The Jerusalem Film Festival published a statement when it appeared with its 42nd edition in the context of a in-depth Palestinian humanitarian crisis and an Israeli hostage situation in Gaza, and less than a month after the War of Israel-Iran.
The festival – performing on July 17 to 26 in Jerusalem Cinematheque – will start with a projection of gala of the winner of the Cannes Grand Prix of Joachim Trier Sentimental value During the traditional opening ceremony at the Sultan’s pool amphitheater.
Other gala projections through the festival will include Ido Fluk’s Koln 75Michel Franco Dreams And the documentary of Wendy Sach October 8. Honorary guests will include Wonderful woman Star Gal Gadot and the producer appointed by Oscar Lawrence Bender (pulp Fiction,, Good desire to hunt), which will both receive career prizes.
The CEO of Jerusalem Cinematheque and of the Roni Mahadav-Levin festival and the artistic director Orr Sigoli recognized the gravity of the period during which the festival should take place.
“With the festival which would open in a week, we do it with a deep sense of responsibility towards our community, our region and the world artistic family,” they said in the joint declaration.
“We hold on to a moment of deep pain and uncertainty. The war and the violence in progress in our region have caused suffering and immeasurable losses. We mourn each lost life, and we call an immediate end to all acts of war and violence. We also express our sincere hope for the safe and rapid return of all hostages to their families. ”
It will be the second edition of the Jerusalem Film Festival which will take place since October 7, 2023, the Hamas terrorist attacks against the south of Israel in which 1,200 people died and 251 others were taken hostage, causing the death of the large -scale invasion of Israel.
While the festival is preparing for takeoff, Israel faces an increasing international conviction for the death of civilians around the aid posts in Gaza and the plans of the Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz to move 600,000 Palestinians in a camp locked in the Rafah region of the band.
On the Israeli side, the family and friends of some 50 hostages in Gaza await news from their loved ones. About 20 are supposed to be alive. There is also a growing outcry on the number of deaths among Israeli soldiers in Gaza, as well as the dissent of reservists little disposed to the service and wider demonstrations concerning the military operation.
The Israeli population is also recovering from the brief war of Israel-Iran, which saw Iran to shoot missiles in the country, in retaliation for the attacks of Israel against military and nuclear installations, while the skirmishes continue along the border with southern Lebanon.
In this context, Mahadav-Levin and Sigoli highlighted the long-standing effort of the festival to be a space for freedom of artistic expression and open dialogue.
“In these difficult times, we reaffirm these values with an even greater emergency. We believe that cinema can be a bridge between communities, through borders and through stories. He can help us listen, understand and imagine a different future. The path to follow must be that of reconstruction, reconciliation and peace – a future not built on fear, but on shared humanity. ”
This year’s edition will project around 80 features, including international competition titles Ari,, The Grande Arche,, Lesson learned,, Meteor,, The secret agent,, Sound to fall,, The things you kill And Two prosecutors.
The protruding facts of the Israeli competition include the drama in Georgia of Eti Tsicko NandauriFollowing an Israeli lawyer forced to confront her past when she goes to the country to recover an abandoned boy, and Shai Carmeli Pollak The seaAbout a desperate Palestinian boy to see the sea for the first time in his life, while Nadav Lapid’s latest film Yes!Who was presented at first in the fortnight of the Directors of Cannes, will play out of the competition.
Mahadav-Levin and Sigoli thanked international cinema professionals who supported this year.
“We deeply appreciate those who navigate with complex realities with care and clarity, and who, like us, believe in the power of cinema to unite,” they said.
