“Valeria Gets Married” is the winner of the best film award, in the Israeli feature film competition
Jury: Carla Katani, Nana Georgeza, Shmuel Al-Shepri, Kays Nashef, Benny Barbash
The award for the best Israeli feature film is awarded to the film “Valeria Gets Married”
Director: Michal Vinik Production: Ayelet Kate, Amir Harel
Reasons of the judges:
Valeria Gets Married is an urgent and claustrophobic Kameri film that wraps in itself a great human and universal story – a choice. With sensitivity, punctuality and compassion, the film unfolds the story of four lost souls trying to survive in an oppressive and binding reality and it does so with great success.
The Debut Film Award is given to the film “The Fat”
Director: Gudis Schneider Production: Dafna Danenberg, Aviram Avraham
Reasons of the judges:
The director Gudis Schneider and the screenwriter Liat Elkayam have created an amusing film that is sharp, painful, contemporary and full of hope, very Tel Avivian, very Israeli. The script, the direction, the fine acting and the art design combine beautifully to create a playful romantic comedy.
The screenplay award is given to Michal Vinik for the screenplay of the movie “Valeria Gets Married” – a movie she also directed.
Production: Ayelet Kate, Amir Harel
Reasons of the judges:
Beyond the fact that the script of “Valeria Gets Married” is tight, fluid, eloquent and surprising, the great achievement of the screenwriter lies in her ability to take stereotypes embedded in our collective consciousness and turn them into living, breathing, painful, desperately hopeful and empathetic human beings.
Award for artistic achievement in an Israeli feature film is awarded to the film “Virgins”
Directed by: Maor Zagori. Assistant director: Guy Zach. Production: Ronan Ben Tal, Moshe and Leon Adri. Photo: Boaz Yonatan Yaakov. Acting: Maor Levy, Liana Ayon, Chen Amsalem, Or Adi, Itamar Kigler, Amos Tamm.
Additional articles in Haifa – Haifa News:
Reasons of the judges:
Virgins is a magnificently beautiful film cast in a gallery of wonderful actors who tackle their complex roles with great talent. The beautiful photography and lighting effectively outline the story that merges reality and illusion and lead the viewer through the mazes of the hero’s illusions to a shocking experience.
The acting award is given to the actor Tzachi Sadan for his role in the movie “The Fat”
Directed by: Gudis Schneider. Production: Dafna Danenberg, Aviram Avraham
Reasons of the judges:
Tzachi Sadan played a leading role with great personal charm, lived the situation in a very deep way accompanied by a developed sense of comedy, personal emotional expression and so on. He plays the role of a fat man, but even the last of the thin ones can identify with him, with his unrequited love and the desire to be loved. An unpretentious and captivating game.
Israeli documentary film competition
The jury: Helen Shuman, Dror Mora, Galia Bador, Udi Nir
The Tobias Szpancer Award for Best Israeli Documentary Film
Awarded to the film “Nitza’s Choice”
Directed by: Uri Barbash. Production: Castina Communications
The judges’ reasoning: “The choice of Nitza brings to the screen an extraordinary human story, a modern Solomon’s sentence, which brings an episode from Israel’s painful past, from the time of the founding of the state. Nitza Kaplan, who stands at the center of the film, is an exciting and touching character in her persistent search for her identity. The director Uri Barbash succeeds Very talented to weave the elements of the story into an immersive and exciting documentary drama.”
A commendation for a documentary film is awarded to the film “Bronka!”
Directed by: Tomer Slutsky, Shlomo Slutsky
Production: Shlomo Slutsky, Rodolfo Duran
The judges’ reasoning: “Bronka! Brings to the screen a long-standing struggle for the extradition and prosecution of a suspect in crimes against humanity from the era of the military junta in Argentina. A father and son embarking on a joint Don Quixote journey against the government systems in Israel and Argentina, documenting their joint journey over the years with determination and dedication.”
