Israeli film takes over New York City

April 27, 2009 - 1:17 PM by

A scene from 'A Matter of Size'

A scene from 'A Matter of Size'

Evidently, you can’t attend a screening at the Tribeca Film Festival currently taking place in New York without hearing some Hebrew. According to Heeb, films both by Israeli directors and about Israel are playing a prominent role in the prestigious festival.

Here’s Heeb’s look at some of the most notable:

Defamation (Hashmatsa) — Yoav Shamir’s documentary examines anti-Semitism in today’s world. From the Anti-Defamation League’s attempts to keep it in check to Norman Finkelstein’s theory that it’s being exploited by the Jewish establishment, Shamir throws himself in the middle of the debate.

A Matter of Size (Sipur Gadol) — An underemployed chef in Ramla becomes fascinatied by sumo wrestling while working as a dishwasher in a Japanese restaurant. He and three friends escape their weight-loss group to learn the art of the sport in this light-hearted comedy.

Partly Private — Israeli-born director Danae Elon explores the cultural, religious and medical issues surrounding a quick snip as she decides whether or not to have her son circumcised.

Rachel — A documentary by French director Simone Bitton about Rachel Corrie, a 22-year-old American member of the International Solidarity Movement who died trying to prevent an Israeli army bulldozer from knocking down Palestinian homes in Gaza.

Seven Minutes in Heaven — A year after surviving a bus bombing that claimed the life of her boyfriend, a woman tries to piece together the events of that day. Debut director Omri Givon deftly blends narrative threads and moods as the film plays like part mystery, part drama and part metaphysical thriller.

Clearly, not all these films are going to present a positive image of Israel – especially Rachel, which with a French director and its title surely has no chance of presenting a fair portrayal of the subject matter. But the breadth and scope of the topics is testament to the vibrancy in our culture and in our democratic values which enables us to reflect on ourselves – warts and all.

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