:Best Film on "Values in Society" M'aleh Graduation Ceremony 2008Third Prize, Jewish Film Festival, Athens, Georgia USA 2011Festivals:Israeli Film Festival, Nice France 2011   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200201:02:29Of manhood, disability and dancehttps://jflix.net/movie/man-on-wheels-doc-en/1701EnglishEnglishYahaly Gat - Muse ProductionsArts and Popular CultureDisabilityThe story of two disabled war veterans reveals their intimate relationship with their spouses and children. Using wheelchair dancing, they try to overcome their impaired sexual self-image and handicap.Merit Award - Superfest - International Disability Film FestivalThe uplifting "Men on Wheels" might make viewers feel like dancing and crying simultaneously.Hartford Jewish Film FestivalA moving documentary.Austin Jewish Film FestivalAn inspirational story.Detroit Jewish Film FestivalA revealing documentary.American Association of People and Disabilities201500:23:47The life of Hebrew poet Rachel Bluwstein, known simply as Rachelhttps://jflix.net/movie/miss-bluwstein-rachel/715EnglishEnglishSivan ArbelYair Qedar, Michal Weits, Gili NadavDocumentary filmsBiographyArts and populre CultureDocumentary on the life of Hebrew poet Rachel Bluwstein, known simply as Rachel, considered a national poet of Israel. Includes interviews with literary researchers, poets, historians, and biographers.A film by Sivan Arbel | Producer: Yair Qedar | Ha-Ivrim (The Hebrews) SeriesRead a review of the movie in our blogParticipants and intervieweesDana OlmertAnat WeismanEli HirschUri MilsteinHaim Beʼermichael GluzmanMuki TsurNurit GreatzYehudith Ravitz 201501:12:54Amira stops hiding her mental illness and copes with it courageously together with her family https://jflix.net/movie/mom-is-not-crazy-en/987EnglishEnglishRabbi Mordechai VardiJewishDocumentaryPsychologyAlready on their second date, Amira took Michael to meet her therapist, so that the therapist could explain him about her mental state. Michael wasn’t alarmed. They now have four children together and they live on the edge. Michael knows all the fastest routes to the emergency room and the psychiatric ward. Amira decided to stop hiding her mental illness (Borderline Personality Disorder) and to open up about her condition to her community. As a religious woman, she discovers that the restrictions of Jewish law make things especially difficult, but this only goads her to study the issues so that she can bring about a change in attitude among rabbis and the religious authorities toward people struggling with mental illness. This film tracks Amira’s dramatic struggle to stay alive, raise her children and examine what it means to be normal.A film by rabbi Mordechai Vardi201800:52:02A one man campaign for prime ministerhttps://jflix.net/movie/mr-messiah-goes-knesset-en/1208EnglishEnglishRoy RahavDaria ArieliIsraeli SocietyPoliticsIlan Mashicha, aged 42, runs in the Israeli elections as the head of his own independent party. He crosses the country all alone with his old car, trying to promote his agenda and persuade the public with his ideas about the need to unify together and resolve the societal conflicts.Along the way, he meets with partners (who later quit), supporters and opponents.As Israel's absurd elections progresses, Mashicha's eccentric voice starts to sound saner than all the rest.A funny, yet touchy documentary about a person who lives in a construction site and who full heartedly believes he can and should become the prime minister of Israel, driven by good faith and dedication.A film by Roy Rahav and Shaked Kachlon200700:59:51A horrific shooting of a child turns out to be more complicated than seemed in the beginninghttps://jflix.net/movie/muhammd-al-durrah-incident-spin-or-a-symbol/1013EnglishEnglishDocumentaryWar And ConflictIn October 2000, during the Second Intifada (Palestinian uprising) a TV camera team working for France 2 network captured what seemed to be the last minutes of a Palestinian child caught in the crossfire between Israelis and Palestinians.Since the event was videotaped, it created a shock and anger worlwide. President Clinton expressed his shock, Bin Laden called for revenge and a mob who was lynching IDf soldiers in Ramallah yelled "revenge for Al-Durrah." The kid, Muhammad Al-Durrah, became a symbol of Palestinian victimization and and apparently, another proof of IDF and Israel's cruelty.But was it really so clear cut?In the intensive crossfire, Palestinian fighters and IDF soldiers shot each other. So how do we know for certain that the kid was shot by an IDF bullet and not by a Palestinian one? - And even if the boy was shot by the IDF, was it really in cold blood, as reported on France 2, or accidently, just because he was there? - And why was he there in the first place? Why did the father of Muhammad took him to what was a battlefield for many hours before the incident? And maybe it was all staged? While the IDF and the Israeli government decided not to publicize the results of an internal investigation (probably because of a fear that a discussion would only ignite another wave of hate and accusations against Israel), a group of independent citizens set out to find out themselves what happened that day in Netzarim junction. They believe the accusation against the IDF was simply a modern blood libel. While investigating, they found out that the reporter, Charles Enderlin, was not even present at the scene in Gaza. He was in Jerusalem at the time of the videoshoot and wrote his narration, which stated that the boy was shot by IDF soldiers, only by relying on his camerman's testimony. That cameraman, Talal Abu-Rahma, was an active member of the Fatah Palestinian movement, not exactly a neutral journalist. As the investigation continues, they find more and more troubling evidence, which include the report of an independent French balistic expert, who stated that according to the angle of the IDF post, the boy couldn't have been shot by the Israeli soldiers. The movie, an investigative documentary, doesn't state clearly what happened at the day of the incident. It brings the voices of people who investigated the incident, while qutoing facts and hard evidence, without emotions and propaganda. Parts of the documentary are dedicated to what is called Pallywood, the media manipulation and scenes' staging, apparently carried out by Palestinians. With the participation of historian Prof. Richard Landes of Boston University and Gabriel Weimann of Haifa University, expert in terrorism and media. Read more about the Al Durrah incident201500:27:29 Vladimir, a 35-year-old Russian immigrant, works as a theater lighting technician and dreams of becoming an actor.https://jflix.net/movie/muktzeh/86EnglishEnglishAlon RabinovichJewish way of lifeCouplesMaale FilmsArts and populre CultureImmigration & absorptionVladimir, a 35-year-old Russian immigrant, works as a theater lighting technician and dreams of becoming an actor. Before an important audition, he meets an old friend who has become religious, and who helps him begin to explore his Jewish identity. Vladimir’s attempts to return to his roots and fulfill his dreams of becoming an actor begin to threaten the one stable element in his life—his relationship with his wife.A film by Alon Rabinovich   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200400:57:01Yulie Cohen searches for her brother, who became ultra orthodox, with whom she lost contact 25 years agohttps://jflix.net/movie/my-brother/170EnglishEnglishYulie CohenJewish way of lifeFamilyBiographyIdentityMore than twenty-five years have gone by since my brother turned ultra-orthodox Jew and there is no contact between us. Our Mom and Dad are over seventy-five years old and are about to sell the house we grew up in, and I recently got divorced after twenty years of marriage. Refusing to accept that one who believes in God is not willing to reach back to his sister although secular, I am reaching out for my brother trying to reconnect. I want to have a family again; I long for unconditional love. I do have two lovable and loving daughters, but I will soon have to let them go as they are nearing the age of eighteen. 'My Brother' is a three year journey, during which, through looking inward and outward, I find some major answers to my quest: I get to know my Jewish roots profoundly, I understand people's need to believe in God and why they fall in love with orthodoxy, and I find my own inner peace and unconditional love – no matter what. 'My Brother' takes place in the Jewish state of Israel in 2005 – 2007 where the orthodox population is growing and violence are being fed in the name of God.A film by Yulie Cohen200100:52:59In a small Menorah factory, a family secret is hiddenhttps://jflix.net/movie/my-fantasia/199EnglishEnglishDuki DrorWarHistoryFamilyEthnicityThe three Darwish brothers, who immigrated from Iraq to Israel in the 50's, established the family factory "Fantasia" - a menorah factory. For a time period of 50 years, they designed, manufactured and shipped Chanukah menorahs for the entire world and now...the family factory is about to close down.From this point in time, the director, who is the son of the youngest brother, is starting to embark on a journey that unravels the history of his family, going back 100 years. The story weaves memories from Iraq and Israel – two homelands, two languages, two identities, two enemies. The director is trying to reconstruct the narrative of his family, a narrative that has disappeared in the silence and shame that followed the family move to Israel. The father's silence is finally broken by the director's relentless inquiries, which reveal a story about five lost years of his father in the Iraqi prison.A film by Duki Dror200600:25:29From Hitler Youth to American Soldierhttps://jflix.net/movie/my-favorite-hitler-youth/226EnglishMo AbershiedWar And ConflictHistoryBiographyHolocaustHitler Youth to American Soldier. In 1930s Germany, Friedrich Karl Nischwitz was a student at a military school for the Hitler Youth. After 4 years of beatings and humiliation by his classmates and elders, Fred finally escaped to the USA. Friedrich Karl Nischwitz became Fred Curtis, a US citizen, who fought against the Nazis during World War II. After the war, Fred embarked on his greatest achievement, to become one of the founding fathers of the modern day computer hard drive. This is Fred's story.A film by Mo Abershied200800:58:21What does the Israeli flag mean to you?" A comedic heartfelt documentaryhttps://jflix.net/movie/my-flag/212EnglishEnglishIgal HechtChutzpa Productions & Igal HechtIsraeli SocietyOn the eve of Israel independence day, Canadian/Israeli filmmaker Igal Hecht travels from one end of Israel to the other for a period of six months asking Israeli's one simple question. "What does the Israeli flag mean to you?" In this comedic heartfelt documentary, Hecht explores the crisis of identity that many in Israel are now facing and offers an insight into what the future holds for the Nation of Israel.A film by Igal HechtFestivals and  Screenings:Detroit Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2010Buffalo Jewish Film Festival, USA, 20102009 Cape Windleand film festival2009 Toronto Jewish Film FestivalsJewish Eye Film Festival, Ashkelon, Israel, 2009United States Library of CongressUniversity of PennsylvaniaHarvard University200801:18:56The film is dedicated to Combatants For Peacehttps://jflix.net/movie/my-israel/167EnglishEnglishYulie CohenWomen And GenderWar And ConflictIdentityYulie Cohen loves Israel. It is the land of her ancestors, the land her parents fought for during the 1948 war and the land she herself served as an Air Force Officer during the Entebbe crisis. In 1978, working as an El Al stewardess, she survived a terrorist attack in London that killed a colleague and left her with shrapnel in her arm. In My Israel Yulie Cohen revisits her critically acclaimed trilogy; My Terrorist (2002), My Land Zion (2004) and My Brother (2007) with a new perspective and additional footage. Embarking on a difficult and emotional journey she attempts to free the surviving terrorist who attacked her, to question the myths of the state that she grew up in and to reconcile with her ultra-orthodox brother after 25 years of estrangement. My Israel is an account of remarkable courage and understanding set against the last turbulent decade of Israeli history.The film was screened in tens of universities including Yale, Rutgers, UC Davis, USC, Duke and many others.A film by Yulie Cohen200400:57:54A state of myths and sacrificeshttps://jflix.net/movie/my-land-zion/165EnglishEnglishYulie CohenWomen And GenderWar And ConflictFamilyIdentityWhat young woman would leave New York to have her first child in a war zone? Who would choose to give birth in a place where kids get blown up riding on school buses or sitting in cafés? Where thousands of eighteen-years-olds kill or get killed as soldiers? I am that woman. I went home to give birth to my daughters in Israel. I wanted to raise them in my land Zion, the land of my ancestors, the land that I love. Now, 16 years later, my daughters will soon be old enough to join the Army, and be forced to defend a state and its myths that are tearing my homeland apart. Why do I choose to stay?On a journey through rocks and fields, and across three generations of Israelis, I encounter the myths that shaped the state and me. I confront the actions of my parents and the hopes of my daughters. I visit a Holocaust survivor and hear the doubts of her son, a historian and a parent, like me. I confront a Jewish settler whose husband was killed by a militant Palestinian and I meet a Palestinian girl who lives in Israel.It was my choice to live in the land of my ancestors and now it is my daughters' home, too. A state of myths and sacrifices, where our sons and daughters still grow up to kill or get killed. How can I stay in a state that devours its children?A film by Yulie CohenFestivals and Screenings1. Adelaide International Film Festival AUSTRALIA Feb. '052. University Of East London Feb. '053. The Norwegian Film Institute Oslo, Apr. '054. Nansen Dialogue Project, Nansen Academy, Lillehammer, Norway, Apr. 05.5. Ecuadorian documentary film festival, Encuentros del Otro Cine, Quito, Apr. '056. Israeli/Palestinian Awareness Day College of the Atlantic, Maine US May '057. DocinEurope, the Italian meeting with European documentaries, Italy July '05.8. SønDok (SunDoc), EDN cinematheque Copenhagen Sep. 18th '05.9. Makor Theater NYC Oct. '0510. Hampton's Film Festival, Conflict and Resolution section, Oct. '0511. Siskel film center, Chicago Conversation at the Edge - Daniel Eisenberg, Professor, Film, Video, and New Media School of the Art Institute of Chicago Oct. '0512. University of Maine, Oct. '0513. Harvard University, Dr. Sara Roy Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Oct. 0514. The university of Notre Dame and Indiana University South Bend, Oct. 0515. International Mediterranean Film Festival Montpellier, France, 21-30 Oct. '05.16. Kassel Documentary Film festival, Germany. Nov. '0517. Middle East Studies Association USA – Annual meeting Nov. '0518. Global Cinema Café, Center for Action Research, sponsored by Princeton University International and Third World Centers. New Jersey, Dec. 05.19. The House of World Cultures, Berlin, Jan. '06.20. World Community Film Festival in British Columbia, Canada. Feb.'06.21. Festival "SguardiAltrove" (i.e."Sights on elsewhere"), in Milan, Italy. Feb. '0622. Unifem Film Festival, Florida, March '06.23. Voice Forward, Toronto. March '06. Stacey Donen & Amit Broyer.24. Vancouver Jewish Film Fest Apr. 0625. Toronto Jewish Film Fest May 0626. NYC, Makor at the Y92nd St. TIKUN, June 1st, 2006.27. International Festival of Humans Rights, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Oct. '06.28. University of California, Berkeley as part of the Spring 2007 Interdisciplinary Lecture Series of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Apr. 200729. Warsaw Jewish Film Festival, Nov. '07.30. Paris: an exhibit/event for the 60 years of coexistence in Israel-Palestine, with the City of Paris, in the Cite International des arts de Paris, June 2008.31. Jerusalem, a course of Van Lear Institute for Palestinians, Oct. '08.32. Berlin, Heinrich-Böll-Foundation Nov. 23rd, 2008 event for the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel.33. Oslo, Paradise How? A Palestinian-Israeli Film event organized by the Norwegian Film Institute, Apr. 2009.200200:59:21A story about forgivenesshttps://jflix.net/movie/my-terrorist/166EnglishEnglishYulie CohenWomen And GenderWar And ConflictIdentityIn 1978, filmmaker Yulie Cohen was wounded in a terrorist attack by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. A stewardess for the Israeli airline El Al, she was attacked along with other crewmembers when getting off the bus to the hotel in London. In a remarkable twist of faith, twenty-three years later Cohen began questioning the causes of violence between Israelis and Palestinians and started to consider helping release the man who almost killed her, Fahad Mihyi. From the time she was a young girl, Cohen considered herself a staunch Israeli nationalist. Growing up in an upper-middle-class neighborhood in Israel (where her neighbors included future Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Arik Sharon, and military hero Moshe Dayan), she patriotically served in the military. After working as an Israel coordinator on a film shoot and visiting the occupied territories, Cohen came to realize that both Israelis and Palestinians played a role in perpetuating the cycle of hostility and bloodshed. It was her goal to stand up as a survivor and call for reconciliation on each side. An inspiring story of forgiveness, Cohen's poignant documentary is a moving testimony of human compassion and a call for peace.A film by Yulie CohenThe film was screened in more than 150 universities including Harvard, Yale, Rutgers, UC Davis, USC, Duke and many others.The Jerusalem Film Festival, 2002: "The Wolgin jury decided to award a special jury prize in the documentary category to My Terrorist directed by Yulie Cohen Gerstel "for the filmmaker's courage in striving for reconciliation in the face of violence and in documenting that struggle in an honest and sensitive manner."IDFA, Nov. 2002 Nominee for the Silver Wolf Award:"In My Terrorist, Israeli filmmaker YulieCohen Gerstel reveals how she, a former flight attendant became the victim of a terrorist attack, and how 23 years later, still haunted by the deadly assault, she's decided to help "her terrorist" get released from prison. It's an act of reconciliation, which is also politically very unpopular in Israel at this violent and volatile time. We applaud her courage for inviting us on her journey as she wrestled with and eventually overcame her own doubts". 201000:42:38A close look at a combat unit from 2002 till the 2006 Lebanon warhttps://jflix.net/movie/my-unit/215EnglishEnglishOded ZurOded Zur & Igal HechtDocumentaryIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictMy Unit offers a no-holds-barred look at active combat through the eyes of an experienced Israeli soldier and the members of his unit. Filmmaker Oded Zur captures the life of his unit from 2002 all the way to the 2006 Lebanon War. The tension of dangerous patrols, stakeouts and guard duties and the friendship, trust and camaraderie that can only be forged in the heat of shared conflict and danger.A film by Oded Zur201000:50:41The story of the kidnapped Israeli soldier by Palestinian terroristshttps://jflix.net/movie/nachshon-waxman-countdown-to-death/283EnglishEnglishLevi ZiniDocumentaryIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictThe story of the kidnapped Israeli soldier by Palestinian terrorists. A documentary thriller and a detailed investigative film, where real lives are at stake and every event is true.A film by Levi Zini201501:00:00An involuntary warrior and a woman in a men's world is creating an oasis of culturehttps://jflix.net/movie/nazareth-cinema-lady-en/819EnglishEnglishNurit Jacobs YinonNurit Jacobs YinonWomenDocumentary filmsHuman RightsBiographythe story of Safaa Dabour, a religious Muslim from Nazareth, who established the first and only Arab cinematheque in Israel. Safaa's father and husband passed away while she was a young mother to two young boys however years later she succeeded in taking charge of her own fate and freedom and established the cinematheque. Unfortunately it was all downhill from there…
