Events to include Spotlight on Israeli Television, Family-Friendly Films and Tribute to Ronit Elkabetz with guests to feature actors directors, and producers including Navid Negahba (Homeland) Hagai Levi (In Treatment), Lior Ashkenazi (Walk on Water) and Shemi Zarhin (Aviva My Love)
JCC Manhattan’s 4th Annual Israel Film Center Festival has announced its lineup of special events and guests to complement its previously announced lineup of film and television screenings. The festival, which presents the best of Israel’s groundbreaking new cinema and television programming, features conversations with filmmakers, writers, and actors and runs from June 2 – 9, 2016 at JCC Manhattan with additional screenings in Westchester locations and in collaboration with Long Island’s Gold Coast International Film Festival.
The festival’s June 2nd launch event is the New York premiere of BABA JOON, the winner of the 2015 Ophir Award for Best Film (Israel’s most prominent film award), followed by a conversation with director Yuval Delshad and star Navid Negahban, known for his role as Abu Nazir in Homeland.
Other exciting Q&As include writer-director Shemi Zarhin (Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi, The World is Funny) following screenings of the Israeli box office hit THE KIND WORDS at JCC Manhattan and JCC Mid-Westchester and celebrated Israeli actors Lior Ashkenzai (Walk on Water, Late Marriage) and Asi Levi (Wedding Doll, Aviva My Love) following their film ENCIRCLEMENTS.
Hagai Levi, creator of acclaimed, award-winning television series including HBO’s "In Treatment" and Showtime’s "The Affair", will be in attendance to present the first episode from his series "The Accursed" as part of the Festival’s Spotlight on Israeli Television. The Spotlight on Israeli Television will also include episodes of "Imported", a hilarious fish-out-of-water soccer comedy set in London which was recently acquired by NBC and "Fauda", a political thriller that has quickly become one of Israel’s highest-rated television series of all time.
Director and master visual effects artist Jonathan Geva will speak with filmgoers following a screening of family fantasy film ABULELE. The Family-Friendly Films event also includes a free showing of Sesame Street-esqe puppet musical GUAVAS.
On a solemn note, the Israel Film Center will also feature a rooftop memorial screening of SHIVA (SEVEN DAYS) in honor of beloved director and actress Ronit Elkabetz (Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, The Band’s Visit).
The festival will also premiere DAWN, a psychological drama based on a novel by Elie Weisel, followed by a conversation with the Director, as well as SABENA HIJACKING: MY VERSION the true story of the rescue of a plane in 1972 with interviews with three Israeli Prime-minsters who were part of the event. Screening will be followed by a conversation with the producer: Natan Dinnar, as well as the only American survivor of the hijacking.
Tickets for the Israel Film Center Festival are on sale now.
For additional information, please visit: israelfilmcenter.org/festival
A full line-up of guests filmmakers and stars available online.