NUN OF YOUR BUSINESS Director: Ivana Marinić Kragić / Croatia 2020 Production: Ivana Marinić Kragić: Marinis Media Co-Production: Platforma (Serbia), Tramal Films (Slovenia) Category: Human Rights, Religion, LGBT Language: Croatian. Subtitles: English Length: 71 minutes
Logline: The film follows two nuns falling in love and, disappointed by the Church’s reaction and the institutional abuse, they decide to leave the convent and start a life together on a Dalmatian island.
Synopsis: Two young nuns meet during a Catholic gathering in Croatia and fall in love. They live in two separate convents, but the spaces they once considered havens of solace and spiritual fulfilment turn out to be more earthly than expected. Disillusioned by the Church and the sexual and psychological abuse within the institution and driven by their blossoming love, they make the most difficult decision of their life – to leave the convent and start a new life together on the island of Korčula and seek acceptance from the traditional local community.
Festivals & Awards:
SEEfest South East European Film Festival Los Angeles - U.S.A. 2021
ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS [Even, Niyar, U'Misparayim] Director: Lilah Markman / Israel / 2018 Category: Creative Documentary/Health/Arts & Culture/Family/Personal P.O.V. Production: Lilah Markman, for Yes-Docu, Commissioning Editor: Guy Lavie, Israel.
Supported by The Yehoshua Rabinovich Foundation for the Arts and The New Fund for Cinema and Television (NFCT), Israel. Language: Hebrew. Subtitles: English Length: 54 minutes
Logline: Six years of the family's survival routine is closely documented. This reflective artwork deals with the unbearable gap between dreams and body limitations. It may offer solace, comfort and even raise a smile.
Synopsis: Raz and Lilah are artists who document their home-building, fertility treatments and birth of twins: Noor is a healthy girl, and Yam has a heart defect. After a series of surgeries, Yam is held isolated at home, for more than two years, alongside his mother and sister, to avoid contagion. The children grow up and then Raz is diagnosed with cancer. Six years of the family's survival routine is closely documented. This reflective artwork deals with the unbearable gap between dreams and body limitations. It may offer solace, comfort and even raise a smile.
''Rock, Paper, Scissors'' is Lilah Markman's feature length debut film.
CHILD MOTHER [Ima Yalda] Director: Yael Kipper & Ronen Zaretzky (''Super Women'') / Israel 2016 Category: Human Rights/Gender/Society Production: Yael Kipper & Ronen Zaretzky: Turtles Films; for Channel 8 (Hot Cable Communication), Commissioning Editor: Rinat Klein; The Makor Foundation for Israeli Films and the Gesher Multicultural Film Fund, Israel Language: Hebrew, Moroccan and Yemeni Arabic. Subtitles: English Length: 90 minutes
Logline: "Child Mother" tells the story of elderly women, born into Jewish communities in Morocco and Yemen, forced to become brides when they were still little girls.
Synopsis: Conversations between mothers and their families reveal haunting histories of women forced into marriage as young children. Born into Jewish communities in Morocco and Yemen where child marriage was a culturally sanctioned custom, these women’s voices were largely unheard. When they were only five or six or ten years old, their parents snatched them from the playground and handed them to much older menת to be married. They recall the violence and fear they were subjected to, the pregnancies at the age of eleven or twelve, becoming mothers when they were still little girls themselves.
It was an open secret but one they put aside forever, because revealing it might tear their family apart, causing commotion and creating chaos. The memories of their tragic childhood never healed – they were simply suppressed for the sake of their children, their livelihoods, and their husbands. No more.