A Muslim in Nazareth, an Israeli in the eyes of Arab countries, an Arab in Israel, and primarily, a single woman in a men's world, an involuntary warrior, she travels to bring Arab box-office hits from Arab countries alongside family films from the U.S, Europe and Israel, and seeks, against all odds, to create an oasis of culture for the society to which she belongs. This is a cinematic profile of a courageous woman whose path to freedom is interwoven with the battle for her own cinematheque.Winner of the Israeli Film Competition at the Epos International Art Film Festival 2016Official Choice at the Haifa International Film Festival, September 2015 Official Choice at the 'Other Israel' Film Festival at JCC Manhattan 2016A film by Nurit Jacobs YinonMovie's website page 201301:05:16Four women meet on the same bench, daily, to share their liveshttps://jflix.net/movie/neighborhood-en/1248EnglishEnglishIlan YagodaWomenDocumentary filmsSenior CitizensYou can't yell at a child. If you do, he's run out to his wife. But if you yell at your husband, he's come back. Always.On an old bench on the sidewalk just outside their homes, four elderly Yemenite women meet daily. Their modest immigrant neighborhood, a bit outdated, is like a time capsule. They still share recipes; gossip; aches, pains and troubles; and many stoic silences. If they keep their homes closed to a menacing world, the bench is where they open their mouths and hearts and minds. The bench is like a raft; a lifeboat in the seemingly un-navigable waters of modern alienation and postmodern puzzlement. Captured in the best tradition of engaged cinema verité, filmmaker Ilan Yagoda (Laureate, Israel’s 2012 “Cinema Arts Award”)—their real life neighbor, neither Yemeni nor female nor old—doesn’t “give them voice” so much as he gives us the eyes and ears with which to sense how life might feel on the social, political and cultural margins. A film by Ilan YagodaYagoda's 'Neighborhood' presents life as it is - reality, though not in the "Master Chef" sense of the word. The film is devoid of pretentiousness or a sensational plot.  Loneliness is depicted by pots that have grown smaller, like life itself ... It has made the four women no longer transparent. The film makes the viewer pause for a moment in their daily race and look at the women sitting on benches, see the world, the street and even us through their eyes and maybe learn something from this reflection. This is probably its greatest accomplishment.Tal Miller, Yedioth Aharonot Quiet, delicate and magicalAvi Mograbi, Filmmaker (Senior Lecturer, Bezalel Academy of Art and Design)A beautiful, special film planted firmly in the midst of a loud media landscape like an ancient, majestic olive tree.Aya Munster, BloggerPrizes and AwardsDocAviv International Film FestivalNominee, Israel Documentary Filmmakers’ AwardDays of Ethnographic Film FestivalFIFEQ, Canada 2014"Best Documentary" award and opening film, Delhi International film festival201800:16:3617 years old Ethan built his home by himself. It was demolished by the authoritieshttps://jflix.net/movie/never-locked-en/1387EnglishEnglishShira BiligShira BiligMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsPoliticsIn the settlement of Amona, Ethan built his own stone by himself. After legal procedures, the court decided to evacuate the place and its inhabitants and demolish his house. Screened inGirona Film Festivsal, SpainTel Aviv Students Film FestivalCinema Bus films  200700:22:22A tale of an unexpected New Year Resolutionhttps://jflix.net/movie/new-years-resolution-en/137EnglishEnglishAyala Zamir GlickJewish way of lifeWomenMaale FilmsHuman RightsReligionOn the eve of the Rosh HaShana festival, a 38-year-old single woman announces to her orthodox family that she plans to have a child by artificial insemination. The family members react with shock and disbelief and the woman finds herself wavering in her resolve to carry out her New Year's resolution.A film by Ayala Zamir GlickFestivalsJerusalem Film Festival "Wolgin" competition 2007Jewish Film Festival, Palm Beach2009Jewish Film Festival, San Diego 2009Special Screening at the Israeli Parliament "International Woman Day" 2010   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200100:26:41Can Miki get past Carmel's defenses?https://jflix.net/movie/newspapers-and-flowers/275EnglishEnglishMicha Ben ShacharJewishRelationshipMaale FilmsCarmel is looking for love but is tired of being judged by appearance and dress code. By the time she meets Miki, the newspaper boy, she is willing to hide certain details about herself in order to put him to the test. Can Miki get past Carmel's defenses?A film by Micha Ben-Shachar   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200300:51:41A radio host struggles to save drug addicts on a very special night showhttps://jflix.net/movie/night-watchers-en/311EnglishEnglishAmnon BinyaminDocumentary filmsHuman RightsIsraeli SocietyEyal, a war veteran and is a radio host in a night program, encourages drug addicts to call the studio and tell their story on air. Then they are sent to rehabilitation at the expense of the radio station.  His assistant goes out to find the drug users and reveals his own unique story as a former drug addict, who was himself saved by Eyal, the radio host.A film by Amnon Binyamin201300:30:00A special story about a very special personhttps://jflix.net/movie/niro-and-flika/108EnglishEnglishHai AfikMaale FilmsBiographyArts and Popular CultureMusicNiro, an Arab farmer and a Jewish settler at the same time and a musician plows with his female donkey and supports himself by playing Arab music in the streets of Jerusalem. For his 40th birthday, he tries to reconcile with his father and wonders if he will find love or whether he will remain alone with his music and his donkey.A film by Hai AfikAwards: First prize for Best Short Film at the Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival, 2014   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201100:39:01Danny embarks upon a journey to learn more about his parents while he is preparing to get marriedhttps://jflix.net/movie/normal/270EnglishEnglishDanny TzurRelationshipMaale FilmsDocumentaryFamilyIdentity Much emotional pain has been buried in Danny's family history due to his father's brain damage after a horrific car accident and his parents' subsequent divorce. Feelings of sadness, helplessness, guilt and blame have permeated the family ever since. As he prepares for marriage, Danny embarks upon a personal odyssey to learn more about what happened to his parents, and about the strengths and limitations of a couple's commitment to one another. Slowly, the camera helps Danny to redefine his attitude towards his disabled father.A film by Danny Tzur   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School199501:14:36A close encounter of a son's struggle to understand his father's unique pasthttps://jflix.net/movie/on-my-way-to-fathers-land/180EnglishEnglishAner PremingerHistoryBiographyHolocaustIdentityA moving documentary account of a son's struggle to understand his father's past. The film takes us on two journeys: the first is to Vienna, where director Preminger's father returns to his childhood home to share stories of his youth during the Nazi occupation. On the second journey, we follow Preminger's father as a young immigrant in Palestine where he became a member of the first Knesset, joined the Palestine Communist Party, and later resigned to establish the Hebrew Communist Party. Through interviews and archival material, the younger Preminger discovers his father's role in the politics and ideology debated in those days.A film by Aner Preminger200100:51:31An intimate portrait of renown Israeli Artist Zvi Lachmanhttps://jflix.net/movie/one-eye-wide-open/181EnglishEnglishAner Preminger, Ami DrozdAner Preminger, Ami DrozdIsraeli SocietyArts and CultureIdentityThe film follows Israeli Artist Zvi Lachman, during the decade 1998-2008. Lachman's sculptures and charcoal drawings involve processes of accumulation, addition, subtraction and erasure. Lachman's art is shaped by the tension between a liberal, secular worldview and between the religious roots of culture; between Israeli and Jewish identity; between a universal and international consciousness and the demands of a local identity. American critic Geoffrey Hartman describes Lachman as one of the best, if not the best sculptor working presently in Israel" (NY Arts)A film by Aner PremingerFestivals:"I've seen films" International Festival of films on Arts, Milano 2010Epos International Art Film Festival, Tel Aviv - Israel 2009Epos International Art Film Festival, Tel Aviv - Israel 2010200401:00:18Nocturnal scenes of a sniper patrol stealing through a Palestinian villagehttps://jflix.net/movie/one-shot/239EnglishEnglishNurit KedarIsraeli SocietyWarPsychology"It was just like a movie, I felt like I was God." This is not a quote from an astronaut looking down on our planet from a space station, but a sniper from the Israeli army. Incorporating unique footage, ONE SHOT shows which boys and men are behind the sniper rifles in the hills around Palestinian villages. The interviews leave a shocking impression when these men explain how they sometimes aimed their sights at innocent passers-by and excitedly realized they could now decide about life or death. The documentary contains nocturnal scenes of a sniper patrol stealing through a Palestinian village. And sure enough, sometimes it looks just like a computer game. The snipers explain that they do not see a human being through their sights, only a target. "At that time, we were emotionally handicapped," one sharpshooter says. The images were shot by the army and miraculously handed over to the filmmakers. The soldiers claim not to feel any guilt about the lives they ended, but the experiences did leave a lasting impression on one or two men. One or two, because most of them tell about their army years with unconcealed pride.A film by Nurit Kedar200500:24:29Kobi must make a choice between two women...https://jflix.net/movie/one-too-many/276EnglishEnglishShaiya BernsteinJewishRelationshipMaale Films30-year-old Kobi is married to Rachel, who's been in a coma for 4 years following an accident. Kobi uses a little-known loophole in Jewish Law - the signatures of 100 Rabbis - in order to marry again, despite the fact that his first wife is not deceased. However, the first wife wakes up from her coma as he is marrying the second, and Kobi must make a choice between the two women...A film by Shaiya BernsteinFestivals:Ashdod Film Festival 2006Festival of Religion, Trento, Italy 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201700:10:46Young woman goes to meet the brother she has not seen for years, but cannot recognize himhttps://jflix.net/movie/paperock-en/1100EnglishEnglishHilel RateMaale FilmsLGBTFictionSexual MinoritiesAn ultra-Orthodox young Jewish woman agrees to meet her brother, whom she has not seen in many years. When she finally lays eyes on him she understands that, if she wants to reestablish the childhood bond between them, she must accept his new identity.A film by Hilel Rate  Produced by Maale film schoolParticipated and won prizes in many film festivals. Among them are:1st Prize TLV Pride Festival Tel Aviv 2017Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ International Film Festival 2017The Iris Prize Film Festvial Cardiff, Wales 2017The Peace on Earth Film Festival Chicago 2017The Pink Lobster LGBTQ Film Festival New Brunswick, Canada 2017NewFest LGBTQ Film Festival USA 2018201300:19:44The Israeli society is gathered onto one bus ridehttps://jflix.net/movie/passenger-en/112EnglishEnglishEliya TauberMaale FilmsIsraeli SocietyChildren and AdolescentsNitzan is a small teenager with a big bag. She is angry at the world and wants to be left alone. A strange bus ride brings her to encounters with unknown people and places. A journey into Israeli society through the eyes of an 18-year-old religious girl.A film by Eliya Tauber   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201900:33:09https://jflix.net/movie/peaches-and-cream-gur-bentwich-film/1715EnglishHebrew (modern)Gur BentwichGur Bentwich, Ronen Sagi, Shlomo KramerBiographyArts and Popular CultureFictionAn existential comedy about a neurotic film director whose fears of failure, death, and losing control all surface on the night his new film is released: a hysterical, unforgettable night--at least for him and his eccentric friends.A film by Gur BentwichNominated for 11 Ophir Prize Awards"A wild, intensely personal, and hilarious nocturnal journey from an astonishingly talented and original creator."Yair Raveh // Cinemascope"In his new film, Bentwich reaches his artistic peak."Nathaniel Shlomovich // Haaretz"A colossal film – exhilarating, hilarious, profound. A masterpiece from a director at the peak of their powers."Doron Tsabari  // X"What an explosion of life and cinema this wonderful film is"Or Sigoli // Srita"This is one of the most engaging, genuinely heartfelt and great films ever made in Israel."Jonathan Gatt // Kan201700:33:09Shlomo decides to retire early and live the good life. But his life turn unexpectedlyhttps://jflix.net/movie/pension-en/1247EnglishEnglishNafav GedaliyahFamilySenior CitizensFictionFollowing the sudden tragic death of wife, Shlomo (58) decides to retire early and live the good life. He quits his job in the gas station in which he worked for long years and is determined to enjoy.But apparently, he discovers that his life is not worth much without improving first his relationship with his children. Unfortunately, that relationship was based until today on materialistic matters, without expressing warmth and affection and it seems the distance cannot be bridged.A film by Nadav Gedaliyah201000:21:31Dafna arrives at her parents' home for a few days before her baby's brit (circumcision)https://jflix.net/movie/persian-lullaby/277EnglishEnglishKeren HakakWomenMaale FilmsFamilyEthnicityDafna, the 40-year old single mother of a newborn boy, arrives at her parents' home a few days before her baby's brit (circumcision). Her father, an elderly Persian Jew, repeatedly snubs Dafna, noting coldly that "a baby needs a father." In the week leading up to the brit, past conflicts between Dafna and her father are revisited, and new tensions are heightened. Will Dafna's father agree to be the sandak (godfather) of his first grandson?A film by Keren HakakFestivals:Religion Today Film Festival, Trento Italy 2010Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival 2010Jewish Film Festival, Jerusalem 2009   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200800:51:18A survivor of several concentration camps, convinces his reluctant children to spend a night in Auschwitzhttps://jflix.net/movie/pizza-in-auschwitz/242EnglishEnglishMoshe ZimermanHistoryFamilyBiographyHolocaustDanny Hanoch (74) is a Holocaust survivor. In his words, he has a BA (Bachelor of Auschwitz) and was fortunate to have a personal physician growing up: Dr. Mengale. This impressive man, who never sheds a tear, has succeeded in joining every possible delegation to Poland and the death camps, but failed to do one thing: convince his own children, Miri and Sagi, to visit the landscape of his lost childhood with him. In six days, inside one van, father, children and a film crew travel "that" Europe, traversing the terrain where Danny was forced to "camp" again and again. When they reach Birkenau, the "final destination", Danny wants to fulfill a life-long fantasy: to spend the night in his old barracks, on his old bunk, with his own children. A bitter argument ensues with the camp officer, and only after waving his number-tattooed arm, Danny gets his way. Around a slice of pizza, bought in the nearby town of Auschwitz, father and children have the inevitable blow-out filled with black humor and great pain.A film by Moshe Zimerman202000:58:33How can one change reality despite being in a minority opinion?https://jflix.net/movie/poetry-zaban-en/1401EnglishHebrew (modern)Rahel NehushtaiDocumentary filmsArts and populre CulturePoliticsTwo young social activists, Gali and Naama, embark on a journey with Yair Zaban and present him with challenging questions. Yair tells them about the struggles he was engaged in and the insights he gained.   To better focus on these issues, I integrated some Israeli Poetry Slam shots dealing with dilemmas Yair was engaged in.Participants: Yair Zaban, Naama Lazimi, Gali Har-Gil, many Israel Poetry Slam artists.Israel Poetry Slam artists: Yossi Tsabari, Lucy Ayoub, Tamir Aharoni, Yotam Manor, Yael Hetz, Alex Roitman, Asaf Shenhav, Yiftah Hayafoor Leibowitz, Tal Cohen, Yonathan Blumenfeld.201900:14:14Two brothers and one question of faithhttps://jflix.net/movie/possessed-en/1341EnglishEnglishAriel ParienteJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsImmaterialFictionIn the Israel of the nineties, Sami is the young son of Jewish Tunisian immigrants. He feels belittled by the attention lavished on his younger brother, Yudeh. One day the father insists that Sami take his brother to a movie. What follows will profoundly alter the two boys forever.A film by Ariel Pariente  Produced by Maaleh Film SchoolPrizes and AwardsMaaleh Graduation Awards 2018 - Best DramaTel Aviv Student Film Festival 2018Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival 2018Utopia Festival Tel Aviv 2018Near Nazareth Film Festvial 2018 - Best Student FilmJersey Shore Film Festival, USA 2019Prague Israeli Film Festival, Czech Republic, 2019=======200801:19:15Three funerals, three generations, two wars and one boyfriend waiting in Tel Avivhttps://jflix.net/movie/powder-en/241EnglishEnglishEyal GoldbergLGBTWarIdentitySexual MinoritiesAgainst the backdrop of a family dealing with illness and death, the film's protagonist, a leftist gay activist, is repeatedly called for reserve duty as a tank commander in the Israeli army.A film by Eyal Goldberg200200:33:09A mother to a special needs kid is torn between motherhood and careerhttps://jflix.net/movie/prague-a-mothers-conflict-en/902EnglishHebrew (modern)Katie GreenMiri Bocker Ella WatermannWomen And GenderMaale FilmsFictionSpecial Needs Hedva, a mother of 3 who paints Ketubot (decorative marriage contracts) is deeply committed to raising her Down Syndrome son and to supporting her husband's career. When Hedva is invited to exhibit her work in Prague, she discovers just how strongly the emotional entanglements of home, bind her to the household.A film by Katie Green Produced by Maale Film School200600:45:59Violence and condemnation from religious leaders plague the 2006 Jerusalem Pride Paradehttps://jflix.net/movie/pride-en/214EnglishEnglishLior CohenHuman RightsIsraeli SocietyViolence, threats of the terror attack and condemnation from religious leaders plagued the 2006 Jerusalem Pride Parade. LGBT citizens of the state of Israel found themselves fighting for their right to exist as equal citizens. 'Pride,' by producers Igal Hecht and Lior Cohen, explore the struggles for the legitimacy of the LGBT community in Israel.A film by Igal Hecht & Lior CohenFestivals:2007 Inside and Out GLBTQ Film Festival Reel Out!Halifax GLBTQ Film Festival. (HGFF)Aired on OUTTV in Canada and HERE TV in the U.S.200500:19:15A painful story of a prisoner of warhttps://jflix.net/movie/prisoner-en/136EnglishEnglishIsca GurMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsWarPsychologyFamilyYaakav Gur, the father of the film's director, was taken prisoner by the Egyptians in the Yom Kippur War. Yaakov's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was not diagnosed and treated for many years, resulting in significant dysfunction within the family. Isca Gur bravely decides to tackle her father on some painful realities concerning his years as a POW, breaking many years of silence.A film by Isca GurAwards:Best Documentary, Ma'aleh Competiton 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201300:14:59The story of the hidden and forbidden Purim celebrations in the USSRhttps://jflix.net/movie/pur-en/838EnglishEnglishAnat VovnoboyJewishDocumentaryImmigrationThe film Pur portraits the phenomena of Purim Shpiels, traditional Jewish plays, that were conducted by Jewish activist in Soviet Russia. Acted out in violation of the strict Soviet regime, under great risk, the plays marked the beginning of a great dissident movement.  For decades, the soviet regime did everything in its power in order to destroy every trace of Jewish culture. Jewish leaders were arrested, and studies of Hebrew were considered a criminal offence.  Anyone who tried to violate the cultural hegemony of the communist proletariat was considered a traitor and treated accordingly.  