The competition for a short Israeli film
The jury: Gili Gaon, Hadar Morg, Sagi Borenstein, Assaf Ben Arush
The award for the best independent short feature film is awarded to the film:
“Selma”
Directed by: Sohila Ghatas. Production: Sena Tanos
The judges’ reasoning: “Courageously and from an unconventional cinematic perspective, the creator brings the tragic story of Selma, a young woman who strives for independence but lives in fear and is threatened by those closest to her. The film shakes and touches the heartstrings and gives voice and expression to women who seek to eradicate the horrifying reality in which their lives are only in danger due to being women”.
The film “Selma”, the winner of the Haifa International Film Festival in the Israeli competition in the category of independent short feature film, will be able to submit a nomination for the American Academy – the Oscar
An award for the best short animated film is awarded to the film: “With honor!”
Directed by: Sivan Alashvili.
Sapir Academic College – School of Voice and Screen Arts
The judges’ reasoning: “With sensitivity, humor and from an intimate perspective of family routine in the shadow of years of patriarchal tradition, the film offers a stirring experience that leaves a deep impression.”
A commendation for a short animated film is awarded to the film: “Trip with Dad”
Director: Mor Israeli Production: Tamar Surovitch
The judges’ reasoning: “With a unique style and line, the creator brings to life tender human moments about parenting and childhood in the shadow of post-trauma.”
The prize for the best short student film is awarded to the film: “Please be normal”
Directed by: Gil Parmon. Sam Spiegel School for Cinematic Creation
The judges’ reasoning: “The ongoing drama of young people caught up in a conflicted reality is described in a fast-paced and exciting film. The direction, acting, cinematography and editing add up to an impressive work and deserve appreciation.”
Carmel International Cinema Competition
Jury: Cornel Mondrozzo – chairman, Shay Goldman, Svetlana Demidov
Carmel Award for the best film – “Kirba”
Belgium/France/Netherlands 2022 Director: Lucas Dunnett Production: Michel Dunnett, Dirk Impens
The judges’ reasoning: “It is our pleasure to bring to Ness a beautiful and unique filmmaking that unfolds before us a young and tender relationship. What might be the story of any child, is here transcended into a parable about the way we deal with grief and hurt. In the two main roles, the young men are impressive in their personal and emotional performance and leave us finally with the important insight: not to be afraid to love.”
A commendation is awarded to the film – “Like Animals”
France/Spain 2022 Director: Rodrigo Soroguin Producer: Yvonne Cormansana, Ignacy Estapa, Anne-Laure Labadie, Jean Labadie
The judges’ reasoning: “The men take risks and the women resolve the conflicts, in a wonderful psychological thriller that deals with the crises of society. An excellent acting joins a craft of cinematic thought whose unique language is already hinted at in the opening scene.”
The Golden Anchor – the competition for debut films
Jury: Kata Weber, Ron Vogel, Moshon Salmona
The Golden Anchor Award for the best film – “The Mountain”
France 2022 Director: Thomas Salvador, Production: Julie Salvador
The judges’ reasoning: “‘The Mountain’ brings a wonderful story that combines reality and magic while dealing with contemporary issues in its original and gentle way. The film conveys with considerable success the hero’s sense of alienation and his journey back to the land of life, which is shrouded in mystery and wonder”
A commendation is awarded to the film – “The worst”
France 2022 Director: Lise Acocca, Roman Guerre, Production: Marine Alaric, Frederic Jove
The judges’ reasoning: “A realistic social drama that deals with the complexity of making such a film – a realistic social one – and brings up with great precision the pitfalls and pitfalls of working with non-actors and with children who come from difficult backgrounds. This is a mature film that deals with important and challenging ethical questions of representation and reality And in the process manages to fascinate as well as excite.”
Industry events
Industry grants totaling over NIS 120,000 were distributed at the Haifa International Film Festival
Haifa Industry Forum 2022
The industry events in Haifa were expanded this year and hosted professional film delegations from Italy and Morocco and delegations from Estonia and Nigeria, who came to strengthen working partnerships with the Israeli industry. The various creative stages included the screening of working copies, the cinema forum, the television forum, and the final feature films forum, which included pitching films in various stages of development and production and fascinating personal meetings.
The 12th Haifa cinema grant – work in progress, digital laboratory services of the Post Republic up to 20,000 euros will be given to “10 new” – Idan Hovel’s film.