* « Child Mother, featured at this year’s Human Rights Watch film festival in London, is a heart-wrenching rendition of stories of the lives of mothers. This powerful documentary, tells of five mothers recalling their life stories to their children for the first time. .» Film Nights for Human Rights: Child Mother / Shireen Hilmi / The Platform
* « Child Mother is a stunning 90-minute documentary by Yael Kipper and Ronen Zaretzky that explores the sad loss of innocence and youth. An excellent addition to the Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2017, Child Mother provides a powerful voice on important issues regarding women.» Review: Child Mother (2016): Lyn-Kateri Visedsuk / Filmdo
* « With great empathy and stoicism the filmmakers manage to open an intimate space in which, of course, there is also dancing, joking and singing.» Nadja Rademacher / DOK Leipzig
* «This documentary affirms the therapeutic role of confession, art and film in particular. The narration of the documentary is based on long-takes of interiors and close- ups of women thanks to which the viewer is invited to enter their inner worlds and to participate in the therapy consisting of words and images. This is a great example of moral imagination that can be offered by aesthetically sophisticated narratives.» ***Child Mother (Ima Yalda)***/Joanna Bocheńska, Jagiellonian University/ACME Journal
* « These women, now in their 80s or older, courageously reveal the story of a childhood brutally ended... The film addresses this taboo subject with intelligence and sensitivity, giving voice to women whose voices were silenced for so long. The vitality, honesty and courage of these women in their willingness to tell their story is inspiring.» ''Child Mother'' / Ayelet Dekel / Midnight East
* « ''Child Mother'' is a compelling documentary film made in a minimalist style, which tells an extraordinary story. This is a film about Israeli women, today in their 80s, who were married off at very young ages.» ''Child Brides'' / Amy Kronish / IsraelFilm.blogspot
* « The design of ''Child Mother'' as a collection of internal inquiries in the family creates sensitivity and intimacy, and illustrates the intergenerational effects of trauma suffered by these women.» Einav Schiff / Yedioth Ahronoth daily newspaper
* « Women who lived a crime against humanity ... there is no beauty or nostalgia in the story told by Kipper and Zaretsky, and they do not try to claim otherwise or soften the horror depicted in the film.» Shany Littman / Haaretz daily newspaper
* « Kipper and Zaretsky chose to handle one of the unspoken taboos in the Israeli society. "Child Mother" reveals without soft-focus filters the sales process (and forced marriage of those little girls) and its depressing consequences. "Child Mother" leaves a bitter taste and a throat choked with tears.» Shir Ziv, Israel Hayom daily newspaper
Festivals & Awards:
The World of Women’s Cinema: WOW Film Fair Middle East, Dubai - U.A.E 2019
Special Jury Award: Documentary Film on Women's Issues: WorldFest International Independent Film Festival, Houston, Texas - U.S.A. 2017
Israeli Competition: Special Jury Mention: Doc Aviv International Documentary Film Festival - Israel 2016
Best Cinematography Award: Doc Aviv International Documentary Film Festival - Israel 2016
Best Editing Award: Israel Documentary Awards - Israel 2016
Doc Aviv/Israeli Competition Special Jury Mention Jury's justification: "The film "Child Mother" delicately reveals the harsh story of women who, as young girls, were given to much older men and enslaved by them, in the name of tradition. The filmmakers, Yael Kipper and Ronen Zaretzky, succeed in portraying a complex, complicated and important story – through multiple layers of concealment, denial and shame. A story that echoes and has existed from ancient times to our own days."
Doc Aviv/Best Cinematography Award (Ronen Zaretzky) Jury's justification: "For its unique understanding and proven ability of presenting the story trough stoic scenes. The winner displayed amazing use of available light, poetic composition, allowing the protagonists and their environment to possess the full frame and lead the film"
EXCISION Director: Victoria Vellopoulou / Greece 2014 Production: Indigo View Productions, Co-produced with ActionAid Hellas Category: Human Rights, Health Language: Pokot, English. Subtitles: English Length: 54 minutes
Synopsis: The documentary film Excision examines the consequences of FGM (female genital mutilation) through portraits of women of the Pokot tribe in Kenya and demonstrates the effects of this practice on millions of girls and women worldwide. The film aims to raise the voice of the FGM victims, who are not given the chance to speak openly about their pain.