By the middle of the 20th century, the majority of Soviet Jews assimilated to the extent that very few knew anything about their Jewish identity. With that,  their passport clearly identified them as Jews. This distinction allowed  the regime to conduct antisemitic policies that made it difficult for Jews to receive higher education, banished Jews from cultural institutions and encouraged violence against them. In the midst of this cultural wilderness, where most people lost any connection to their roots, a small group of dissidents began to rediscover for herself their Jewish heritage and take an interest in the Jewish tradition. They had no sources to learn from. Anyone who knew anything about Judaism was exiled or imprisoned long ago. Jewish books were destroyed or hidden away in inaccessible archives.The dissidents began to assemble small pieces of information from classical literature such as the writing of Thomas Mann, Shalom Aleichem or from the Bible. In those books, the dissidents discovered the tradition of  Purim Shpiel, a humorous and satiric play  based on the story of Megillat Esther. Crowded in small apartments, avoiding police inspections, the dissidents have begun to present Purim Shpiel shows that have spoken of their Jewish origin as well as criticized the authoritarian regime. The story of the book of Esther was perfectly suitable for that. Achashverosh, the stupid king and Haman his evil advisor symbolized the soviet rulers who are persecuting the Jews. Ester who was afraid for the life and the complacent citizens of Shushan, represented that majority of the soviet Jewry who have accepted the soviet hegemony whether from fear or sympathy. Their own inspiration came to the dissidents from the character of Mordechai, who courageously withstood the test of the complex reality and stayed true to his people and his tradition. The message of the shows was clear, in the same way that the Jews of Persia were threatened by a vast empire but have survived and flourished long after this empire was gone. Much in the same manner, the soviet empire is doomed to fall and those who will cling to their true identity rather than bow to the regime, will last long after the regime is gone. How far are we willing to go for our principels? For our heritage? Our identity? Our right to create and express?  Most of us give it up when those things do not fit  our daily schedule, when they require financial sacrifices or when they are not well accepted by our surrounding. The film Pur tells the story of those who were willing to give up so much to give cultural expression to their identity. The simple and amateur shows they created were the basis of huge dissident movement that eventually swept all of Russia.A film by Anat VovnoboyIMDbAnat Vovnoboy is a documentary filmmaker, journalist and video artist. She graduated with honors from the School of Visual Arts and her thesis film Gateway to Heaven, have won a number of awards in different film festivals. Anat’s video art work, Lullaby,  was commissioned by the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and was later presented in Ackland Art Museum and the Andrea Meislin Gallery, in NYC. Today Anat works at the foreign desk of Channel 10 news in Israel and is pursuing an MA in Film at Tel Aviv University.   The film Pur was inspired by Anat’s personal experience and memories of the Purim Shpiel shows she was taken to by her parents as a little girl growing up in Moscow, Russia.199800:28:03A relationship between a boy, a girl and the boy's friend, during the celebration of Purimhttps://jflix.net/movie/purim-en/278EnglishEnglishJewishRelationshipMaale Films A relationship between a boy, a girl and the boy's friend, against the background of Purim. All three are in their late twenties, all three are religious, living different religious lifestyles, and in this context, the drama develops. Oded, the hero, finds himself between Ruthie, who "started with him" and intrigues him, and Shai, his close friend from the Yeshiva - his havruta. In the context of religious and personal differences, the relationship becomes increasingly complicated.   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200201:03:35This serious and important subject is conveyed by a soft and calm voicehttps://jflix.net/movie/purity-tehora/3EnglishEnglishAnat ZuriaJewish way of lifeCouplesWomenA peek into the Orthodox Jewish ritual 'mikvah' about the family purification bath after menstruating. This documentary film broke taboos and examined how the laws of Taharat Hamishpaha (family purity) shape women’s lives and sexuality within Orthodox Judaism.A film by Anat ZuriaPrizes and AwardsSpecial Jury Prize, Yamagata International Doc. Film Festival, JapanFirst Prize, FIPA International Festival. Audio-Visual Programs, FranceAward for Best Director, Munich Film Festival, GermanyDiscovery of the Year award, SCAM (Société Civile des Auteurs Multimedia)Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York, purchased and exhibited201200:52:08After 20 years, Menachem comes back to the ultra orthodox community he grew up in, to confront the man who raped himhttps://jflix.net/movie/pursued-en/1073EnglishHebrew (modern)Menachem RothDocumentaryPsychologyBiographyMenachem Roth, the director of the film, was a victim of sexual assault when he was a young student in a  Hassidic yeshiva. Twenty years later, he decided to contact the abuser again and confront with him.In parallel, he documents the crisis in his split life between Hassidic and secular culture and between parallel romantic relationships.The result is a brave self portrait, in which the camera becomes both a capturing and liberating tool.A film by Menachem Roth and Ron OferRead a review in The Jewish EyeRead a review in Educational Media Reviews Online Read a review in HaaretzIMDb200500:43:20The story of the city of Sderot which has been attacked by thousands of Palestinian Qassam rocketshttps://jflix.net/movie/qassam/321EnglishEnglishOfri Segev & Igal HechtIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictQassam tells the story of the city of Sderot and the people who live there. The city has been attacked by thousands of Palestinian Qassam rockets since 2001. The film was produced in 2004 and 2005. Sadly nothing has changed since. This documentary has been screened around the world including American and Canadian television.A film by Igal HechtFestivals2005 Darom Film Festival Aired nationally in CanadaAired on CTS Television & i-channelAired nationally in the U.S. on Shalom-TV201700:33:09Liat decides to study music in Juilliard, despite her father's disapprovalhttps://jflix.net/movie/refrain-en/1164EnglishEnglishCalanit TayarWomen And GenderMaale FilmsFamilyFictionLiat wants to go to New York with her boyfriend Alon and study music in Juilliard. Her father, Shlomo, disapproves. Nevertheless, she decides to fulfil her dream.On the day of her fight, her father passes away. Will she respect her father's will or pursue her dream?A film by Calanit Tayar  Produced by Maale film schoolParticipated in The Los Angeles Women's Film Festival, Utopia FF (Tel Aviv) and the Jewish film festival in San Diego200000:57:43A documentary about basketball and about empowering oneselfhttps://jflix.net/movie/rolling-en/855EnglishEnglishYossi RabachYoram Schaffer and Roni BerkovitchHistoryArts and populre CultureThe story of the Israeli basketball wheelchair national team. A film about basketball and about empowering oneself.The film follows the basketball team on their journey to the European championship and tells the personal stories of the players and how they came to participate in this unique and beautiful sport -- wheelchair basketball.A film by Yossi Rabach200700:18:38He beheld the face of death and dancedhttps://jflix.net/movie/rosenzweig-born-to-dance-en/135EnglishEnglishKeren HakakMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsBiographySenior CitizensHolocaustAvigdor is a tap dancer. In 1939 his dancing saved his life. Today, he is 88 and lives in a retirement home. When Avigdor dances on the parquet floor of his room, he laughs until he's out of breath, and with the last ounce of his strength, he pushes his tired feet to do a few more steps. For Avigdor, dancing isn't a hobby and isn't therapy. It's the way to survive.A film by Keren HakakFestivalsJewish Film Festival, San Fransisco 2009Documentary Film Festival, Guangdzo China 2009   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School202100:17:05Different perspectives on independencehttps://jflix.net/movie/rothchild-16-en/1446EnglishEnglishNoam IsraelDocumentary filmsHistory 74 years after the birth of Israel and the "Nakba" ('disaster') Rothschild 16, where Israel's declaration of independence took place, is still a popular location to visit. The film discusses the formation of memory surrounding a historical site with dual meaning.A film by Noam Israel 201300:25:39The turbulent life of Margot Klausner, one of the founders of the Israeli national theater and a poineer in Israeli cinemahttps://jflix.net/movie/saga-of-a-photo-en/928EnglishEnglishMooli LandesmanWomenDocumentary filmsHistoryBiographyArts and populre CultureThis story begins in a photo that was hidden away for some eighty years. For a frozen moment the photo exposed the joy of my grandparents' wedding in 1926 in Berlin. A moment later, everything will turn upside down.This is a story about love, a love story that crosses borders, a love story between a woman and two men, a love story between a woman and the theatre, between a woman and the Land of Israel, about a mother's love for her children and the price of all these loves.Mooli Landesman, directorRead a review of the film in Educational Media Reviews OnlineThe film participated in film festivals in Germany, Israel and Montenegro and won Best Author's Approach Award in TV Fest Bar200100:17:47An unfolding chain of events resulting in the discovery of Private Finkelstien's grave in a British War Ceremony in Israelhttps://jflix.net/movie/saving-private-finkelstein/344EnglishEnglishEliezer ShairaMaale FilmsDocumentaryHistoryWho would believe that the bite of a small dog would lead to the unfolding of a chain of events resulting in the discovery of Private Finkelstien's grave in a British War Ceremony in Israel?Who is Finkelstein and why was he, a soldier with an obviously Jewish name, buried under the sign of a cross?  My father is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.A film by Eliezer ShairaAwardsBest Documentary, Ma'aleh Graduating Ceremony 2001Prize for Outstanding Director, Imperial War Museum, London 2002Thirs Prize for Best Documentary, DocAviv 2002 FestivalsBelgrade Student Film Festival 2001Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival 2001DocAviv DOcumentary Film Festival 2001"The Message of Man" Film Festival St. Petersburg 2002Karlovy-Vary Film Festival Czech Republic 2002   Produced by Maaleh Film School200401:00:02The Kafkaesque process of divorce for women in Israel where secular law does not existhttps://jflix.net/movie/sentenced-to-marriage-mekudeshet/2EnglishEnglishAnat Yuta ZuriaJewish way of lifeWomenDocumentary filmsThis internationally acclaimed and award-winning documentary exposes the Kafkaesque process of divorce for women in Israel where secular law does not exist, and divorce is dealt with according to the strict interpretation of the orthodox Jewish law. Filmmaker Anat Zuria, director of the award-winning documentary Purity, gained rare access to the rabbinical courts to follow two women caught in the demoralizing legal labyrinth. Though husbands can live with other women and even withhold child support, the wives are forbidden contact with other men. In some cases, these very modern, independent and well-educated women are forced to buy a divorce from their husbands for huge sums. As a result, thousands of Jewish women have lived in limbo indefinitely, both in Israel and in other communities around the world.A film by Anat Zuria“A brave film made with passion and commitment, that cries out against injustice, and which like some of the best documentaries gives a voice to the voiceless.”Jerusalem Film FestivalThe film, a legal drama, was shown at numerous international festivals, including IDFA Amsterdam, Film Independents Los Angeles Film Festival, the INPUT (International Public Television organization) conference in San Francisco and others. The film was purchased by the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York.Among the international prizes Mekudeshet (“Sentenced to Marriage”) has won are:The Wolgin Award for Best Documentary – Jerusalem Film Festival 2004Honorable Mention – International Documentary Festival Amsterdam – IDFA 2004First Prize – Hot Docs festival in Toronto 2005200700:24:45Dramatic action altering the fabric of the family life foreverhttps://jflix.net/movie/separation-en/128EnglishEnglishTsofnat DavidAyala Zamir Glick, Tamar Ben BaruchJewish way of lifeCouplesMaale FilmsFamilyChildren and AdolescentsFictionDuring the Sabbath, 12-year-old Noa discovers that her parents are planning to divorce. In order to try and prevent this, and to protect her younger brother, Noa takes dramatic action which in the end will alter the fabric of their family life forever.A film by Tsofnat DavidFestivals24 Haifa Film Festival 2008"Panda Bear" Festival, Sichuan China 2009Special screening, Israeli Prliament, "International Woman Day" 2010   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200200:26:00Stories from urban Jerusalemhttps://jflix.net/movie/seven-stories/118EnglishEnglishAliza Binyamin GlissJewishMaale FilmsIsraeli SocietyAnthropologyFrom an apartment block in the "Nahalat Shiva" neighborhood in Jerusalem, the director brings to the screen the many different stories of the residents, of whom she herself is one. The residents come from all walks of life and represent a vivid cross-section of Israeli society: - a young orthodox bride anticipates her wedding while the elderly lady upstairs ruminates on widowhood; three students work out their differences while a young Russian man fights loneliness; a Filipino woman describes her love for Israel and hopes to extend her resident's permit, but without success. All bring to the film their individual interpretations of love, disappointment and hope.A film by Aliza Binyamin GlissAwards: First Prize, Jewish Film Festival, Girona Spain 2003   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201301:05:53A journalist researches about a young woman who escaped to Israel after her father was kidnapped in Baghdadhttps://jflix.net/movie/shadow-in-baghdad/302EnglishEnglishDuki DrorDuki Dror, Yael Shavit, Paul SaadounDocumentary filmsFamilyImmigration & absorptionA young journalist from Baghdad sets out to write about Linda Abdul Aziz, who escaped from Iraq to Israel in the early 70's and about her father, who stayed in Iraq, was kidnapped and disappeared and his fate remained unknown. The physical barrier between Linda, who is in Israel, and the Iraqi journalist, is broken by the Internet and suspicion converts into trust. Slowly they uncover the tragic end of Linda's father, as well as that of a whole Jewish community that thrived in Iraq for over 2000 years.A film by Duki DrorAwards:Nomination for the Fund for Santa Barbara's Social Justice Award for Documentary Film, Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2014 Festivals:Park East Synagogue, USA, December 2014UK Jewish Film Festival, UK 2014Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, USA 2014Iraqi Jewish Association Toronto, Canada 2014AICE Film Festival, Australia 2014Gold Coast Arts Center's- Great Neck Jewish series 2014Palm Beach International Film Festival, USA 2014DeBartolo Jewish Film Festival, USA 2014NY Sephardic Jewish Film Festival, USA 2014Washington Jewish Film Festival, USA 2014Santa Barbara International Film Festival, USA 2014Haifa International Film Festival, October 2013 Educational Screenings:Duke UniversityNYU LibraryUniversity of North CarolinaHarvard UniversityLibrary Of CongressUniversity of FloridaMichigan State University200801:26:38A chronicle of the life of women imprisoned for complicity in terror attackshttps://jflix.net/movie/shahida-brides-of-allah-en/237EnglishHebrew (modern)Natalie Assouline TerebiloWomenDocumentary filmsWarThe film chronicles the lives of women who are serving time in prison for complicity in terrorist attacks in Israel. The intimate portrait, filmed over the course of two years, tries to uncover the motivations behind the actions of these women.This film is structured as a journey into an unknown world. At every turn we receive new information and experience new emotions that make it impossible to remain coherent. We find ourselves liking these women, but we feel discomfort in the fact that we do. We want to pity them, but they are too strong for our pity. We get close to them, and a moment later we are thrown clear, horrified by their actions and their lack of remorse - fascinated at the same time… A portrait of women who believed they have nothing to lose, but the realty had another say.Director: Natalie Assouline TerebiloA partial list of film festivals and awards:Berlinale international  film festival 2008- Fiprasci awardPremios ondas  2008 –barcelona-best documentryInput –warsa 2008DOCSDF, International Documentary Film Festival of Mexico City. Audience awardIAWRT AWARDS  2009 for TV documentaries-  CambodiaWarsaw Jewish film festival  2009-Best film201401:06:58The Life and Poetry of Erez Bittonhttps://jflix.net/movie/shattered-rhymes-en/929EnglishEnglishDocumentaryBiographyArts and CultureEthnicitiesA documentary portrait of the renowned Jewish-Moroccan, Israeli poet Erez Bitton. As in Bitton's groundbreaking poetry, Shattered Rhymes tells the collective story of Moroccan Jews in Israel through Bitton's poetry and his life's milestones throughout Israel for the last 65 years. Bitton's personal story includes his life changing tragic event and journey, since the moment he lost his eyesight at the age of 11. His blindness shades a unique light not only on his life, but on Israel's society, culture and politics which he discusses in the film.A film by Sami Shalom Chetritwww.shatteredrhymesfilm.comShattered Rhymes  was presented in several film festivals and events in the US, such as New York Sephardic FF and New York University and MSU Israeli FF. In Israel it was screened in Tor-Hazahav (Golden Age) Festival in Ashdod, Cinema South Film Festival in Sderot and Libi Bamizrah (My Heart is in the East) Festival in Tel-Aviv. The film was also broadcast on Israeli Channel 8, the documentary cable TV channel.201600:23:24A young war veteran fights his battle with PTSD by living in a carhttps://jflix.net/movie/shell-en/703EnglishEnglishHagai AdorianMaale FilmsWar And ConflictPsychologyAriel, a young veteran combat medic, is unable to the dispel terrible images of war that keep replaying themselves in his head. He drives aimlessly around the countryside, eating and sleeping in his banged up car. A film that pays tribute to the subtlety and damage of PTSD without a single shot being fired. A film by Hagai Adorian GabayParticipated in:DocAviv Documentary Film Festival 2016: Short Film Competition  Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200800:56:21The story of four refugees from Darfur who have found sanctuary in the Jewish state of Israelhttps://jflix.net/movie/shield-of-solomon/208EnglishEnglishIgal HechtHuman RightsHistoryImmigrationEthnicitiesThousands of men, women and children from Southern Sudan and the region of Darfur have been killed in what's described as the first genocide of the 21stCentury. The story of four refugees from Darfur who has found sanctuary in the most unlikely place, the Jewish state of Israel.A film by Igal Hecht200900:30:07A religious woman tries to take matters into her own handshttps://jflix.net/movie/shira-en/123EnglishEnglishMiryam AdlerJewish way of lifeCouplesWomenMaale FilmsFamilyFictionShira, a mother of five children, lives in a religious community. Her husband's expectation is that she will continue to bring children into the world. Shira begins to collapse under the stress of her responsibilities. She tries to take matters into her own hands.A film by Miryam AdlerFestivals Wolgin competition, Jerusalem Film Festival 2009Woman & Religion Festival, "Mavoy Satoom" organization 2010Special Screening, Israeli Parliament "International Woman Day" 2010Jewish Film Festival, Toronto Canada 2011Women Film Festival Rehovot Israel 2012   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200100:23:08In the light of the political events of 2000, a couple with a child, find themselves evicted from their settlement farm https://jflix.net/movie/shira-and-fatti-dont-live-here-anymore/279EnglishEnglishSoshi GreenfeldMaale FilmsDocumentaryWar And Conflict In the light of the political events of 2000, Shira and Yehoshafat (Fatti), together with their one-year-old son, find themselves evicted from their settlement farm. This non-political film attempts to create an emotional connection between the film's characters and its viewers, even as the settler community becomes more and more marginalized and demonized by the foreign and Israeli media.A film by Soshi Greenfeld   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201800:20:21Children's TV star Shmelky wants to change his lifehttps://jflix.net/movie/shmelky-en/1389EnglishEnglishRaanan RosenbaumMaale FilmsArts and populre CultureFictionChildren's TV star Shmelky the Jewish Puppet comes to the realization that he wants to make a change and become a serious, respected theater actor. After his dream doesn't go as planned he embarks on a journey of self discovery.  