30th Israel Film Festival In Los Angeles To Feature Natalie Portman, Sharon Stone, Jewish Federation, And More, 11/9

Natalie Portman has won international recognition for her work on screen and stage, as well as behind the camera. On screen, Portman has starred in over twenty-five films. She made her debut in Luc Besson's 1994 film, THE PROFESSIONAL, and went on to star in HEAT, ANYWHERE BUT HERE (Golden Globe nomination), WHERE THE HEART IS, COLD MOUNTAIN, GARDEN STATE, CLOSER (Academy Award® nomination and Golden Globe Award), V FOR VENDETTA, THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL, NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU, THE OTHER WOMAN, BROTHERS, YOUR HIGHNESS, THOR and its sequel THOR: THE DARK WORLD. Additionally, she starred in George Lucas' STAR WARS: EPISODE 1 THE PHANTOM MENACE, STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES, and STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH.

She portrays Jacqueline Kennedy in Pablo Larrain's film, JACKIE premiered to rave reviews at the Venice International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released by Fox Searchlight in December 2016.

Portman has also taken on a variety of roles behind the lens. She wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the upcoming A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS, which had its world premiere at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and its North American premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. The story, based on the memoir by Amos Oz, revolves around Oz's childhood in Jerusalem in the period following the end of the British Mandate for Palestine and the early years of the State of Israel, in addition to his teenage years on a kibbutz. Portman's credits also include EVE, which she wrote and directed. She also wrote and directed the short film NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU.

Portman received her second Academy Award® nomination and first Best Actress win for her performance in Darren Aronofsky's critically acclaimed film, BLACK SWAN. For her role, Portman also received a Golden Globe, BAFTA Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Critics Choice Award.

Sharon Stone began her career in New York, working as an internationally successful model in print and as an actor appearing in network television. Sharon caught the eye of Woody Allen, and subsequently made her film debut in, STARDUST MEMORIES. In 1992, she starred in the blockbuster, BASIC INSTINCT, and in 1995, Sharon earned a Golden Globe Award and Academy Award nomination for her role in Martin Scorsese's acclaimed CASINO. Other film credits include, THE MUSE, SPHERE, TOTAL RECALL, SLIVER, BOBBY, THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, ALPHA DOG, FADING GIGOLO, and LOVELACE. Stone earned an Emmy Award for her role on THE PRACTICE, and in 2015 starred in the TNT drama series, AGENT X. Most recently, Stone is appearing in the features, THE MASTERPIECE, directed by James Franco, and MOSAIC, directed by Steven Soderbergh.

In 1995, at the Cannes Film Festival, Sharon stepped in for Dame Elizabeth Taylor at the amfAR Gala; she has continued her worked with the organization for 20 years as the Global Fundraising Chairperson, raising hundreds of millions to find a cure, and achieving major treatment advances including pediatric care for those suffering from AIDS. Sharon is a Knight Commander of France, and in 2002, the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) honored Sharon for her contribution in combatting the AIDS epidemic. She was presented the 'Global Institutes Healthcare & Medicine Humanitarian Award' by a special assembly of one hundred of the nation's most prestigious doctors. In 2005, Sharon wrote the lyrics for the title track song, "Come Together Now" for the charity relief album for Hurricane Katrina released by Universal Records Company. In 2007, Sharon received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Edinboro State University. Sharon is a committee chair with YALA, a ground breaking young people's peace initiative, and she has co-chaired Planet Hope providing care to single mothers and children for decades. In 2013, Sharon was honored by the Nobel Peace Laureates at the Nobel Peace Summit, in Poland, where she was given the 'Peace Summit Award' by His Holiness the Dalai Lama for her continuous humanitarian work.

Jay Sanderson, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, will be accepting the 2016 IFF Community Leadership Award on behalf of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

Prior to joining the Jewish Federation, Sanderson was an award-winning filmmaker and television executive. His credits include the landmark PBS series "The Jewish Americans" and "Worse Than War," the most expansive documentary on worldwide genocide ever produced. In Jay's extensive media career, he has produced several major projects and in Israel including "No Safe Place".