Festivals & Awards:
Best Music Award: London Greek Film Festival - U.K. 2014
Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival - Greece 2015
AIFF Addis International Documentary Film Festival - Ethiopia 2015
Human Rights Film Festival Barcelona - Spain 2014
Miradas.Doc, Guía de Isora Int'l Documentary Film Festival - Spain 2014
LUCKY DEVILS (Glückspilze) Director: Verena Endtner / Switzerland 2013 Production: Dan Riesen: ALOCO GmbH, for SRF (Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen), Switzerland Category: Human Rights, Society, Arts & Culture Language: Russian, Swiss German. Subtitles: English, Swiss German, Russian Length: 98/52 minutes
Synopsis: In the fairytale city of St. Petersburg, 8,500 children live on the streets, but the innovative circus Upsala with its charismatic director Larissa is giving some of those children a chance to leave all that behind them. Meet 6-year-old Danja and his peers, training at UPSALA circus and trying to win over new kids from the streets. A journey from the Russian slums to the lights of the big top.
Movie Review: '' At a time when the subject of Russian adoptions are currently in the international diplomatic news, this film is beautiful, funny and extremely moving...''
UNEXPECTED LOVE [Ahava Lo Tzfuya] Director: Paz Schwartz / Israel 2014 Category: Law / Society Production: Shula Spiegel: Shula Spiegel Ltd., Dana Eden: Donna Productions Tv And Movies (2001) Ltd.; for Yes-Docu, Documentary Channel, Israel Language: Hebrew, Russian. Subtitles: English Length: 50 minutes
Logline: This is the story of a rare if not impossible romance.
Synopsis: This is the story of a rare if not impossible romance. Anastasia was 10 when she first met Doron. She was a tall and pretty new immigrant; he was 19 years older than her, but suffering from a birth defect that prevented him from growing. When Anastasia was 12, she accused Doron of molesting her. Because of her testimony, Doron was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison. On Yom Kippur two years ago, after his release, Anastasia worked up the courage to call him: “I wanted to apologize for all the lies I told when I was 12”. Doron forgave her, and their relationship grew into a genuine love story. Today they are married and have two children. In this film, they tell their story, motivated by the desire to clear Doron’s name and legitimize their relationship.
TURBULENCE
Director: Roni Livneh and Kobi Davidian / Israel 2011 Production: Roni Livneh and Kobi Davidian, for Yes-Docu Channel/Yes-DBS Satellite, Israel Category: Law / Human Rights Language: Hebrew, Arabic. Subtitles: English Length: 90 minutes
Synopsis: For the last 27 years four Bedouins have been serving a life sentence for kidnap, rape and murder, and they have since been protesting their innocence. Dr. Arial Livneh, a pensioner of Israel's General Security Services and a Doctor of Criminology, decided to investigate obsessively during 3 years and met with anyone that was connected to the case. The stream of new information raises many tough questions on the way that brought the four Bedouins to convincement.
Festivals & Awards:
Nominee: Best First Film Award: Israel Documentary Awards - Israel 2012
Ro-IFF Romania International Film Festival, Bucharest - Romania 2012
DIFF Delhi International Film Festival - India 2012
DetectiveFEST International Film Festival - Russia 2012
''New Israeli Cinema'' mini Film Festival, Phnom Penh - Cambodia 2012
BEATING TIME Director: Odette Orr / Israel 2010 Category: Health & Human Rights Production: Yuval and Odette Orr (Unicorn Content & Media) for the Second Authority for Television and Radio, Israel; Commissioning Editor: Yosi Mulla Language: Hebrew, English. Subtitles: English Length: 50 minutes
Synopsis: The minute Avi Kremer, 29, finds out that he has only four years to live, he decides to do the impossible and find cure for ALS, the incurable Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (the Lou Gehrig's disease) he has contracted. Avi, an M.B.A. student at Harvard Business School, musters all his business knowhow and sets out on a search for funds, investors and researchers who will join him in his race. He's joined in his struggle by two other patients, and he believes that he won't die of ALS and that there's a reason why he of all people contracted the disease.
TRANSPARENT TIME Director: Gali Meiri / Israel 2008 Category: Health Language: Hebrew, English. Subtitles: English Length: 52 minutes
Synopsis: Filmmaker Gali Meiri allows us to share the journey of an exceptional young woman, Eylon Nuphar – co-creator and founder of Mayumana performance group – who manages against all odds, at the peak of her career, to find strength within fragility, facing a whirlwind of challenges while fighting breast cancer.