Screenings and PrizesGirona film festival, Spain Moscow Jewish film festivalLos Angeles Jewish film festivalFestival du Cinema Israelién de Montreal, CanadaMerit Award in the Jewish competition, Best Shorts CompetitionAudience Award in Maale graduationFirst Prize, students competition, Nashville Jewish film festivalBest Shorts Film Festival La Jolla, USA 201800:20:12A Yeshiva dropout will do anything to return. And then everything gets messed uphttps://jflix.net/movie/shmil-en/1385EnglishEnglishBaruch RosensteinJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsFictionShmil, a student in a prestigious Yeshiva, is kicked out. He's determined to get another chance, to win back his social status. His attempts bring him to a meeting with the Rabbi at his home at night time. And then things go out of control.Prizes and main film festivalsJewish Film Festival, Tel Aviv (Brodet Center)Jewish Film Festival, Boca Raton, Florida, USAInternational Carmet film festivalJewish Motifs International Film Festival, Warsaw, PolandGirona Film Festival, SpainJewish Film Festival, Hong KongVeritas Prize at the students Film Festival, Philadelphia, USAJewish Film Festival, Seattle, USA 200700:57:51This touching film interweaves seven parallel stories of children on their way to and from school into one journeyhttps://jflix.net/movie/sidewalk/198EnglishEnglishDuki DrorIsraeli SocietyChildren and AdolescentsAnthropologySeven parallel stories of children, making their way to school and back home, interweave into a cinematic poem about childhood. Alone, between the parent and the teacher, danger and curiosity, dependence and independence, children experience life unprotected and unrestricted. In the gap between the familiar and the unpredictable, between the trivial and the traumatic, the film traps pure and irreversible bits of time. The playful, the stressful, the cruel, the magical and the thrilling moments of this daily journey, become a lucid voyage of an illuminating and injuring experience.A film by Duki Dror200300:28:34In the midst of death and tragedy, a performance that wins the hearts of allhttps://jflix.net/movie/singing-through-our-tears-en/119EnglishEnglishAurital Maizel BittonWomen And GenderMaale FilmsWar And ConflictArts and CultureA group of English-speaking women in villages near Jerusalem decide to take a novel approach to the numerous Palestinian terror attacks in the area: they will cope by writing a biblical musical - the story of Esther. In the midst of death and tragedy, the women, write, compose and choreograph a stage musical which eventually was performed all over Israel.A film by Aurital Maizel Bitton   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201200:29:51Innocence and love between two sistershttps://jflix.net/movie/sister-of-mine/131EnglishEnglishOshrat MeirovitchWomenMaale FilmsFamilyFictionSpecial NeedsLike all young ultra-orthodox girls, Ruchi, the favorite daughter of a Jerusalem family, dreams of becoming a wife and mother. But the fact that Ruchi's younger sister has Down's syndrome makes Ruchi an undesirable match, and in the end, Ruchi's parents take desperate and ethically questionable measures to marry her off. With all family members complicit in forcing Ruchi to buy into a miserable marriage, only her special needs sister sustains her with innocence and love.A film by Oshrat Meirovitch    Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201800:33:09A woman leaves her life and religion to follow her beloved spousehttps://jflix.net/movie/sonia-tsofia-en/1396EnglishHebrew (modern)Ariel ParienteAriel ParienteJewish way of lifeCouplesMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsImmigration & absorptionSonia meets the love of her life, Ariel, who was stationed in a mission in her country. They begin a confidential relationship, until Sonia completes her conversion to Judaism.Life in Israel, Ariel's country, is new and strange to her: work, friends, language.Sonia embarks on a quest to find a place she can call home.A film by Ariel Pariente Produced by Maale200500:18:36A difficult choice between a musical career and national servicehttps://jflix.net/movie/stand-at-ease-en/122EnglishEnglishBen KatzMaale FilmsChildren and AdolescentsFictionIdentityEighteen-year-old Noah is religious and torn between two worlds: his militaristic group of friends in the settlement where he lives and the rock band in which he is a drummer. When he gets a call-up for tryouts for an elite commando unit in the IDF, Noah must make a choice between his musical career and his national service. This wacky, edgy comedy has a bitter-sweet subtext about the effect of compulsory IDF service on the lives of young Israelis.A film by Ben KatzFestivalsIsraeli Jewish Film Festival Pittsburgh USA 2006International Student Film Festival Saint Petersburgh Russia 2006Jewish Motive, International Film Festival, Warsaw Poland 2006International Student Film Festival Tel Aviv 2006Jewish Film Festival, Chicago 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201100:29:53Dudi decides to live his dream and become an actorhttps://jflix.net/movie/stand-up-en/130EnglishEnglishAsi TsobelJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsArts and populre CultureFictionDudi is learning in a yeshiva to become a school teacher. His wife doesn't know that he really spends most of his time trying to be a stand-up comic. He goes to a comedy club when he should be at the yeshiva. His friends from the yeshiva find out, and Dudi loses his best friend. He is now afraid that his wife will also find out. Dudi needs to decide whether tell his wife or keep his dream.A film by Asi Tsobel   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201800:56:03The story of Israel's Dignitary Protection Unithttps://jflix.net/movie/srerile-zome-en/1321EnglishEnglishGil MezumanPoliticsFor the first time, the commanders and agents of the tell story of Israel's Dignitary Protection Unit in this documentary film.From the early days and the threats to assassinate prime minister Ben Gurion snd other prime ministers, until the murder of prime minister Itzhak Rabin and the introspection the organization had the go through, in what seems to be its biggest trauma and failure.A film by Gil Mezuman200600:51:18The story of a strawberry who yearned for independencehttps://jflix.net/movie/strawberry-fields-en/924EnglishEnglishAyelet HellerDocumentary filmsWarPoliticsEconomyThis is the story of a strawberry who yearned for independence. Imagine a story about hope, frustration, occupation, globalization and politics, and at its center a small red fruit-a strawberry. The mother plants arrive from Israel to Gaza, where in the fields of Beit Lahiya the plants are cultivated to produce the brilliant red fruit destined for marketing in Europe.In this fateful year in Gaza, filmmaker Ayelet Heller and her Gazan crew documented the agricultural cycle of the fruit and the political events that directly affected the lives of the farmers who cultivate it..Out of these green fields, red fruit, sky and ea, could emerge a pastoral image of farmers earning their livelihood by working the land. But in Gaza it is not the laws of nature that rule but those of the Occupation.A film by Ayelet HellerOsnat Trabelsi // producerGraduate of the Department of Film and Television at the Tel Aviv University. Chairwomen of the Israeli Documentary Filmmakers' Forum. Owner of Trabelsi Productions, which produces political and social films. Among the films she produced are international award winning films such as Arna's Children (director: Juliano Mer Khamis), Strawberry Fields, Ashkenaz, Pizza in Auschwitz, Jaffa, the orange's clockwork and the original ground breaking webdoc “Gaza-Sderot”. She initiated and directed the first International Human Rights Film Festival in Tel Aviv and Ramallah. In 2007 she was chosen by The Marker as one of 40 women who make change in society.200500:10:28Observation is a matter of heart and not just of the eyeshttps://jflix.net/movie/sugarless/79EnglishEnglishChaim ElbaumMaale FilmsFamilyChildren and AdolescentsSpecial NeedsOn the eve of his bar mitzva while busying himself with last-minute errands and fitting in a final practice of his Torah reading, Daniel goes out on his bike and is attacked by another child. When Daniel returns home it seems as if his father, who is blind, cannot perceive his distress, but this is not so. Daniel learns from his father that observation is a matter of the heart and not just of the eyes.2005, Drama, 10 minutes Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201800:33:09A young woman decides to stand up to her parents in lawhttps://jflix.net/movie/sushi-meatballs-and-everything-en/1180EnglishEnglishLiel GurRelationshipMaale FilmsFictionThe road to meatballs is paved with good intentions: A young woman decides to stand up to her loving parents in law, once and for all.A film by Liel Gur  Produced by Maale film schoolFestivals and PrizesLongShort Film Festival Tel Aviv, ISRAEL, Second PrizeNear Nazareth Film Festival, ISRAELAtlanta Jewish Film Festival, USA201200:27:51A revealing portrait of a father searching for religious identityhttps://jflix.net/movie/sweet-sins-en/121EnglishEnglishRenana HermanJewishMaale FilmsDocumentaryFamilyReligionA revealing portrait of the head of an orthodox family, still searching for religious identity and of his daughter, the director who is rediscovering him.A film by Renana HermanFestivals:DOKUFEST Film Festival Bosnia November 2012   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200900:40:10Reconnecting with your father at adulthoodhttps://jflix.net/movie/talking-with-my-father-en/298EnglishEnglishNoa NatanMaale FilmsDocumentaryFamilyWhen I was little and people used to ask me what my Dad did, I told them he was a vegetable retailer.  The neighborhood kids would laugh at me, knowing that he ran a simple market stall in the local souk.As an adult, I have taken my camera with me out to the market in my search of my lost connection with my father.  I have discovered a world which is both extraordinary and authentic.A film by Noa NatanAwardsBest Film on Israel & Zionism, Ma'aleh Graduation AwardsFestivalsInternational  Film Festival, Haifa Israel 2009Defrost Festival Jerusalem Israel 2010Israeli - Jewish Film Festival, Ramat-Hasharon Israel 2010   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201900:42:26The truth behind Dr. Mengele's expreriments in Auschwitzhttps://jflix.net/movie/victim-of-the-nazis-en/1307EnglishDocumentary filmsBiographyHolocaustEva Mozes Kor was experimented on as one of Dr. Josef Mengele's twins at Auschwitz. After decades of anguish, she decided to forgive the Nazis - and came to be one of the best-known and most-active Holocaust survivors in the world. At the age of 10, Eva Mozes Kor became a victim of Josef Mengele, the doctor at the Auschwitz concentration camp notorious for his barbaric experiments on twins. Eva and her twin sister Miriam lost both of their parents and two older sisters in the Holocaust; only Eva and Miriam survived. Eva later married an American and moved to the United States to begin a new life. In 1984, she founded the organization CANDLES together with the help of her sister Miriam. The name is an acronym for Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors. Working with the organization, Eva was able to locate 122 other survivors of Dr. Mengele’s horrific experiments around the world. In 1995, Eva also founded CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center to educate the public about eugenics, the Holocaust, and the power of forgiveness. That same year she publicly forgave the Nazis for what had been done to her - a decision that brought her international attention. Eva circled the globe delivering her message of peace, kindness, healing and self-empowerment for future generations. Her lessons went far beyond her own experience, addressing current global atrocities and two of the biggest problems facing today's youth: bullying and discrimination. Eva Mozes Kor died on 4 July 2019 in Krakow.202301:02:29https://jflix.net/movie/tethys-sea-film-en/1696EnglishEnglishShemer GaonArts and Popular CultureSenior CitizensFictionAn optimistic story about the last day of Absalom's lifeDuration: 30 minutes // NarrativeParticipated and screened in Haifa International Film Festival, Tel Aviv international Festival, Spiritual Film Festival Tel Aviv, The Five Lakes Film Festival in Germany and in the Ophir film competition of the Israel Film Academy.201100:23:47A portrait and biography of the woman who became Israel's most beloved poethttps://jflix.net/movie/the-5-houses-of-lea-goldberg/714EnglishEnglishYair QedarDocumentary filmsHistoryBiographyArts and populre CultureLea Goldberg was a prolific poet, author, playwright, translator and researcher of literature. Her writings, regarded as classics of Israeli literature, remain extremely popular among Hebrew speakers where she is considered the feminine equivalent of Bialik.Although Lea Goldberg died years ago she is still an enigmatic figure – a powerful woman who lived with her mother and never married, a woman who reinvented herself from the ashes of the First World War and became Israel's most beloved poet.The film is a cinematic fantasy in five acts using animation, effects, still photos, original music and interviews which, taken together, celebrates the story of L.Goldberg.A film by Yair QedarRead a review of the film in our blog 200300:25:39The history of the social struggle that marked a deep social change in Israeli society is told first handhttps://jflix.net/movie/black-panthers-israel-en/957EnglishEnglishSami Shalom Chetrit and Eli HamoSami Shalom Chetrit and Eli HamoDocumentary filmsIsraeli SocietyHistoryEthnicityIn the beginning of 1972, a group of youngsters, sons of Jewish immigrants (Olim) from Arab countries, formed the Israeli Black Panthers movement, protesting against discrimination against Mizrahi (Jews originated from Arab countries) by the establishment.It all began in Musrara, a Mizrahi slum in the eastern part of Jerusalem and quickly spread all over Israel.In those years, Israel was divided: the economy and power was dominated by Ashkenazi (European Jews), while Mizrahi Jews were exploited as cheap laborers. 80% of welfare supported families were Mizrahim. About 20% of Mizrahim lived 4 people per room. 55% of Mizrahi youth dropped out of school. The rest studies in low vocational programs. The Black Panthers were the groundbreaking catalyst for the Mizrahi struggle in Israel. Israel before March 1971 was a different Israel than that of after March 1971. The Panthers contributed to unmasking the economic and social relations in Israel and revealed it to be a sheer battlefield. Israel, before the appearance of the Black Panthers, refused to admit its policy of inequality and denied its oppressive treatment of Mizrahim.The film tells the story of the Israeli black Panthers, based on the leaders' memories, which is connected to today's reality.A film by Sami Shalom Chetrit and Eli HamoClick to download: The personal memories of the era and a historical review of the Black Panthers in Israel, by Sami Shalom Chetrit, PhD200501:03:51A biography of the legendary artist Kadishmanhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-blue-lamb-en/314EnglishEnglishDanni Dotan and Dalia MevorachDocumentaryBiographyArts and CultureManashe Kadishman, sculptor, painter and Israel Prize laureate, is a natural film hero, primitive man in the modern world, a giant in little white pants, half a child and half an old man, half a genius and half a clown. Kadishman doesn't hide from the camera. He appears in the film in all his complexity. On the one hand, a successful artist whose works are presented and sold around the world; on the other hand, the appearance of one of Tel Aviv's homeless.5 A.M. We enter Kadishman's bedroom; he is surrounded by teddy bears and toys. At 5:30 he arrives to the swimming pool. In the dressing room, he and his friends, old and naked, embrace in unabashed joy. At seven he is in his studio, painting another sheep's head, part of a flock of thousands he has painted in his lifetime. Kadishman has devoted his life and art to changing Israeli reality, with a system of powerful Israeli symbols: the ram looking down over the dead Isaac; a mother lifting her son heavenward; sheep heads; ravens pecking; symbols that become familiar art icons around the world. But Kadishman is frustrated by his inability to change the reality in which parents sacrifice their children every day in endless war. Night, Kadishman, defeated, orphaned, longing for the world of his childhood, reads aloud a parting letter to his children but knows that he must get up it the morning to paint another A film by Danni Dotan and Dalia Mevorach201000:41:21Senior kibbutz members fighting to retain their last symbol alivehttps://jflix.net/movie/the-breakfast-parliament-en/132EnglishEnglishGolan RiseMaale FilmsIsraeli SocietySenior CitizensAnthropologyEvery morning, veteran members of Kibbutz Ein Tzurim get together in the empty dining room. Here their "parliament" reverently discusses the inner politics, gossip, and agricultural developments of the kibbutz, as well as the upcoming 60th-anniversary celebrations. When the kibbutz votes to stop serving breakfast, the parliament members embark upon a struggle that will bring the kibbutz's entire existence into question.A film by Golan Rise   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200000:13:50Benzi found an original way to commemorate his deceased brotherhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-diary/80EnglishEnglishTami AvnonMaale FilmsWarFamilyBenzi is a 13-year-old boy who is due to reading segments of his dead brother's diary at the memorial ceremony. But Benzi loses the diary beforehand and is at a loss as to what to do.A film by Tami AvnonFestivals:Israeli Film Festival, New York Los Angeles USA 2000Children Film Festival, Tel Aviv 2006    Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201100:32:55A clash between a soldier's loyalty to the state and the loyalty to his family https://jflix.net/movie/the-divide-en/99EnglishEnglishTzvi Yehuda HerlingMaale FilmsWarFamilyKobi has joined the army despite his parents' opposition. He returns to his home in the hills of Samaria for Shabbat just before he is to be given the award for Outstanding Soldier at an upcoming IDF ceremony. There he discovers that the army has given the order for his family's eviction.A film by Tzvi Yehuda HerlingScreenings & Prizes:Jewish Eye Film Festival, Ashkelom October 2012Louisville KT Jewish Film Festival February 2013San Diego Jewish Film Festival 2013   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201900:48:20The story of the renewed settlement of Judea and Samariahttps://jflix.net/movie/driving-spirit-en/1318EnglishEnglishMenora HazaniMenora HazaniIsraeli SocietyHistoryBiographyPoliticsDirector Menora Hazani documents the Settlement Revolution in Judea and Samaria, led by her father Beni Katzover and his friends. The film reveals how the spiritual connection to the Holy Land motivated a group of young men and women with no financial means or political standing to make history. The film begins in the days after the Six Day War, during which Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, Sinai, and the Golan Heights were liberated and stood empty of Jewish settlers. Under pressure from the countries of the world, the Israeli government began to promote a territorial compromise. While this was going on, students from Yeshivat Merkaz Harav in Jerusalem decided to act, and to immortalize the connection between the Jewish nation and the areas of Judea and Samaria.In April 1968, they secretly held a mass Passover Seder in an Arab hotel in Hebron, informing the government the following day of their decision to remain and live in the city. The 1929 massacre of the Hebron Jews by local Arabs, still fresh in Israeli memories, prevented the Israeli government from evacuating them. The government decided to allow them to remain in Hebron as a yeshiva, moving them to the military administrative building in the city. After three years of public struggle for the right to settle the city, to establish sources of employment and to pray at the Tomb of the Patriarchs, they won their first victory, and the Israeli government built them the town of Kiryat Arba, next to Hebron.After celebrating this achievement, Beni Katzover and his good friend Rabbi Menachem Felix could not bear the fact that Samaria was still empty of Jews. In 1972, they established a group of families who decided to settle Samaria, called the Elon Moreh group. The group made seven attempts to start living in the area, but was forcibly evacuated each time by the Israeli government. The eighth time, the settlers were joined by thousands of supporters, including Knesset members, rabbis, and spiritual leaders. The government could no longer stop them and the first Jewish settlement in Samaria was established inside an army base. Dozens more Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria followed, as well as three cities, in which hundreds of thousands of Jews live. The vision of the leaders of the movement became reality: the connection between the Jewish nation and the biblical Land of Israel became an established fact.The film puts politics aside and proves why spirit and faith are a