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles began building the bridge between Hollywood and Israel twenty-five years ago. The Federation's groundbreaking "Master Class" introduced Israel's exciting film and television industry to Hollywood. With the Federation's countless Hollywood Missions to Israel the Federation has exposed Hollywood's most prominent executives, producers, directors, agents and actors to Israel and introduced Israel's leading filmmakers, executives, writers and actors to Hollywood.

FEATURE FILMS:

THE WOMEN'S BALCONY - Opening Night Film
Dir: Emil Ben-Shimon
US Premiere

When the women's balcony of the synagogue collapsed in the middle of a bar mitzvah, nobody assumed that the cause was anything more than bad architecture-that is, until Rabbi David announced that it was actually a message from God. The charismatic young rabbi warns that the men of the community haven't done enough to ensure the modesty of their women... creating a rift between the community's men and women that puts faith, friendships, and traditions to the test. See why TIFF called it "a rousing, good-humored tale of women speaking truth to power." | 2016, 96 Min

2016 TIFF-Official Selection

ONE WEEK AND A DAY
Dir: Asaph Polonsky

It is one day after the end of shiva, when an Israeli couple's ritual mourning for their son must end, when the routine of daily life must resume... but not just yet. Desperate for answers, a grieving father steals his late son's medical marijuana and hangs out with his estranged neighbor's son while his wife struggles to return to her daily routine-fighting off school teachers, stray kittens, and dental clinic workers. It all takes place in the span of a single, life-changing day, "Confidently directed and beautifully played."-Hollywood Reporter. "Puts the 'high' in l'chayim."-Variety. | 2016, 98 Min

2016 Cannes-Official Selection
2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenwriter

OUR FATHER
Dir: Meni Yaish
US Premiere

Each night, Ovadia Rachmim dispenses a kind of justice. As the powerful, violent doorman of a Tel Aviv night club, he doesn't like to start fights, but he knows how to finish them. He's also trying to become a father: and this is what finally becomes Ovadia's undoing. Desperate to save his marriage and build a family, this scarred but fundamentally decent man allows himself to be drawn into a life of crime, putting his life and conscience in jeopardy. Real-life husband and wife acting duo, Moris Cohen and Rotem Zisman Cohen, star in this gritty tale of underworld brutality and conflicting loyalties. | 2016, 105 Min

2016 Ophir Awards Winner- Best Actor & Nominee-Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenwriter

SAND STORM
Dir: Elite Zexer

In a remote Bedouin village in southern Israel, a wedding is taking place. It ought to be an occasion to celebrate... but for a Bedouin woman named Jalila, it's anything but. Tthe groom is her husband-and the marriage is to a second, much younger wife. As she endures this indignity, Jalila must also contend with a free-spirited daughter who's determined to pursue a forbidden love. Female empowerment clashes with traditional male dominance in this riveting, intimate tale of love and betrayal. | 2016, 87 Min

2016 Festival del film Locarno-Official Selection
2016 Ophir Awards Winner-Best Picture, Israel entry to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS & HILLS
Dir: Eran Kolirin
US Premiere

What does it mean to "come home" when the home you knew no longer exists? Discharged from the army after a lifetime of military service, a veteran named David struggles to adapt to the "new Israel" of material success. When a friend suggests working for a company making dietary supplements, David sees it as a chance to rebuild his life. But this decision only gets him further entangled in a dark web of forces that are all too present in modern Israel. Writer-director Eran Kolirin (The Band's Visit, The Exchange) weaves this intricate tale of a country in transition.

2016 Cannes - Official Selection, Un Certain Regard
2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenwriter

EVERYTHING IS BROKEN UP AND DANCES
Dir: Kony Geffen
US Premiere

Shy young Nony grew up hearing about his namesake Uncle Amnon, a brilliant musician who never quite broke into stardom. Now a grown man, Nony has been called to the reserves to fight-and, after his frontline experiences in the Third Lebanon War leave him badly traumatized, he returns home shattered and shell-shocked. Then Nony has an astonishing revelation-he is, in fact, his Uncle Amnon, returned to fulfill his musical destiny. Urged by his psychiatrist, his friends and relatives have no choice but to play along. | 2016, 85 Min