Festivals & Awards:
''Body and Soul'':Taiwan International Ethnographic Film Festival - Taiwan 2009
''Personal Story'': Reel Lives International Documentary Film Festival, Geneva - Switzerland 2008
Kos International Health Film Festival - Greece 2009
Doc Aviv International Documentary Film Festival - Israel 2008
ABE NATHAN - AS THE SUN SETS Director: Eytan Harris / Israel 2005 Category: History / Politics / Disability / Health Language: Hebrew, English. Subtitles: English Length: 78 minutes
Synopsis: The nostalgic and exciting story of Abe Nathan ("The Peace Pilot") - the man who became a myth in Israel and around the world for his courageous and endless fight for peace, who broadcasted rock music and messages of peace from his pirate radio station "The Voice of Peace", who organized missions, reaching forgotten corners of the world giving food to starving children, but at the same time could not be a real father to his own daughter.
AMNON & JILL Director: Gonen Glazer / Israel 2005 Category: Disability / Health & Human Rights Production: Galia Bador - Yuval Delshad Language: Hebrew, Sign language. English translation. Length: 50 minutes
Synopsis: This is the story of Amnon, a phenomenal deaf-born dancer, and his wife Jill. Jill produces their joint act and helps Amnon to communicate with his surroundings. A few years on, Jill decides to separate her professional life from Amnon's, to try out a new career as an actress. When Amnon is invited to be the Art Director of the "Deafway" festival in Washington, DC, he decides to deal with his limitations and go by himself. Jill stays behind in Israel.
Festivals & Awards:
Doc Aviv International Documentary Film Festival - Israel 2005
MUKANDA MODEL Director: Hai Cohen / Israel 2002 Category: Disability / Health & Human Rights Language: Hebrew, English, Swahili. English translation. Length: 53 minutes
Synopsis: The filmmaker, Hai Cohen, was injured in 1986. Samuel Mukanda, from Kenya, has lived in Hai's home in Jerusalem for the past 10 years, assisting him in performing all of the daily activities that today he cannot accomplish alone. The relationship that developed between them is as clearly understood, it seems. However, in the same breath, it is a great mystery. Samuel lives between two different worlds, imbued with a sense of duty for each. Samuel is from small village in northern Kenya. He visits his wife and children for one month a year, this time along with Hai.
Festivals & Awards:
Cracow Film Festival - Poland 2003
Jerusalem International Film Festival - Israel 2002
Bogota International Documentary Film Festival - Colombia 2003
Reframing Reality International Disability Film Festival, Jerusalem - Israel 2010
RIVKA AND YORAM Director: Moshe Balmas and Thomas Henke / Israel 2002 Category: Disability / Health & Human Rights Language: Hebrew. English translation Length: 48 minutes
Synopsis: Rivka and Yoram fulfilled their dream of getting married but they will never be able to build a home, raise a family, or even be alone when they want to be physically intimate. Yoram and Rivka are both confined to wheelchairs and have lived in institutional homes for most of their lives. The camera follows the couple on their wedding day and in their daily life. This film is about two people, their struggle for a lasting relationship, with no previous experience and with physical and mental difficulties.
Festivals & Awards:
Moscow Disability Film Festival - Russia 2006
Estonian National Museum special screening - Estonia 2006
NITSAN AND SAGI Director: Hadassah Benherzel and Jacky Berman / Israel 2004 Category: Disability / Health & Human Rights Language: Hebrew. English translation Length: 58 minutes
Synopsis: Nitsan and Sagi married in Israel in August 2002. Their wedding was a magnificent and well-attended ceremony. However, unlike other couples, Nitsan and Sagi are young people with Down syndrome, and as such, their path to martial bliss became an ideal for a "normal" existence that many young people with Down syndrome pray and hope for. The film accompanies the couple on their wedding day and to their new home in an emotional, thought provoking and sometimes humorous fashion.