force that accomplishes the impossible.201600:51:18Searching for the unknown Holocaust in the former Soviet Unionhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-eastern-front-en/1040EnglishEnglishBoris MaftsirZvi Shefy & Boris MaftsirDocumentaryHistoryHolocaustA documentary project by Boris MaftsirThe city of Pushkin near Leningrad-St. Petersburg. The main square of Catherine Palace at the foreground. The Palace is the most popular tourist destination for those coming to St. Petersburg and the square is the site where in 1941 Nazis executed a group of men, women and children. They are buried somewhere under the concrete square.This is the opening of “Holocaust. The Eastern Front”, the second film in a documentary project by filmmaker Boris Maftsir about the Holocaust in the regions of the former Soviet Union.Background: the German occupation on the Eastern Front was the widest and deepest and extended well into what is Russian Federation territory.In the film there are five stories from different parts of Russian Federation territories where painful memories from “the unknown Holocaust” are revealed.Chapter One: the action in which hundreds of Jews from Pushkin (near Leningrad) where shot to death. This killing took place in the park of the famous Catherine Palace.Chapter Two: the murder of Jews in the village of Lyubavichi in November 1941. This is the place from where the original Chabad Rabbis are from.Chapter Three: the action in August 1942 in Rostov-on- Don, the largest city in south Russia.Chapter Four: the fate of the Jews who escaped or were  evacuated to the far away Caucasus s region in 1941, and in the summer of 1942 were trapped and killed under German occupation.Chapter Five: the story of the miraculous rescue of the Mountain Jews of Caucasus in the city of Nalchik, the capitol of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic in the Northern Caucus. The project includes eight films. Click here to explore the full collection. http://www.holocaustinussr.com/** if you have an active subscription to the platform, you can skip the following message** The film is available for free, for personal viewing, which includes a watermark. To watch it, simply click on the Play button above.If you'd like to watch the film in higher quality and without a watermark, please click on Rent and choose the rental period.For institutional use and public screening, please click on Download and choose the appropriate license.201701:12:40Amidst daily terror attacks, a group of Palestinians and Jewish from northern Judaea try to form a dialog and coexistencehttps://jflix.net/movie/the-field-en/1024EnglishEnglishMordechai VardiMordechai VardiJewish way of lifeDocumentary filmsWarGush Etzion Junction, between Jerusalem and Hevron: Ali Abu Awwad dedicates his family’s field as a Palestinian Center for Non-violence. Despite his life experience, four years in an Israeli prison, his mother’s five year sentence, a brother killed by an Israeli soldier- Ali creates “Roots” with local Israeli settlers, advancing responsibility and grassroots work to enable political reconciliation. The director, a resident of Gush Etzion, accompanies the initiative for 2.5 years and documents the changes transpiring on both sides. In 2015, Etzion Junction suffers a wave of violence and the activists face a reality where their own relatives are being attacked.A film by Mordechai Vardi200500:22:49Embarrassment casts a shadow on the wedding nighthttps://jflix.net/movie/the-first-night-en/134EnglishEnglishChen Galon KleinJewish way of lifeCouplesMaale FilmsFiction20-year-old Emunah, an orthodox bride, accompanies her new husband to their new home on the night of the wedding. Emunah awaits the wedding night with hesitations and expectations. To her disappointment, the first night unfolds completely differently to how she has imagined. Lack of experience, embarrassment and the gap between imagination and reality, all cast their shadow on the wedding night and on the following days. Can this young marriage survive its first week?A film by Chen Galon KleinFirst Prize, Festival of Religion, Trento, Italy 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201600:16:45A young woman wishes to fulfil her father's will and become a gravedigger, like him https://jflix.net/movie/the-gravediggers-daughter/721EnglishEnglishShira GabayJewishWomen And GenderMaale FilmsFamilyFictionA young woman wishes to fulfil her father's will and become a gravedigger, like him. Will she succeed in overcoming traditional conventions and the objection expressed by her family and surroundings? Produced by Maaleh Film SchoolThe film participated in more than 20 film festivals around the world201601:47:33Searching for the unknown Holocaust in the former Soviet Unionhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-guardians-of-remembrance-en/1039EnglishEnglishBoris MaftsirZvi Shefy & Boris MaftsirDocumentaryHistoryHolocaustA documentary project by Boris MaftsirIn the “The Guardians  of Remembrance”, the first film of the project, Boris Maftsir offers a comprehensive and accurate picture of the events of the Holocaust in Belarus. The  Guardians  of Remembrance depicted in the film are both Jews and non-Jews, including local individuals striving for commemoration. The film “The Guardians  of Remembrance” was filmed at the actual murder sites and precisely captures the sense of time and place of the tragic events. The project includes eight films. Click here to explore the full collection. http://www.holocaustinussr.com/** if you have an active subscription to the platform, you can skip the following message** The film is available for free, for personal viewing, which includes a watermark. To watch it, simply click on the Play button above.If you'd like to watch the film in higher quality and without a watermark, please click on Rent and choose the rental period.For institutional use and public screening, please click on Download and choose the appropriate license.201001:01:17A clear alternative voice from the margins of society carrying a deeply humanistic and universal messagehttps://jflix.net/movie/the-hangman/227EnglishEnglishNetalie BraunNetalie Braun & Avigail SperberJewishHuman RightsIsraeli SocietyHistoryHolocaustIn a small desolate abattoir, on the outskirts of Holon's "Samaritans' Market", an elderly Yemenite of seventy-three, slaughters chickens and sheep for a living. His name is Shalom Nagar. The abattoir - an amalgamation of rusty chicken coops and corrugated iron shacks attracts an odd but loyal crowd from the area, who between slaughters gather around to discuss life. Like the local barber, Shalom the slaughterer is happy to lend an ear, so people confide in him and even ask for his blessings. Wise Shalom, is a good listener who knows how to react, comfort, amuse, reconcile but mostly capture his audience with thrilling stories of his past: his random and traumatic summon to be Eichmann's hangman, his becoming newly religious, his difficult childhood in Yemen, his witnessing of Goldstein's massacre in the Tomb of the Patriarchs and his later disillusionment and departure from the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba near Hebron. Shalom keeps his current hardships to himself. His son Noam was recently diagnosed with an advanced cancerous growth in the brain. Shalom, who escorts him devoutly to the hospital for chemotherapy, is desperately looking for a cure and is concerned about his survival. His characteristic faith and humor are being put to the test again, perhaps the hardest one yet. The film focuses on the life of Shalom Nagar, Eichmann's hangman turned slaughterer, a street philosopher who works miracles and believes in charity. His life encapsulates the story of Israel from the perspective of the other- the marginalized Sephardic prison warden, forced to do the dirty work of hanging the archenemy and carry a national burden that dramatically shaped his life. His dedicated heart-wrenching care for his dying son and his colorful bloody job in the abattoir that brings up stories of his past create together a fascinating and complex portrait. His voice, yet unheard, from the edge of Israel's historical events, unfolds them from a different perspective: A clear alternative voice from the margins of society carrying a deeply humanistic and universal message.A film by Netalie Braun201100:45:30An insider's exploration into the lives of three prominent settler leaders and their battleshttps://jflix.net/movie/the-hilltops/213EnglishEnglishIgal HechtIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictOn the hilltop overlooking the Palestinian city of Nablus, sixty-six-year-old Settler Daniella Wise looks at an advancing force of Israeli soldiers. They have come to destroy her illegal outpost. She rallies her own little army of followers as the Israeli Army nears. A few moments later a violent battle begins. This is a daily reality of life on the hilltops of the West Bank. The Hilltops is an insider's exploration into the lives of three prominent settler leaders and their battles to hold on to what they perceive as their biblical heartland. The reality of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict unravels in front of the lens as the viewer gets a rare, no-holds-barred look into the lives of the West Bank settlements and those who stare down the future of the Middle East peace Process from up on their Hilltops.A film by Igal HechtFestivalsIsraeli Documentary Film Festival, Budapest, Hungary, 2012Detroit Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2012Santa Barbara International Film Festival, USA, 20122011 Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, USA, 2011HotDocs, Toronto Canada, 2011201600:51:12An epic series about archaeologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/between-independence-and-destruction-8/1567EnglishEnglishTuvi ArbelDocumentary filmsHistoryFrom the 63 BCE to 73 ADThis episode brings together the dramatic events that took place from the conquest of the land by Rome in 63 BCE - until the fall of Masada in 73 AD. In those 110 years, Herod built magnificent buildings, a rebellion took place, the reasons for the destruction were sown and a new religion emerged, beginning with the activities of a young Jewish prophet from the Galilee.These are the most fateful years for Judaism, described in the episode dealing with Herod, the rebellion, the destruction and the appearance of Jesus.Using senior archaeologists and historians, animations, aerial photographs and archival materials, the film reveals lesser-known aspects and insights and reaches hidden archaeological sites that have not yet been seen.What characterizes Herod's art of construction, water works and leisure sites and what social, cultural and economic change did he bring to Israel under the influence of Rome? What did the three pilgrimages look like in Jerusalem? What really happened in the temple and how was a social gap created that gave rise to fraternal wars and messiahs like Jesus?Did the artist of the engraving of the Temple Menorah that was discovered in a synagogue in Migdal actually see the Temple Menorah? Are new Jewish findings from the first century in the excavations in Nazareth from the house of Jesus? What is the probability that the Church of the Sepulcher is indeed the burial place of the Christian Messiah and what were the burial methods during the Second Temple period?What were the real reasons for the Roman revolt? Was it because of the hatred of brothers that Jerusalem was destroyed? What is the chilling evidence discovered in the excavations that complete the descriptions of the horror of the siege, the famine and the bloodshed? Was there even mass suicide in the cities that the Romans besieged or is the story a figment of Joseph's imagination and a literary genre?The episode was shot in Jerusalem, Herodion, Gamla, Capernaum, Magdala, Yodfat, Caesarea, Nazareth and Bethlehem.It reveals new archaeological findings, such as the engraving of the temple lamp on a stone table from a synagogue in Magdala on the Sea of ​​Galilee, Jewish remains two hundred meters from the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Jewish stone vessels from the homes of the wealthy in Jerusalem and Jewish burial mounds in the recesses of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In Herod's palace in the Herodion wall paintings and un-excavated caves are revealed and endless discoveries from the sunken port of Caesarea.201800:51:12An epic series about archaeologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-holy-land-from-monarchy-to-exile/1542EnglishEnglishHagar KotDocumentary filmsHistoryFrom the 10th century to 586 BCEIn the 10th century BC, the Kingdom of Judah begins its growth around the city of Jerusalem, which spreads to the back of the mountain and the lowlands in the shadow of its older sister in the north: the Kingdom of Israel.The process of monumental construction of palaces in Jerusalem and in Lachish, the second largest city, testifies to the growth and expansion of the kingdom whose southern border reaches the city of Beer Sheva and donkey caravans carrying copper from the mines in Timna and Pinan that were controlled by the Edom kingdom.New discoveries about altars destroyed during the reign of King Hezekiah in the 8th century serve as stirring evidence of the beginning of a religious reform, which culminated a few decades later, in the days of King Josiah, "the absolute righteous".During the 7th century, the Assyrian conquest did not stop the kingdom of Judah, and it became a vassal of the king of Assyria. The Assyrian army destroys all the cities in its path and turns towards Jerusalem. But surprisingly, the city of Jerusalem remains alone and is not occupied. The Assyrians leave her unscathed. The Bible tells how God's angel struck the Assyrian army, and this event is the beginning of the process of the city's sanctification and the beginning of the construction of the myth about the spirit of God protecting it. The historical facts present a different version.After the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel in 720 BC, refugees arrive to the Kingdom of Judah, which tries to appropriate areas of the obliterated kingdom. The "Assyrian Peace" period begins, in which the vassal kingdom of Judah prospers.During these years, the book "Deuteronomy" was discovered or written, which brought about social and religious reform and marked the beginning of God's work, as we know it today, and the beginning of socio-moral religious legislation.Ancient tombs are discovered and in them, the first "Priestly Blessing" in ancient Hebrew writing.International upheavals lower the Assyrian Empire and raise the Babylonian Empire. The Babylonian army advances towards Judah, and King Zedekiah of Judah makes an alliance with Egypt, "a broken reed support".In 586 BC, the Babylonians conquer the city of Jerusalem, burn and destroy it. The first temple is burned, and no trace of it remains. The last king of the House of David, the nobles and the intellectual elite are sent into exile, and the poor are left to guard the ruined cities until the return of the people from Babylonian exile.201800:51:12An epic series about archaeologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-holy-land-regional-superpower/1541EnglishEnglishHagar KotDocumentary filmsHistoryFrom 1000 to 720 BCEBetween the biblical axis and the extra-biblical archaeological and written findings, dramatic events took place from the 10th century BC to 720 BC that influenced and shaped the political and religious discourse to this day: The Kingdom of Israel as a regional power.About three thousand years ago, in the 10th century BC, the northern region of the Land of Israel was ruled by the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which stretched at its peak from the northern Galilee along the coastal plain and across the eastern Jordan, its southern border was a weapon of the Kingdom of Judah and its branches reached as far as the Sinai desert.The Bible says that the kingdom of Israel arose after King David's kingdom was torn in two during the time of his grandson Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon.Historical evidence describes the powerful royal houses that ruled the kingdom: the dynasty of King Omri, who establishes his rule in a military coup and establishes a new capital - the city of Samaria - where the splendor and greatness of a rich and cosmopolitan kingdom appeared.During the time of Ahab, the son of Omri, the kingdom grows into a rich regional power, with the largest army in the Levant, which manages a system of alliances and conquests with its neighbors in the north: Tyre, Sidon and Aram Damascus, in the east: Moab and Ammon and in the south: the Kingdom of Judah.The relations of the Kingdom of Israel with the Kingdom of Judah - the southern and smaller sister - are relations of patronage and political-state influence, sometimes through diplomacy and sometimes through force.When the main threat to the Levant region appears in the form of the Assyrian Empire, King Ahab very wisely makes an alliance with the neighboring kingdoms to fight the Assyrian army invading the region.Yoram, the son of Ahab, the last king of the house of Omri, died in a battle against the Assyrians, and the general Yehu, who was a commander in his army, took power. In 842, Yehu destroys the house of Omri and establishes a magnificent dynasty that brings the kingdom to a peak of growth.The Assyrian Empire continues its inevitable expansion and destroys all the cities of Israel, including Megiddo (Armageddon), where according to the New Testament, the world will come to an end. In 720 BC, the Assyrians destroy the capital city of Samaria, discover the aristocracy and the intellectuals and wipe out the kingdom of Israel without revival. Thus, after about two hundred years of greatness, only the name 'Israel' remains as a national historical souvenir.A dramatic episode in the history of the Land of Israel and the people of Israel, accompanied by rare aerial photographs, photographs in Jordan and throughout the kingdom and unique archaeological finds.201600:51:12An epic series about archaeologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-holy-land-rome-in-jerusalem-9/1568EnglishEnglishOmer YefmanDocumentary filmsHistoryThe Land of Israel under the wings of the empire. From the 73 AD to 313 ADIn the winter of 73 AD, the tenth Roman legion marches to Masada. The goal: the elimination of the last rebels in the Land of Israel. Later, the first Israeli archaeologists in the State of Israel will uncover the bones of the rebels, and Masada will become a symbol of heroism.The failure of the rebellion and the destruction of the Second Temple bring Judaism in the Land of Israel to an identity crisis that threatens to erase the Jewish people from history. The crisis gives birth to the essentials of today's Judaism: Rabbinic religion, which is based on Halacha, prayer and knowledge without the need for worship, sacrifices and one physical place for it, which is no longer a necessity.In those years, the Roman Empire enters a long period of silence. The Jews are in a precarious economic situation. Their leadership is loose, but their faith is strong; The destruction of the year 70 is not enough and new national aspirations are already growing among the Jews which are generating a new rebellion among the Romans. It will be headed by a charismatic leader, and his name is Shimon Bar-Kochva. Its goal: renewed national independence, as in the days of the Temple. At first the rebellion was successful thanks to sophisticated guerrilla warfare. The Roman army suffers many losses, and only after three bloody years wins the war. Again, many victims and destroyed villages, cities and students' midrash houses.Following the Bar Kochba rebellion, the Jewish leadership decides not to rebel anymore. A period of national passivity begins. The construction of the country is renewed without hindrance. The Romans pave a system of roads that connect all the cities of the province and build public buildings, markets and baths. Leisure culture is a central part of the lives of the Empire's residents, and it also has an impact on its Jewish residents in all walks of life. This places the Jewish leadership in front of a great contradiction: Roman paganism is not compatible with the Jewish religious prohibitions. But in practice it seeps into the Jewish tradition and religion.At the beginning of the third century, the process of editing the Mishnah by Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi ends. A founding move of a 'little temple' that will replace the temple. The relationship of the Jewish leadership with the Roman government reaches a harmony that has never been known before.Towards the end of the third century, the Roman Empire falls into a leadership crisis. Its citizens are looking for meaning and an answer to their spiritual needs, beyond 'bread and circuses'. They find in Christianity, a beaten and persecuted religion, an answer to their heart's desire. Emperor