ABULELE
Dir: Jonathan Geva
US Premiere

Monsters aren't always to be feared: that's what 10-year-old Adam discovers when an ancient creature known as Abulele finds him. Ever since losing his brother in a car crash, the boy has been plagued with guilt, struggling with bullies at school and grief-distracted parents at home. Then he meets the Abulele-an ancient creature who turns out to be far gentler than his bear-sized bulk might suggest. The two outcasts soon become fast friends. Abulele helps Adam deal with his tormentors, and Adam puts himself at risk to protect his new friend from Special Forces in pursuit. | 2015, 96 Min

WOUNDED LAND
Dir: Erez Tadmor
Los Angeles Premiere

How well do you really know the partner who's watching your back? Officer Kobi Amar and his Region Commander Yehuda Neumann, longtime partners in the Haifa police force, think they know each other inside out. Then a brutal terror attack forces one of them to take sides against the other-pitting professional duty against personal loyalties in a tautly paced thriller with surprise twists at every turn. | 2015, 80 Min

2015 Ophir Awards - Winner, Best Actor, Best Director & Nominee-Best Picture

AMOR
Dir: Rafael Rebibo
US Premiere

After years of wandering, Daniel returns to his childhood home in Israel... only to find that the love of his life, a former ballet teacher, lies bedridden and without hope of recovery. Daniel's love for her faces its ultimate test: can he do the unimaginable and give her the release she cannot bring to herself... and what price will he pay for his decision? | 2016, 82 Min

FOUR BY FOUR
Dir: Shay Kanot
US Premiere

A reckless boast leads to catastrophe in this wild tale of an off-road vehicle that goes way off the map. Hoping to win a promotion from his thrill-seeking boss, a high-tech employee named Motti spins tales of a fantastic beach resort-then has to spin a series of increasingly unwieldy lies to keep his boss from finding out that the fabled resort doesn't exist! Lost in the perilous Sinai Peninsula, Motti and his co-workers wind up on the run from hostile Bedouin and aided by a sheikh's gun-toting daughter. But who gets the promotion? | 2016, 93 Min

MR. PREDICTABLE
Dir: Roee Florentin
US Premiere

When Adi was five years old, his father made him swear to be a good boy and always be responsible. Then his father died in the war in Lebanon, leaving Adi no choice but to keep his promise for life. Years later, a computer error causes Adi to believe that he's got cancer-and suddenly all those years of being "predictable" seem like a tragic waste of time. Fortunately Adi meets sweet, free-spirited Natalia, who seems to have no fear of life... and has to choose between a steady, predictable existence and a chance at genuine happiness. | 2016, 103 Min

THE LAST BAND IN LEBANON
Dir: Ben Bachar & Itzik Kricheli
US Premiere

Set against the May, 2000 Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, this upbeat, offbeat comedy follows three reserve soldiers, members of a military rock band, who wake up one morning to discover they've been left behind. Caught between Hezbollah fighters and disgruntled Lebanese military, the three use the only tools at their disposal-their musical instruments-to chart their way through hostile territory and find a way home. | 2016, 98 Min

TV SERIES

THE WRITER
Creator: Sayed Nashua, Dir: Shay Capon
Los Angeles Premiere

Narrative skirts the line of reality in The Writer, an autobiographical program from Sayed Kashua, the creator of the hit series Arab Labor. The show centers on Kateb, a thinly fictionalized version of Kashua, who's just created a hit TV series named (you guessed it) Arab Labor. Able to shift easily between the two cultures, Kateb nonetheless feels trapped in the gilded cage of success. The series deftly explores the hybrid Israeli-Palestinian experience and the price of living between two worlds. | 2016, 75 Min

SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE LATE RONIT ELKABETZ

GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIAN AMSALEM

Dir: Ronit Elkabetz, Shlomi Elzabetz

In Israel, there is neither civil marriage nor civIl Divorce. Only a rabbi can legitimize or dissolve a marriage... and both require the consent of the husband, who in the end often has more power than the judges. Trapped in a loveless marriage for three years, Viviane Amsalem is determined to defy both her husband and the authorities to win her freedom. Her husband's intransigence, the unsparing eye of public opinion, and the ambiguous role of the judges put justice itself on trial. | 2014, 115 Min

