Tonight (Monday), the winners of the 32nd Haifa International Festival of Children’s Performances were announced, which took place this year, after the Corona respite, in its full format. All the winners, all the prizes
Posted on: 18.4.22 21:20
The 32nd Haifa International Festival of Children’s Performances, which took place this year in its full format with performances from Israel and abroad, attracted about 50,000 people during the three days of the festival.
Tonight (Monday) the winners of the festival for 2022 were announced. In first place, in the category of the best play for children, the Haifa Cultural Foundation Award, won the play “The Best Bear There Is”, which tells the story of the bear bear, born to outstanding bears in karate and destined to continue. But secretly in his heart he dreams of finding a hobby that he will truly love. When he discovers the world of music and playing the piano, he decides, against all odds and against the rest of his bear friends who mock him, to try and become the first pianist in the forest. The play is a children’s operetta, a musical rhyme alongside live music on stage. The play deals with the issue of difference and the possibility of being different from the other and going with the inner truth. The play was directed by Idan Amit. The play by Tom Khodrov and Chen Gerty.
The judges’ reasons for choosing: “An original and imaginative play, with all the stage elements in it connecting and enriching each other. A very high level of performance by the actors and all the creators. It is an innovative theatrical format in the world of children’s plays, and the result is entertaining, exciting and thought-provoking.” The play won a cash prize worth NIS 10,000 as a gift from the Haifa Cultural Foundation.
From the hundreds of proposals submitted in the early stages of the competition, a committee headed by the artistic director, Roi Segev, who is in his second year in office, selected five original plays for the competition. This year’s festival performances stood out in their originality. The selected plays received artistic support and accompaniment and were world premiered at the festival.
The winners of the various awards were selected by a panel of judges that included director, lecturer and content editor Yossi Ronen, actress Efrat Boimold, director Goma Fried, set designer Alexandra Nardi and director of the Ganei Tikva Art and Culture Association Michal Aharoni.
In the international sector, too, street performances have won various awards. The best street performance award went to dedale de clown’s “Hanging on the Wall” and compagnie du petit monsieur’s “Two Seconds.” The best street procession award was given to “Touch Wood” by jonas & friends.
Complete list of winners:
• Best Children’s Show Award – “The Best Bear There Is”
• Play Award – Ran Dovrat on “The Wrong Rune”
• Directing Award – Liat Fishman Levy for “The Wrong Run”
• Actor Award – Ophir Weil in “Tito’s Eyes”
• Actress Award – Esti Zakheim in “Grandma Knits”
• Music Design Award – Nadav Wikinski in “The Best Bear There Is”
• Decor Design Award – Gili Godiano in “Grandma Knits”
• Lighting Design Award – Yanir Lieberman in “The Best Bear There Is”
• Traffic Design Award – Amit Levy in “Surprise Egg”
• Costume Design Award – Shira Wise in “The Best Bear There Is”
• Commendation for ensemble work – actors from the play “Surprise Egg”