Constantine recognizes in the church a unifying force. He makes Christianity a permitted religion and paves the way for it to become the largest religion in the world.The film was shot in Jerusalem, Tzipori, Beit Shaarim, Megiddo, Capernaum, Beit Shean, Mtzipor Givat Broshim, excavations of the remains of Bar Kochba Rebellion fighters' camps and the ruins of Atri in the Judaean Lowlands.In the episode, rare archival films from Masada excavations and the refuge caves where the Bar Kochba fighters lost their lives.We will also be exposed to many organic findings, such as fabrics, shoes and personal items that will allow us to touch the people who lived here, in the Land of Israel, about 2000 years ago.201800:51:12An epic series about archaeologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-holy-land-the-dawn-of-nation/1540EnglishEnglishRon Kachlili and Yifat QedarDocumentary filmsHistoryFrom 1200-1000 BCEThe glaring absence of significant archaeological findings makes it difficult to expand the factual discussion regarding controversial issues, such as the invasion of the Hebrews led by Yehoshua ben Nun into the land of Canaan and of course the battles for control of the land, which were conducted according to the Bible for about 200 years and are detailed in the books of Yehoshua and Judges. In this episode, the biblical axis collides again and contradicts with the archaeological axis. However, evidence of the huge fire that consumed Hazor - the fortified city in Canaan - and a surprising discovery, which links cult sites on Mount Ebal with what is described in the book of Joshua, once again fuel the discussion about the kernel of truth in the biblical stories. Excavation tours at Mount Ebal, Tel Akziv, Lachish, Ashkelon and Gat bring to life the war drama that was associated during the settlement period and the constant struggle against powerful enemies such as the Amalekites and the Philistines, whether they were active in that period or whether they were only in terms of a biblical allegory. Photographs in the Elah Valley, Shiloh, the City of David in Jerusalem visually illustrate the gap between what is written in the Bible and scientific knowledge.Mainly, the episode focuses on the development of the methods of government in Hebrew Canaan. It began with the leadership of the warlord Yehoshua, through the era of the tribal judges and ended with the declaration of Beit Shaul as the first Israeli royal house. The love-hate relationship between the members of the House of Saul and the members of the House of David who deprived them of power are at the center of the turmulant history of the days of the United Kingdom of Israel, which emerged against the backdrop of a temporary political decline in the regional empire of Pharaonic Egypt.The enigma of the conquest of fortified Jerusalem, and the story of the founding of the first temple by Shlomo ben David - which archaeological science casts serious doubt on their actual occurrence - constitute a climax in the drama surrounding the war of faiths between monotheism in the style of Abraham and Moses and paganism in its Canaanite style. The site of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is not accessible for excavation. Its size and wealth as it is expressed in the biblical story, has not yet been proven and researchers are debating whether it is suitable for a small "kingdom" that has just been established. The episode was filmed in the Tel Hazor National Park, Eizabat Zerta, the Department of Archeology - Tel Aviv University, Mount Ebal, Tel Tzfit, Tel Azkah, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Khirbat Kaifa, the City of David, the Promenade of the Walls, the Temple Institute, the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem and the Antiquities Authority warehouses in Beit shemesh.201800:51:12An epic series about archaeologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-holy-land-the-dawn-of-faith/1539EnglishEnglishRon KachliliRon KachliliDocumentary filmsHistoryFrom 3300 to 1200 BCEAbout 6000 years ago, civilization began to take shape. In the area of ​​the fertile crescent, the first kingdoms were established, the cuneiform script was opened, the principles of law were created. At the same time, in Egypt, the pharaohs formed their first empire. Man founded the period known today as the Early Bronze Age.About 3000 years ago, Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation according to the Bible, began his physical journey from the light of the Chaldeans, on the banks of the Euphrates River, to the land of Canaan, and at the same time he also began his metaphysical journey - from tangible pagan worship to belief in one abstract God.These two axes of progress - the historical and the biblical - do not necessarily overlap, but both are reserved a senior place in this episode, which begins with the legendary reign of Gilgamesh, King of Arch (Somer), during which the work of powerful rulers such as the King of Babylon and the pharaonic Ramses is also detailed.The enigma of Abraham and his descendants, the sons of Isaac and Jacob, gains new validity with the disclosure of the findings about the invasion of the Hyksos warriors into the Nile Valley and the fact of the presence of the tribe of Hebiru (Hebrews) among them. These nomadic tribes were expelled from Egypt about 2500 years ago, and this act is actually the factual basis of the Haggadah about the exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt under the leadership of Moses.The episode progresses through time in an intelligent mix between myths and facts, between legends and archaeological discoveries; From the al-Amarna documents, which focus on the presence of Egyptian rule in Canaan, through stone inscriptions, which were inscribed in the ancient Hebrew script, to the stories that have been linked around the status of Mount Sinai. All of these help in clarifying the spiritual process that underpinned the development of the monotheistic faith.In order to create the necessary balance between the mythical aspect and the scientific aspect of the episode, the camera goes to the remains of sites in Haran, Turkey, from where Abraham began his journey to Canaan according to the Bible, as well as to excavation sites such as Tel Hazor, Tel Megiddo and Tel Arad, which were the first state cities in Canaan, and from there To the Gihon Spring in Jerusalem, the Israel Museum, the Antiquities Authority warehouse in Beit Shemesh, Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and more.201800:51:12An epic series about archaeologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/holy-land-dawn-of-man-ep-1/1534EnglishEnglishRon KachliliRon KachliliDocumentary filmsHistoryThe land bridge between the African continent and the continents of Asia and Europe - aka the land of Canaan - served as a necessary transit station in the process of the spread of the human race from its ancient origins in Africa to other parts of the world.For hundreds of thousands of years, representatives of all the stages of prehistoric human development walked in Canaan, today the Land of Israel: the ancient upright man (Homo Erectus), the Neanderthal man and the contemporary intelligent man (Homo Sapiens), which some Israeli researchers claim, according to the research - National, because he was born here, unlike his brothers who were born, as mentioned, in Africa. Each and every stage of human evolution, left its own unique remains and signs: skulls, bones, work and hunting tools, remains of food and burial customs. All of these can be seen today at well-known sites Such as Mount Carmel, Jordan Valley, Rosh Ha-Ein, Bnot Ya'akov Bridge, Tel Jericho and more.Archaeologists, anthropologists, researchers from the natural sciences and the leading intellectuals in Israel, have joined together in this episode to describe the beginning of the human adventure in the Land of Israel, a region of land that in those distant ages was a forested area, full of huge prey animals and its surroundings full of flowing water.The taming of nature, the discovery of fire, the domestication of agricultural crops and animals, the transition from the life of hunters to small hunters who wandered in groups without hierarchy to permanent settlements - as well as the buds of the artistic or ritual creation - are presented in this episode in spectacular photographs spanning the entire length and breadth of the Land of Israel (Gesher Bnot Ya'akov, Ovadia, The Magic Cave in Rosh Ha'Ein, the state treasure warehouses in Beit Shemesh, Barkat Ram in the Golan Heights, the Israel Museum, the Museum of Ancient Man in Maayan Baruch and more). The video-shoots also arrive Africa, the place of origin of Lucy, who is considered the first upright woman in history.201800:51:12An epic series about archaeologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-holy-land-the-last-kingdom-7/1566EnglishEnglishUri Shin ShidorskiDocumentary filmsHistoryFrom the 332 BCE to 4 ADThe seventh episode in the series on the history of the Land of Israel describes the turbulent period that the residents of the Land had experienced through since it was conquered by Alexander the Great, who brought with him a new cultural line, through the establishment of the Hasmonean state until its fall.Host Merv Batito meets with the researcher Dr. Doron Ben Ami, who is responsible for the discovery of an amazing finding that was uncovered in these very months and explains the Hellenistic control over the area of ​​the Temple: the "Hakhara" fortress, which until the time of Shimon the Tarsi, none of the Hasmonean leaders was able to conquer.Participants: Dr. Guy Stibel - Department of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University, Prof. Roni Reich - Archaeologist, Haifa University, Prof. Daniel Schwartz - History of the People of Israel, Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Hanania Hizami - Archeology Committee, IOS Civil Administration, Prof. Oren Tal - Department of Archeology and Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations, Tel Aviv University, Dr. Yoaz Handel - historian and publicist, Prof. Boaz Zissou - Land of Israel and Archeology Studies, Bar Ilan University, Dr. Hagi Sefer - Historian, Prof. Boaz Zissou - Studies of the Land of Israel and Archeology, Bar Ilan University, Dr. Yeftah Shalu - Archaeologist, Israel Antiquities Authority, Dr. Doron Ben Ami - Director of Givati ​​Parking Excavations, Israel Antiquities Authority, Professor Uriel Rappaport - Historian, Dr. Adolfo Roitman - Director of the Book Hall and Curator of the Yehuda Scrolls, Panina Shor - Curator of the Judean Desert Scrolls, Israel Antiquities Authority, David Mbaruch - Senior Curator of the Hellenistic Period, Israel Museum.201800:51:12An epic series about archaeologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-holy-land-the-return/1543EnglishEnglishAvi HemiDocumentary filmsHistoryFrom the 586 to 332 BCEIn 538, Cyrus sent representatives from Babylon to Judea to renew Jewish religious worship - and created a turning point in Jewish history.Marev Batito, the host of the film, explores the period when existential questions of the Jewish people were asked, which accompany us to this day: Who is a Jew? What is our degree of openness to foreign culture? This is a time when the inhabitants of Judah distanced themselves from religion, disdained the holy service. The wealthy of Jerusalem used to marry their children in mixed marriages, in order to strengthen their economic ties, and the spiritual deterioration reached a new low. The episode traces the character of Ezra, the spiritual leader who brought with him money from the community of exiles. He succeeds in gathering around him supporters who will bring about the most profound change in Jewish society and defines a set of laws according to which Judaism is practiced to this day.Compared to Ezra, Nehemiah, who came after a few years to lead on behalf of the Persian ruler, had very wide authority. He returned the spiritual center to Jerusalem, overthrew the status of the rich and the old religious priests and sought to maintain a Halacha state. He alienates from the Jewish community those who do not come from the holy seed and creates frustration among the old inhabitants of the land. The conflicts that arose as a result of his enterprise, alongside his achievements that stand to this day and are carried out in practice among the believers, will seal this episode. With writer Yochi Brandes, Merav Batito raises questions about the morality of the laws that excluded the Samaritans from the Jewish people, alienated foreign women from the Jewish community and broke up families. Do we really have to understand the text literally?201200:24:13A talented musician and ex-combat soldier fights for his family and his sanity https://jflix.net/movie/the-house-on-the-water/89EnglishEnglishOmer RegevCouplesMaale FilmsWarPsychologyA talented musician and ex-combat soldier fights for his family and his sanity when the effects of his post-traumatic stress disorder threaten to destroy his life.A film by Omer Regev   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201300:14:33A past terror event haunts a bride at her weddinghttps://jflix.net/movie/the-invitation-en/104EnglishEnglishRuth Grosberger HaratsCouplesMaale FilmsPsychologyImmaterialFictionNoa survived a terror attack in which her boyfriend Udi was killed. Five years later, on her wedding day, Noa discovers Udi among the guests...A film by Ruth Grosberger HaratsAwards: Best Drama, Ma'aleh Graduate Ceremony 2013   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School 201701:02:29Of compassion and friendship, in one of the complex places in the worldhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-island-documentary-adam-weingrod/1703EnglishEnglishSenior CitizensMedicineAn Intimate look at the complex human mosaic of the French Hospital St. Louis in Jerusalem.The hospital, managed and run by nuns, is an island of compassion and grace, symbolically located exactly in the border between East and West Jerusalem opposite the old city walls. The old mosaic on its walls embodies the diverse lives that pass through this building.The film provides an intimate rare look at the patients and the personnel in the hospital.The Island was screened in film festivals around the world and won many prizes. 200501:10:20Originally Vietnamese Vaan grew up as an Israeli girl. Will she be able to find her identity?https://jflix.net/movie/the-journey-of-van-nguyen-en/986EnglishEnglishDuki DrorDocumentaryImmigrationIdentityHoiami Nguyen never imagined that he would end up so far from his home village of Bong Son in central Vietnam. Political circumstances and the roulette of life have washed him to the shores of Israel. The penniless Vietnamese refugee became a father of 5 Hebrew speaking Israeli daughters. His daughter - Vaan, describes her parents' ordeal using a razor sharp language in her blog. She feels trapped in circles of identity that will never meet. Caught between her wild and stormy Israeli spirit and the expectations to be modest and obedient Vietnamese at home, there is unbridgeable abyss. When her father returns to his family in Vietnam, Vaan finds herself absorbed into his tragic story - a cruel tale of loss and survival. Hoimai's dream of return sends Vaan to look for a brighter future in the new-old country. She joins him in trying to reclaim the lands of the family, in the remote village at the heart of the Vietnamese jungle.A film by Duki DrorWon the Remi Award in Houston World FestScreened in various festivals, including National Geographic Al Roads, IDFA and others201500:55:52When money threatens to affect ideologyhttps://jflix.net/movie/kosher-kibbutz-en/1514EnglishEnglishDocumentary filmsIsraeli SocietyReligionKibbutz Beit-Alfa, Israel's first Hashomer Hatzair, the socialist-Zionist secular movement, kibbutz, is dealing with a conflict that is shaking its value system to its very core. Economic hardship is forcing the kibbutz residents to reach a difficult decision: Should the dining room become Kosher? Yet this struggle is but small in comparison to the collapse of the Kibbutz's socialist ideals and the demise of socialism elsewhere.An entertaining and fascinating documentary that moves alternately from sweet to bitter and from bitter to sweet.A film by Hagit LironPRESSFrom Cowshed to SynagogueHa'aretz, by Noa ShpigelNo More Bacon for YouHa'aretz, by Judy Maltz200501:30:39The story of a hard detoxication department in a prison. And a last chance for the prisonershttps://jflix.net/movie/the-last-chance-prisoners-en/858EnglishEnglishMooly LandesmanDocumentary filmsPsychologyThis is the story of the human spirit's journey from its very lowest point to the height of self and social awareness. The journey takes place in a hard drug detoxification department - at the Tsalmon Prison. The department includes Jews and Arabs who share a common fate; their relationships are totally detached from everything happening outside the prison walls. Dr. Talina Wincor is manger of the department. A woman within a world of men, she paves her way into the souls of her prisoners with a gentle touch and a firm hand. Slowly but surely, the clichés and slogans fade away, exposing the core of the prisoners' souls and their choice emerges: to work toward a new life, or return to the cycle of crime and drugs. In the framework of the treatment, two brothers meet. The younger is about to be released from the prison; the older one, who introduced his younger brother to heroin at the age of 14, remains in the department to deal with his past and his actions.A film by Mooly and Tslil LandesmanWinner of Haifa International Film Festival200200:33:09A journey into the Judaean Desert, to find the last known leopardhttps://jflix.net/movie/last-leopard-en/1238EnglishHebrew (modern)Documentary filmsZoologyDirector Isri Halpern sets out to search for the last known leopard in the Judaean Desert above the Dead Sea.For 18 months, Halpern searches for the leopard with his friend the zoologist Haim Berger, in an elusive and humorist journey, full of surprises.A fi9lm fill of love to nature, mystery and to the less known part of the Israeli society. Not really a nature movie, but rather a film about human natureAsaf Gefen - Maariv200501:03:51He was Hitler's Bodyguardhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-last-witness/7EnglishEnglishYael Katz Ben ShalomDocumentary filmsHistoryThe man who lived in Hitler's court, working as his telephone operator and bodyguard, tells about the final years of Hitler's life and about his last hours.A film by Yael Katz Ben Shalom201500:28:18A dull history professor feels unappreciated until one weekend...https://jflix.net/movie/the-little-dictator/87EnglishEnglishNurith CohnCouplesMaale FilmsFamilyHolocaustFictionYossi Kleinmann, a dull history professor and expert on the political leaders of totalitarian regimes, feels unappreciated both by his students and his domineering wife. One weekend, at the 90th birthday party of his wife’s grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, Yossi finds himself in a surreal situation that forces him to face up to himself and his family.A film by Nurith CohnAwards: 1st prize at the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival for Best Narrative Short, 2016 Best Actor in a Short Dramedy Award for Emanuel Cohn at the Best Actors Film Festival, 2016 Spirit of Faith Grand Prize at the Religion Today Film Festival, Trento, Italy, 2016 1st prize at the Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival for Best Israeli Short, 2015 Mayor of Jerusalem Award for Best Live Action Short Film, 2015 Eliyahu Roichman Award for Best Zionist Film, 2015   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201000:54:10Documenting the Jewish settlements in Judea and Samariahttps://jflix.net/movie/the-messiah-will-always-come-en/297EnglishEnglishLea Klibanoff-RonWomen And GenderDocumentaryHuman RightsWar And Conflict“The Messiah will always come” – says Hagit, quoting her late grandfather, the famous Prof. Yeshayahu Leibovitz, as she looks out upon the growing number of caravans in the settlements, the paving of illegal roads, and the confiscation of land owned by local Palestinians. She explains that the Messiah is something to which we must aspire, that even if there will never be complete justice, we must always strive for it. Hagit Ofran has been in charge of tracking settlements for "Peace Now" (the Israeli Peace movement) for the past three years. As part of her responsibilities, she drives around Judea and Samaria in her jeep, all alone, monitoring settlement development. She closely records the development and expansion of the settlements and outposts, photographing each and every detail. Hagit is convinced that the settlements perpetuate the occupation and the injustice she sees, injustice caused by the Religious-Zionist camp, which she herself hails from. Hagit’s unending journey around the settlements brings her face-to-face, time and again, with the settlers and their religious-ideological acts. The mission raises the reasons that led to her decision to stop being religiously observant, and exposes the pain she feels regarding the contemporary religious community. But this journey also brings her into contact with her deep connection to Judaism and to her love for the land of Israel, the land she crosses in her travels.Read a review of the film in our blogA film by Lea Klibanoff-RonLea Klibanoff was born in Jerusalem, where she currently resides. She grew up in Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox) society, and studied at the “Beit Ya’akov” seminary for girls. Lea graduated with honors in Law and Jewish Philosophy from Hebrew University and graduated in the "Ma’ale" film school. She was an activities coordinator in “Netivot Shalom”, a left-wing religious movement.Lea was a co-writer of the “At the Entrance of Eyes,” a play performed by the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in Jerusalem in 2008. In 2013 she won the Posen Foundation Fellowship for debut novel. She also won the first prize of the Jewish Women Writing Competition. Today, she is a member of the editorial board of "Ha'Musach, the literature virtual period that operates within the framework of the National Library's Blog.