Producers: Idan Hovel and Gal Harbon, Transfax – Mark Rosenbaum
The judges’ reasoning: “A revealing, honest film that introduces us to the journey of a woman longing to give birth and her relationship with her mother while struggling with a fake pregnancy. A film woven with emotional depth that raises important questions and an amazing performance by two actresses.”
Jury: Alice Rethart, Germany, Tina Luke, Tallinn, Raisa Pomina, Montenegro.
The 19th Cinema Forum – a production encouragement grant from the Israel Cinema Fund for the film “Milk and Honey”
Director: Lev Brodinsky Producers: Yael Perlov and Alma Ben Ze’ev
The judges’ reasoning: “The film is fascinating and universal, we are all immigrants in this world. Bringing up this painful subject with humor shows great talent, and we find that the film goes far beyond its local world.”
The Opus Productions grant for the trailer will be given to “The Northern Lights” Director: Noa Aharoni Producer: Aviv Ben Shloush
The judges’ reasoning: “The film is difficult, sensitive and challenging. The point of view and the issue of children becoming parents to their parents is shocking.”
A sound grant for Jungle Sound’s trailer will be given to “Khalisa” Director: Sophie Artos Producer: Yohanan Cardo July August Productions
The judges’ reasoning: “The film focuses on the unique Halisa neighborhood in Haifa, with a multitude of stories and a mosaic of touching characters, evoking identification and existential questions.”
Jury: Margie Liske, Tallinn, Maurice Fadida, USA, Hajija Elmi, Morocco, Yevgeny Gusitinsky, Rotterdam, Yasmin Bosfer, Morocco.
The 2nd Television Forum
The Israel Screenwriters Union grant – will be given to “Elilot Rabbi Brown” directed by: Eyal Tsadik, Yotam Kaslo Zohar Productions
The judges’ reasoning: “We chose this series due to its potential to reach far and beyond the Jewish world it tells about, uniquely capturing a conflict of loyalties when the main character is torn between the original community she wants to preserve and please and the truth that disturbs her she discovers, a strong moral conflict.”
The panel of judges: Lee Mason, Disney Plus, Alon Arnia, USA, Daganit Atias, Director of Yes Source Productions, Haim Sharri Drama Tim, Avner Bernheimer, screenwriter and showrunner.
The 8th Final Films Forum
Gesher Foundation grant for multicultural cinema in the amount of NIS 25,000 – will be given to “The Death of Summer” Alma Zelait Sam Spiegel School of Cinematic Creation
The judges’ reasoning: “A unique and fresh voice that managed to surprise and intrigue characters we want to see on screen and a story that stays with us because of the complexity, simplicity and combination of them”
A post grant from Opus Productions will be given to “More oxygen please” Ella Dagan of Sapir College
The judges’ reasoning: “A strong story with an unforgettable character who laughs to death in the face but leaves great pain behind. The director’s good eye guarantees a film with a visual dimension that will further strengthen the drama”
Jury: Orit Fuchs, director, Adi Tishri, director, Guy Afran, main lecturer, Gesher Fund for Multicultural Cinema.
The partners of the industry events are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Israel Film Council, the Israel Film Fund, the partners of the Film Forum and Cinemarket – work in progress, the Rabinovitz Foundation for the Arts, which was behind the Italian delegation and the film delegation from Morocco, the Gesher Fund for Multicultural Cinema, from the initiatives of the Final Films Forum and the Residency for co-writing series Israel France Television, the Post-Republic of Germany, the Institute of Cinema at the Italian Ministry of Culture and Chincitta, the “Story” studios that are partners of the Television Forum, the Israel-Morocco Chamber of Commerce, the Nigerian Film Corporation, the Black Nights Festival in Tallinn, the Israel Screenwriters Association, the Israel Producers Association, Opus Productions and Junglesound Studios, the State Film Fund of France, and the Siris Mania Festival, the French Institute in Israel
Industry events editor: Ruth Lev Ari
The Haifa International Film Festival is held with the support of the Israel Film Council – the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Regional Cooperation and the Municipality of Haifa.
The festival is produced by Atos – the Society for Arts, Culture and Sports Haifa.
Artistic director – Yaron Shamir