“The Messiah Will Always Come” is her debut film. 201801:12:25Revealing the central role the Israel Museum in the complicated narrative of the nationhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-museum-en/1186EnglishEnglishRan TalIsraeli SocietyLife and EnvironmentAnthropologySitting high on the brow of a Jerusalem hill directly opposite the Knesset, the sprawling institution—now more than half a century old—contains nearly half a million objects, from the Dead Sea Scrolls to Crusader armor to masterpieces by Rembrandt and Marc Chagall. A less ambitious film would provide a hit parade of the museum’s contents. Instead, The Museum is wisely constructed as a set of loose encounters with its human inhabitants.We eavesdrop on the curators, museum guards, archaeological conservators, visiting schoolchildren, and even the resident rabbi, who together form a kaleidoscopic picture of the way art, history and national destiny intersect in the galleries. Director Ran Tal (Children of the Sun), while showcasing the deep artistic and educational values that underlie the museum’s work, also gently exposes its ideological fault lines: we watch an Army docent use the museum’s archaeology to indoctrinate her trainees, while Arab and Jewish curators wrestle with the moral implications of displaying Palestinian artifacts. Through it all, the Israel Museum emerges as a shining example of a nation’s highest aspirations for itself. A film by Ran TalReviewsArtfully curatedThe Jerusalem PostAn Aesthetic Experience, A Touching Human StoryShmulik Duvdevani, YNETRead more reviews hereAwardsDavid A. Stein Awards   - Toronto Jewish Film Festival200400:24:45A romantic comedy about dating the Jewish wayhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-orthodox-way/124EnglishEnglishIlan EshkoliJewishRelationshipMaale FilmsEli, who is single, goes out on a blind date to please his aunt. But everything that could possibly go wrong, does, and Eli and his date spend a bizarre evening driving around the streets of Jerusalem. A romantic comedy about dating the orthodox way.A film by Ilan EshkoliAwardsJudges Prize, Ma'aleh Graduation Ceremony 2003Special Prize, Jewish Film Festival, Gerona Spain 2004First Prize, Haifa Film Festival 2004First Prize, Students category, Israeli Film Festival, NY LA 2004   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201200:08:56The door of the Holy Ark leads to an enchanted worldhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-rabbi-the-pupil-and-the-holy-ark/97EnglishEnglishReuvi KomerJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsReligionImmaterialA yeshiva student discovers that the door of the Holy Ark leads to an enchanted world. Will he find there what he is looking for?Director: Reuvi Komer   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201100:40:10It's not easy to be a leader's son or daughterhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-rabbis-daughter-en/133EnglishEnglishRachel VassermanJewish way of lifeWomenMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsFamilyReligionThe story of three daughters of rabbi's directed by the daughter of a rabbi. The four women have chosen a different path to that of their parents, and now they face an inner dilemma, communal censure and the sacrifices that have to be made.A film by Rachel VassermanAwardsFirst Prize for short Documentary, Haifa Film Festival October 2012Student's Prize, Israeli Documentary Filmmakers Forum, 2012Aliza Shagrir Prize, 2011Special Pitching Award, "Kolnoa Darom" Sderot Israel 2011The Israeli Documentary Filmmakers Forum Prize 2012   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200400:21:57A ranch in Judaea is about to be evacuated. Will they resist?https://jflix.net/movie/the-ranch-en/127EnglishEnglishOhad DombAyelet Giladi Bitan, Ohad DombMaale FilmsWarFamilyDavid is the owner of a ranch in a remote settlement that will soon be evacuated by the army. He has already experienced eviction from the Sinai in 1982, and this time he has decided to give in quietly. This causes a serious confrontation with his idealistic 17-year-old son, Oriah, who is prepared to fight the eviction body and soul.A film by Ohad DombAwardsFirst Prize, Festival of South California 2006First Prize for "Beginnings" festival, International Student Competition, St. Petersburg 2006   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201501:00:29A portrait of a man who left a huge mark on Zionism and Israelhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-raven-zeev-jabotinsky/708EnglishEnglishAyelet OfarimYair Qedar, Michal Weits, Gili NadavDocumentary filmsBiographyArts and populre CultureZe’ev Vladimir Jabotinsky? Most people don’t know much about him. Most people know he was the father of Herut movement, a revisionist. And who really knows what revisionism really means. A few people know that he translated Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee; even fewer read his historical novel, Samson.The Raven tries to fathom Jabotinsky’s deceptive character. The film follows his conflicted, controversial character, the meaningful choices, desires and abilities that eventually led him to end his life prematurely but left a huge mark on Zionism and Israel.A film by Ayelet Ofarim | Producer: Yair Qedar | Ha-Ivrim (The Hebrews) SeriesRead a review of the movie in our blog 201800:51:18Searching for the unknown Holocaust in former Soviet Unionhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-road-to-babi-yar-en/1036EnglishEnglishBoris MaftsirZvi Shefy & Boris MaftsirDocumentaryHistoryHolocaustA documentary project by Boris MaftsirWith the invasion of Germany into the territory of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, a new stage in the history of the Shoah began, characterized by the massacres of Jews, exemplified in the Ukraine.“The road to Babi Yar” shows the events of the first 100 days of the occupation of Ukraine, during which the Nazis, with the participation of local residents, began killing Jews directly in their places of residence, as well as the evolution of the mass murder system in hundreds of killing sites, symbolized by Babi Yar.Conversations with historians, local residents – to those events and Jewish survivors of the Shoah, presented in the film, allow us to recreate a comprehensive and painful picture of the fate of the Jews of Ukraine during the Shoah.The project includes eight films. Click here to explore the full collection.http://www.holocaustinussr.com/** if you have an active subscription to the platform, you can skip the following message** The film is available for free, for personal viewing, which includes a watermark. To watch it, simply click on the Play button above.If you'd like to watch the film in higher quality and without a watermark, please click on Rent and choose the rental period.For institutional use and public screening, please click on Download and choose the appropriate license.201301:05:59Is there a secret ingredient in Indian food? Israeli restaurant owners go on a quest which becomes a spiritual journeyhttps://jflix.net/movie/secret-ingredient-en/1075EnglishEnglishDror SchostakDocumentaryAnthropologyTwo restaurant owners in Tel Aviv, which specialize in Indian food, decide to find out the secret ingredient which makes the Indian food so special. They take a pause and go to India with a stills photographer and a documentary filmmaker. Their quest in search of the secret ingredients brings them to fascinating encounters with spiritual teachers, philosophers and thought leaders. The result is a fun and thought provoking movie at the same time.A film by Dror Schostak201200:23:47A portrait of Yona Wallach, a legendary poet, whose radical life and poetry ended in an early agehttps://jflix.net/movie/the-seven-tapes/716EnglishEnglishYair QedarDocumentary filmsHistoryBiographyArts and populre CultureA cinematic journey into the world of Yona Wallach, a legendary poet, whose radical life and poetry ended in an early age, leaving behind a myth and a trail of admirers. More than 25 years after her death, seven recorded tapes from her last interview are discovered. In these tapes, Wallach confesses on her life journey: her attraction to madness, her experiments with drugs, her relationship with god and about the dangers of writing. The film weaves her testimony with interviews, with rare archival footage, with her poems and with animation that revives Wallach's thoughts, images and visions. THE SEVEN TAPES is a troubling encounter with an exceptional artist, whose riddle remains unsolved to this day. A film by Yair Qedar | Producer: Yair Qedar | Ha-Ivrim (The Hebrews) SeriesRead a review of the film in our blog 201401:13:02A documentary that explores and reflects on the genesis of anti-Jewish prejudice in current Spain.https://jflix.net/movie/the-stigma/218EnglishEnglishMartí SansMartí Sans & Pablo SanchezJewishHuman RightsHistoryReligionAnthropologyEthnicitiesThe Stigma? is born out of the personal need of his author, Martí Sans, the need to explain himself why during 50 years he had ignored almost everything about a tradition that is part of our cultural and genetic legacy. The immersion in the little Jewish community in Barcelona forced him to reconsider his own prejudice.Judaism is one of the basic pillars of our culture. A historical enigma that has always irritated the West, which knowing itself to be dependent on it, tries to dissociate itself from it. A contradiction experienced with anguish throughout history and many times dealt with in a tragic way.Through interviews with fifteen experts, the documentary unreels the history and mutations of Judeophobia, from the Christian accusation of "deicide" until the emergence of the modern state of Israel. The ignorance and rejection of Judaism are still present in many sectors of our society. The Stigma? proposes to challenge key ideas inherited from centuries of misunderstanding and intolerance that deserve to be rethought.A film by Martí SansFestivals and screenings:First Prize, Punta del Este Jewish Film Festival, UruguayJewish Motifs International Film FestivalNew York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival Curso Interdisciplinar de Humanidades, AlcanizArtisticMetropol, MadridFilm Archive Theater, nominee for the Gaudí AwardsInternational Film Festival of No Violence and Environment (NOVMA FILM FESTIVAL), ColombiaCinema Truffaut, GironaBarcelona Jewish Film FestivalThe film was broadcast inTelevisió de Catalunya201300:49:30Unexpected bonds of understanding and friendshiphttps://jflix.net/movie/the-strength-to-tell-en/103EnglishEnglishHebrew (modern)Noam DemskyMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsHuman RightsSenior CitizensChildren and AdolescentsHolocaustThe film follows the experiences of a group of "at risk" Jerusalem teenagers, who as part of the Martef drama therapy program are asked to interview the last surviving witnesses of the 1961 Eichmann trial, and create a play based on their stories.The young actors and the aging Survivors at first have little in common and show no desire to communicate, but slowly there develops between them a bond of empathy and understanding. A moving film not easily was forgotten.A film by Noam Demsky Awards: Zionist Film of 2013 by Israel's Minister of Culture   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School 199900:54:02Volunteers in Israeli Kibutz are a long time phenomenon. The film follows those who fell in love and chose to stay https://jflix.net/movie/volunteers-in-kibbutz-en/867EnglishHebrew (modern)Mooly LandesmanDocumentaryIsraeli SocietyHistoryVolunteers in Israeli Kibutz are a long time phenomenon. The film follows those who fell in love and chose to stay. Some became Jewish, other got married with Israelis. What made them open up a totally different life in a foreign country?A film by Mooly and Tslil Landesman199400:24:43A couple in their last preparations for their weddinghttps://jflix.net/movie/the-wedding-midrash/174EnglishEnglishRachel RosenbergRelationshipMaale FilmsDocumentaryA couple, in their last preparations for their wedding. He's a famous musician in the Jewish ultra-orthodox world, she's a Jewish orthodox girl. They encounter unexpected difficulties before the event. A film by Rachel Rosenberg   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201800:47:26Leah is ready to get married, but her widowed mother finds it hard to let her gohttps://jflix.net/movie/mezinka-the-youngest-en/1271EnglishHebrew (modern)Jewish way of lifeWomenDocumentary filmsFictionLeah, the youngest child in the family, is ready to get married. But her widowed mother finds it hard to let her go. The film takes place in Hanukkah and with the light of the candles, things begin to change. A film by Rachel Elitzur Rachel grew up in an ultra orthodox house and is a graduate of Ma'ale film school in Jerusalem.Today she manages the ultra orthodox Jewish film studies in Ma'ale film school201100:51:02The deep complicated relationship between the Famous Iconic Israeli Rock-star, Ariel Zilber, who now became Ultra-Orthodox, and his son Roeyhttps://jflix.net/movie/the-zilber-and-me/197EnglishEnglishRoei ZilberDavid Noy & Yoram IvryDocumentary filmsFamilyMusicRoei Zilber has always felt he was under the "family spell". Emotionally detached and musically obsessive, he felt awkward being the estranged son of a rock-star. But Ariel Zilber was not just your typical drugs-sex-rock'n'roller. Coming from an iconic musical family, he revolutionized Israeli music with his offbeat melodies and eccentric behavior. And while his music career took off, his personal and family life plunged into turmoil. As things began to change, Ariel began to search for meaning in his life. Though the rift between them was always vast, it got more complicated when Ariel decided to become Ultra-Orthodox, supporting the messiah movement and right wing politics. Determined to break the family spell, Roy begins to confront his father and film their relationship, while researching his family's pathology. Their efforts lead to the only common ground they share: Music.A film by Roei Zilber200800:55:28The amazing story of the Israeli paralympic swimming teamhttps://jflix.net/movie/three-hundredths-of-a-second/262EnglishEnglishPascale BerkovichYoram Schaffer & Roni BerkovitchBiographySportsSpecial NeedsPascale, the director of the film, a disabled athlete and a former member of the prestigious swimming team herself, thought it would be great (and easy) to make a film about her teammates, her friends. But as pressure towards the olympic mounts, a crisis follows and raises questions about the role of the camera: is it just observational or is it affecting the protagonists' behaviour, while disrespecting their right for privacy and peace of mind? - Along with the ethical questions, the drama is at its peak with three gold medals and three world records, set by the team's favourite swimmer.A film by Pascale BerkovitchFestivals:Haifa International Film FestivalHong Kong Israeli Film Festival 200700:19:01A story of the ideological meaning of Homehttps://jflix.net/movie/thy-face/95EnglishEnglishOrit RosenbergJewish way of lifeMaale FilmsWarFamilyIt's the summer of 2005 and in their little house in Homesh Yael and Nitay sing, cry, and shout. Shortly, soldiers will come and evict them from their home as part of the Disengagement Plan.Two years later, the family lives in the Mussrara neighborhood of Jerusalem, alongside ultra-orthodox Jews. Yael and Nitay's neighbors think that the panoramic photo of Homesh on the wall is just an interesting piece of art, and have no idea of its significance…A story of the ideological meaning of "home".A film by Orit Rosenberg   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200500:57:39How Jerusalem turned from a present to the British crown to a bloody nightmare. Documenting 30 years of British rulinghttps://jflix.net/movie/till-we-have-built-jerusalem-en/961EnglishEnglishEli CohenDocumentaryWar And ConflictHistoryLlyod George, Prime Minister of England, said in 1917 that Jerusalem was "a Christmas present for the British nation". Had he known how much this gift would cost the empire, he might have wished for something else..The British dream of the holy, beloved city of Jerusalem underwent so many upheavals and eventually became a nightmare. It was during the British Mandate period that Jerusalem became the capital of the country, a modern city hose populate trebled. Its status as a holy city for three religions made it a focus of religious and national struggle with bloodshed on all sides. But the violence did stop the city's growth and development in all other areas.The film document the 30 years of British rule in Jerusalem, through historians who present the Jewish, Palestinians and British points of view, as well as film clips as well as excerpts from newsreels from the time that illustrate the history of the conflict, which remain unresolved to this day.A film by Eli CohenWith: Sir Martin Gilbert, Dr. Bernard Wasserstein, Lord Michael Allenby, Prof. Gideon Biger, Dr. Mustafa Kabaha, Prof. Musa Budeiri, David Kroyanker, Dr. Meron Benvenisti.201400:50:00The life of legendary actress Rozina Camboshttps://jflix.net/movie/rozina-cambos-documentary/1677EnglishEnglishHebrew (modern)Ella Zaharano GrunholzBruno LandesbergWomenDocumentary filmsBiographyArts and Popular CultureRozina Cambos, adored actress and a happy. optimistic personality, was slowly dying of cancer. This is when when director Ella Zaharano decides to make a film about Rozina.Ella knew Rozina since she (Ella) was a small kid and was always fascinated by Rozina, who became a legend in her lifetime.By documenting the struggle against the disease and gathering and combining archival footage, Ella succeeds in creating an emotional, delicate film, which gives tribute to Rozina and her rich career on stage.Rozina Cambos was born in Romania. She was a known actress when the Nicolae Ceaușescu regime arrested and tortured her. she then moved to Israel (made "Aliya") and quickly and naturally assimilated in the local theatrical scene in Israel.her incessant optimist and her love of the red color are the basis of the film and its title.Rozina Cambos on Wikipedia"A fascinating film"Jacob Brow, Ma'ariv 200701:15:04A meeting of mothers of a teen Palestinian suicide bomber who killed an Israeli Jewish girl her agehttps://jflix.net/movie/to-die-in-jerusalem/205EnglishEnglishHilla MedaliaEd Priddy, John PriddyWomenHuman RightsWarAn Israeli teenager was killed by a suicide bomber with whom she seemed to have shared more similarities than differences. In late March of 2002, Jerusalem teen Rachel Levy was killed in a suicide bombing carried out by Palestinian teen Ayat al-Akhras. Though their disparate religious backgrounds would suggest that Levy and al-Akhras had little in common, both girls were 17 years old, bore an uncanny physical resemblance to one another, and spent the majority of their woefully brief lives less than four miles apart. Ever since Levy's death, her grieving mother has failed to find peace. Now, just a few short years after her daughter was taken in that fateful blast, Levy's mother will come face to face with al-Akhras' mother for the very first time. The result is a film that highlights the vast differences beneath the surface of both girls' lives while putting a decidedly human face on each side of this age-old conflict. By exploring the incredible personal loss experienced by two families who have been touched by the tragedy of this ongoing violence firsthand, filmmaker Medalia ponders the concept of martyrdom and the cycle of violence that threatens to consume an entire region.A film by Hilla Medalia200701:00:01Six Israeli women give a personal account of their life in the Israeli Armyhttps://jflix.net/movie/to-see-if-i-m-smiling/254EnglishEnglishTamar YaromWomen And GenderWar And ConflictPsychologySix Israeli women give a personal account of their life in the Israeli Army, in the Occupied Territories. A female point of view on the drama of an unending war, on the moral challenges the soldiers faced at the encounter with the Palestinian population. The women look back critically at the way they handled the power that was placed in their hands at the young age of eighteen. Questions that were not dealt with during the service are raised today with great pain.A film by Tamar YaromJury Statement, Hot Docs- Hot Docs, Toronto, Canada 2008: The Special Jury Prize is given to a film that makes all of us face the question: could this be me? Would I behave this way? The director and protagonists share memories of a different and painful existence in a way that touches and challenges us and is relevant everywhere in the world.Jury Statement, IDFA –International DocumentaryFilm Festival, The Netherlands, 2007: A brave and powerful testimony to the corrosive effect of power.AwardsJacek Kuron Award for Best Short Documentary – Watch Docs Int'l Film Festival, Poland, 2008Best Documentary Award – Montpellier Mediterranean Film Festival, France, 2008The Silver Wolf Award – IDFA International Documentary Film Festival, The Netherlands, 2007The Audience Award - IDFA International Documentary Festival, The Netherlands, 2007Best Documentary Award – Haifa International Film Festival, Israel, 2007Special Jury Award - Sarasota Film Festival, Florida, USA, 2008Special Jury Award - Hot Docs International Documentary Festival, Toronto, Canada, 2008First Prize "The Magic Hour" Award - Planete Doc Review, Poland 2008Best Feature Documentary - Dokufest, Kosovo, 2008Best Documentary – The Annual Israeli Documentary Forum Awards, 2008FestivalsAmsterdam International Documentary Film Festival - Silver Wolf and Audience Award, 2007Zagreb Jewish Film Festival, Croatia, 2011Culturescapes Showcase, Switzerland, 2011Transylvania Int'l Film Festival, 2010Perspektive – Int'l Human Rights Film Festival, Nuernberg, Germany, 2009South Caucasus Documentary Film Festival of Peace and Human Rights, 2009Haifa Int’l Film Festival, Israel, 2007 - Best Documentary200800:50:38In the middle of her rising career, Eylon has to cope with breast cancerhttps://jflix.net/movie/transparent-time-en/319EnglishEnglishGali MeiriWomen And GenderBiographyArts and CultureAfter creating the very successful dance and music band Mayumana and In the middle of her rising career, Eylon has to cope with breast cancer.A film by Gali MeiriImage credit: Rosario Cuervo201300:23:47Ageing Holocaust survivors are demanding justicehttps://jflix.net/movie/twice-orphaned-en/1368EnglishEnglishTalila FrankTalila FrankDocumentary filmsHolocaustAvraham, Ziggy, Schreiber and Robinson form the uncrowned governing council of the “Teheran Children.” The four represent 217 Holocaust orphans who are now bringing legal action against the State of Israel for monies received from Germany for their rehabilitation.In their old age, they have set out to battle the State of Israel, the state of which they dreamed and established through their own hard work.The confrontation with the State, their “official guardian,” once again floods them with the pain of orphanhood. The dozen stormy years of struggle have transformed them into a group with love, a shared fate, and consolation.A film by Talila FrankOfficial Selection - The Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival200900:54:49The hidden story of the Yemenite community in Israelhttps://jflix.net/movie/two-legacies/338EnglishEnglishEinat KapachJewish way of lifeDocumentary filmsHistoryBiographyEinat Kapach, the director, is the granddaughter of an illustrious Yemeni rabbi who died today. With the help of her grandmother Bracha, she revived her memory and inquired about the quarrel between the "Ekeshim" and the "Dardaim" which at that time divided the Yemeni community in Yemen and then in Israel.A film by Einat Kapach201700:51:18Searching for the unknown Holocaust in the former Soviet Unionhttps://jflix.net/movie/until-the-last-step-en/1045EnglishEnglishBoris MaftsirZvi Shefy & Boris MaftsirDocumentaryHistoryHolocaustA documentary project by Boris MaftsirTowards the end of winter 1941-42 almost all of the campaigns of the murder of the Jews in Eastern Belarus were already complete. In many places in western Belarus, there were still ghettos.This film describes some of the events of the Holocaust in Belarus between summer 1942 and until the destruction of the ghettos in the fall of 1943.The town of Lachva in Belarus is actually more of a village than a city. In its center is the only food store and a memorial to the Red Army soldiers. In a shady spot is a memorial stone for the murdered of the ghetto – with an uncharacteristic dedication-  Honor and Glory. This memorial was erected to memorialize the uprising in the Lachva ghetto, which was one of the first such uprisings against the German invader. The rebels had not chance. They knew their fate was doomed, but they chose how to die. The uprisings in Lachva and in other ghettos in shtetls surprised the oppressors. For the first time they came upon Jews who were willing to resist. Until the Last Step presents stories of heroism and death in the ghettos of Nesvitch, Lachva, Gluboki and the brave story of escape through a tunnel in the Novogrudek ghetto. The film also exposes the Nazi’s attempt to obscure the massacre of Jews that was taking place. The project includes eight films. Click here to explore the full collection. http://www.holocaustinussr.com/** if you have an active subscription to the platform, you can skip the following message** The film is available for free, for personal viewing, which includes a watermark. To watch it, simply click on the Play button above.If you'd like to watch the film in higher quality and without a watermark, please click on Rent and choose the rental period.For institutional use and public screening, please click on Download and choose the appropriate license.200200:33:09Malki is about to leave the house and country she lived in most of her lifehttps://jflix.net/movie/vienna-end-en/941EnglishEnglishIdit Gan ZviIdit Gan ZviMaale FilmsDocumentaryFamilySenior CitizensMalki has been living in Vienna for most of her life. But now he is about to leave Vienna for Israel, where her children and grandchildren live.  The film focuses on her last week in Vienna:  packing, saying goodbye, dealing with the loss of her husband and examining the relationship with her son.A film by Idit Gan Zvi  Produced by Maale film . school201101:13:16A story about remarkably gifted kidshttps://jflix.net/movie/violinists/76EnglishEnglishAlex GentelevDocumentary filmsChildren and AdolescentsMusicA small story of a small place, where people hide amidst the crowd, their names unfamiliar to the press, a present reality derived from the past. Yet deep inside, it is a big story which rises from social distress. This is a Sisyphean, uncompromising journey of 10-year-old children from Tiberias who are remarkable at playing the violin. The creators of the film were allowed a rare chance to probe with the camera at the greatest question a documentary filmmaker can ask himself while portraying a true-life situation: Can this reality be changed? And if so, how?A film by Alex GentelevAwards:First Award  Best Anthropology "Gold Panda" Sichuan TV International Film Festival First award for production by Gesher Film Fund201800:59:28L’histoire biblique du royaume de David est-elle vraie ?https://jflix.net/movie/long-live-king-david-fr/1356EnglishFrenchDocumentary filmsHistoryReligionPoliticsL’histoire biblique du royaume de David est-elle vraie ? Cette question divise le monde académique. Typique de la Terre Sainte, elle implique désormais le monde politique, religieux et éveille beaucoup de passions. Le film essaye de trouver la réponse en dévoilant des découvertes inattendues.Les CinéastsIdo ZAND est né en 1976 à Hadera, en Israël. Dès sa sortie de son école professionnelle de montage, il commence à travailler dans l’industrie de la télévision. Après quelques années, il retourne à l’Université de Tel-Aviv où il étudie l’histoire et le cinéma. Il s’occupe du montage de plusieurs documentaires et en tant que réalisateur, travaille pour les principaux programmes d’investigation d’Israël. Ses films traitent de l’histoire juive et de l’actualité israélienne.Yael LEIBOVITZ est née en 1975 à Rehovot, en Israël. A la sortie de l’Université de Tel-Aviv où elle se forme au cinéma, elle découvre le monde du montage, particulièrement celui du documentaire, de clips vidéo musicaux et de programmes de télévision. Elle commence ensuite à écrire des scénarios et à réaliser ses propres films. A travers eux, elle explore fréquemment le passé et le présent de l’histoire juive, le monde dans lequel elle a grandi.201500:10:55Moments of passion, yearning, regret and the search for Godhttps://jflix.net/movie/wall-crevice-tear/82EnglishEnglishTehila RaananJewish way of lifeWomenMaale FilmsImmaterialA lyrical, poetic look at the women’s section of the Western Wall. Judaism, Christianity, piety and secularism all wrestle for their place at the Wall night and day, rain or shine. With a hypnotic and stylized cinematography, the director uncovers moments of passion, yearning, regret and the search for God. Director uncovers moments of passion, yearning, regret and the search for God.A film by Tehila Raanan  Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201700:51:18Searching for the unknown Holocaust in the former Soviet Unionhttps://jflix.net/movie/we-allow-you-to-die-en/1042EnglishEnglishBoris MaftsirZvi Shefy & Boris MaftsirDocumentaryHistoryHolocaustA documentary project by Boris MaftsirThe film “We allow you to die” depicts some of the Holocaust events that took place during the first year of the greatest patriotic war in Romanian occupied Soviet Union territories. The Fall of Odessa – 200 thousand Jews lived in Odessa before the war. Only half managed to leave before the arrival of the Romanians.The remaining Jews endured murderous round ups in the initial days of occupation. 40 thousand Jews were murdered in Odessa and another 70 thousand Jews were deported to camps and ghettos in Transnistria. The majority were murdered there, or died of starvation.We allow you to die – The story of the starvation camp Pechora on the border between Transnistria and the German occupied Vinnytsia district in the Ukraine. A “model” camp that illustrates the murderous policy of the Romanians towards the Jews: death by starvation and disease. The project includes eight films. Click here to explore the full collection. http://www.holocaustinussr.com/** if you have an active subscription to the platform, you can skip the following message** The film is available for free, for personal viewing, which includes a watermark. To watch it, simply click on the Play button above.If you'd like to watch the film in higher quality and without a watermark, please click on Rent and choose the rental period.For institutional use and public screening, please click on Download and choose the appropriate license.200700:23:4751 years of relationship, love, loneliness and longinghttps://jflix.net/movie/welcome-home-mani-en/1088EnglishEnglishHebrew (modern)Chaim ElbaumDocumentary filmsSenior CitizensRachel and Mani (Emanuel) are married for 51 years. They fight for their relationship against the loneliness of ageing and disability.Rachel's mood swings between optimism and the love of life against hopelessness and despair.Everyday she goes out to "work", caretaking of Mani in the rehabilitation center and then goes back to sleep alone on the house.Mani, a strong optimistic person, have had a stroke. He cries each time Rachel arrives: He wants to go home.Rachel recollects herself, leaves the the house she loved and rents another apartment with an elevator. She also hires a caretaker, so that Mani could leave in the house.So why does she feel she's like thin air?A film by Chaim ElbaumWon the second prize in Docaviv film festival201300:23:47https://jflix.net/movie/what-is-judaism/1556EnglishNikila ColeArts and Popular CultureReligionContinuing his quest for belief, host Tevya get's a fresh look at the history and traditions of the Hasidic Jews (a little different to the Judaism he was used to). Rabbi Kaplan and some new friends offer insight into the most important passage in a Jewish boy's life, the Bar Mitzvah, celebrate Purim and have dinner with the Rabbi's family. Can Rabbi Kaplan reveal the answer to one of the burning questions - why can't Jews eat bacon?201100:30:37A religious girl has falls in love with a young farm boyhttps://jflix.net/movie/why-does-the-sun-en/102EnglishEnglishEfrat KaufmanCouplesWomenMaale FilmsChildren and AdolescentsMaayan is a student at a religious girls' boarding school. She causes a scandal by falling in love with Baruch, a young farm worker.A film by Efrat KaufmanAwardsInternational Film Festival, Jerusalem Cinemateque 2011Israeli Competition, Student Film Festival Tel Aviv 2012   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200700:29:59Raising profound questions about family, love and commitmenthttps://jflix.net/movie/willingly-en/125EnglishEnglishPazit Lichtman-EpsteinJewish way of lifeCouplesMaale FilmsFictionYoni and Michal, who have been married for only a year, arrive at the Rabbinate to formalize their divorce. The two experience different emotions while waiting in line, and the ceremony has an outcome which neither of them expects.The Jewish "get" ceremony, in which the man presents to the woman a bill of divorce, has been taking place behind closed doors for 2000 years, and this drama, thoroughly researched at the Jerusalem Rabbinate, will be the first time that many viewers will have the chance to witness it."Willingly" raises questions about love and commitment, about the advantages and disadvantages of "get" as a ceremony, and about Israel's non-separation of religion and state. All Jewish divorcing couples, regardless of their religious orientation, must divorce with this ceremony in the State of Israel.A film by Pazit Lichtman-Epstein   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School201501:01:21WINDING reveals the untold story of the most infamous river in Israel, the Yarkonhttps://jflix.net/movie/winding/295EnglishEnglishAvi BelkinIsraeli SocietyHistoryLife and EnvironmentWINDING reveals the untold story of the most infamous river in Israel, the Yarkon. Exploring the interplay between society politics and nature, Winding presents the Israeli narrative through an entirely new and important lens.We trace the story of the river back from its glory days in pre-state Palestine where Jews and Arabs shared its resources. We watch its deterioration, gaining infamy as the most polluted and dangerous river. And we follow in its current attempts at healing and recovery.Using a combination of rare archival materials and personal interviews, we reveal the profound connection between society and its land, between nature and man.Read a review in our blogFestivals and AwardsBest Israeli Documentary Film. HAIFA International Film Festival. Israel / 2014Official selection, Planet in Focus 17th Annual Environmental FF. Toronto. Canada /  2016Official selection, Golden Tree International Documentary FF. Frankfurt Germany / 2016Finalist , Blowup Chicago Art-house FF. USA / 2016Official selection, SIFF – Sunlight International FF. Moscow / 2017  Official selection, Pelicam international film festival. Romania / 2017Best documentary feature film. FICA film Festival. Goia, Brazil / 2018Honorable Mention award, The Green film Festival at the World Water forum. Brasilia, Brazil  / 2018Director // Avi BelkinBorn on November first 1977, in north Tel Aviv just one Block across the Yarkon River. Graduated Film school At the Hamidrasha Art Faculty of Beit Berl College in 2007. Currently living and working in Los Angeles, shooting a new documentary film about a small violent town in Missouri. Producer // Avi LeviI was born in 1976 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Where I currently live and work as a cinematographer and film producer. Since graduating from the Film department at Hamidrasha Art Faculty at Beit Berl College in 2005, I have worked on a number of different films. In 2012, Matka (paddleball), a film I shot, won the DocoChallenge competition at the DocAviv Festival. In 2013 I co-shot The Workshop a video art for the artist Gilad Ratman, which represented Israel in the Venice Arts Biennale. In 2015 I concluded five years of work on the documentary winding, in which I produced and shot.200700:40:14Major Roi Klein died sacrificing himself to save his soldiershttps://jflix.net/movie/with-all-your-soul/236EnglishEnglishNurit Jacobs YinonIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictBiographyNurit Jacobs YinonMajor Roi Klein was killed in the battle at Bint Jbeil in the Second Lebanon War. He died sacrificing himself to save his soldiers, as he leaped onto a hand grenade and cried out the "Shma Yisrael" prayer. Roi Klein received the IDF Highest Medal of Honor, which his family received on his behalf.Klein had won a high citation for his actions in a previous battle, but almost none of his friends knew this, as Klein modestly requested that his parents keep it as a secret. Klein, an engineer by training, devoted family man, Torah scholar, soldier, and leader, excelled in many areas and was deeply devoted to them all. The movie accompanies Yifat, his older sister, on her journey to trace his character, the various aspects of his life, and his last days until the battle in which he was killed.With Yifat the movie attempts to understand the materials that make up a man who chooses to sacrifice his life for those who surround him and for his beliefs. This is a movie about a courageous soldier, who was a loving husband, a proud father, and above all sought truth and kindness in all he did. This is a movie about love between siblings, whose blood ties are stronger than any disagreement.A film by Nurit Jacobs Yinon201201:08:52Bassam and Rami, former soldiers on opposite sides, embark on a joint mission to humanize the opposing sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict https://jflix.net/movie/within-the-eye-of-the-storm/231EnglishEnglishShelley HermonFirefly Pictures & Nisansun ProductionsHuman RightsIsraeli SocietyWar And ConflictBassam and Rami, a Palestinian and Israeli, were once dedicated fighters willing to kill and be killed by one another for the sake of their nations. Yet each one of them came face to face with the price of war when their daughters were killed in the conflict. Left with the excruciating pain of bereavement, they chose to do the unexpected. They set out on a joint journey to humanize the very enemy, which took the dearest thing from them and prevent the vicious cycle of retaliation in themselves and their societies. Along the way, they reveal the friendship and humor that keeps them alive. The film follows their two parallel stories and the moments where they converge, both in their personal experiences and peace work as they face their shattered families, confused communities and opposing society. This is a critical junction in both their lives, as their life mission and personal agenda clash and they stand the biggest test to their friendship.A film by Shelley Hermon200501:03:51A mystery is surrounding prime minister Rabin's assassinationhttps://jflix.net/movie/case-unclosed/313EnglishEnglishNaftaly GliksbergDocumentary filmsIsraeli SocietyHistoryPoliticsA mystery is surrounding prime minister Rabin assassination. This documentary raises questions that were never discussed before. Will the mystery be solved?A film by Naftaly Gliksberg201500:44:46A young couple from Tekoa establishes a Jewish home in India for backpackershttps://jflix.net/movie/your-sweet-light/100EnglishEnglishNoam KeidarCouplesMaale FilmsDocumentary filmsFamilyReligionA young couple from Tekoa establishes a Jewish home in India for backpackers. The camera follows the dramatic turns in their relationship that result their work. It is an intense film about ideology and family unity.A film by Noam KeidarAwards: Best Documentary, Ma'ale Graduate Ceremony 2013   Produced by Ma'aleh Film School200000:31:18A biography of one of the most renowned artists in Israelhttps://jflix.net/movie/zeritzky-a-portrait-of-an-artist/351EnglishEnglishHebrew (modern)Yakhin HirschDocumentaryBiographyArts and CultureA personal and artistic portrait of one of the most prominent artists in Israel for many years. Born in Ukraine, Zaritzky was always attentive and sensitive to the time, space, context and Israeli light. He led the New Horizons Israeli film school, a group which promoted an abstract and universal language. Zaritzky joined New Horizons after they have quit the artists association, a body in which he himself served as chairman. Zaritzky had a dialog with the classic artists of the past and the film conducts a dialog with him and his creation.A film by Yachin Hirsch