THE BAND'S VISIT
Dir: Eran Kolirin

Strangers in a strange land, eight Egyptian members of the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra arrive by mistake in a small town in Israel's Negev Desert. With no means to leave or any hotels to stay at, they're forced to seek refuge at a restaurant owned by Dina (Ronit Elkabetz) who comes to their rescue-overcoming ethnic barriers to offer food, lodging, and much-needed sympathy to the wandering band. | 2007, 87 Min

DOCUMENTARY FILMS

ON THE MAP - Festival Centerpiece
Dir: Danny Menkin
Los Angeles Premiere

They called it "The Miracle on Hardwood." Victorious yet badly demoralized after the Yom Kippur war, Israel in the 1970s was hungry for inspiration and healing. Then a Tel Aviv basketball team-the one nobody thought could win-defied all expectations to challenge the European champions and put Israel "on the map." Directed by Danny Menkin, On the Map features interviews with the athletes who made history, and offers a pulse-pounding chronicle of Israeli heroes, fans, and a nation re-energized and triumphant against all odds. | 2015, 78 Min

TWILIGHT OF A LIFE
Dir: Sylvain Biegeleisen
West Coast Premiere

The mother of director Sylvain Biegeleisen is 94 years old... but in her mind, she is still twenty. Confined to bed, she spends hours with her son-laughing, singing, and offering kisses while he records every moment. At times she's lucid, recalling her life with assertiveness and astonishing clarity. More and more, though, her loss of memory leaves her no way to communicate except through smiles, gestures, the language of touch and affection. The result is a tale of laughter, optimism, and the joy of life in its last precious hours. "I'm always fighting," says the mother. "There's always something worth holding out for." | 2015, 70 Min

2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Documentary

THE WONDERFUL KINGDOM OF PAPA ALAEV
Dir: Tal Barda, Noam Pinchas
West Coast Premiere

Nearly 80, Allo "Papa" Alaev rules his celebrated folk music clan with an iron tambourine. Since the day he decreed his family would immigrate to Israel, he's micro-managed every aspect of their lives, onstage and off. From every meal they prepare to the instruments his children play, his word has been absolute law. Now Papa is growing too old to maintain control. How will the family adapt to new musical directions and long-suppressed personal dreams? The show must go on-but who will keep this extraordinary family band together? | 2016, 74 Min

2016 HotDocs Official Selection

FOREVER PURE
Dir: Maya Zinshtein
Los Angeles Premiere

For years, Beitar Jerusalem F.C. was the only Israeli football club never to sign an Arab player. Then, midway through its 2012-13 season, the popular club's owner, Russian-Israeli oligarch Arcadi Gaydamak, took the extraordinary step of bringing on two Muslim players from Chechnya. It was meant to begin a bright new era in Israeli sports: instead it inspired a racist backlash that sent the club spiraling out of control and exposed an ugly divide within Israeli society that has yet to heal. | 2016, 85 Min

2016 Jerusalem Film Festival Official Selection

PRESENTING PRINCESS SHAW
Dir: Dalya Mevorach, Danny Dotan

Thousands of times each day, men and women around the world post their innermost selves to YouTube... like so many messages in bottles, cast on an indifferent ocean. Few of these "bottles" are ever seen again-but one such video did find an audience, and it wound up changing a great many lives. This is the true story of New Orleans native Samantha Montgomery, who each night sang her heart out on YouTube as "Princess Shaw," reaching only a handful of listeners-until Tel Aviv musician Ophir "Kutiman" Kuitel discovered her, and brought her extraordinary voice to a whole new audience. | 2015, 83 Min

2016 Ophir Awards Winner-Best Documentary

THE SETTLERS
Dir: Shimon Dotan
Los Angeles Premiere

Who are the settlers? What motivates them to uproot their families to make their homes in the most contested areas in the world, surrounded by hostile neighbors? The answers may surprise you. To some, they are patriots and heroes... to others, they are invaders and troublemakers. Yet, in stark contrast to the image created by the news, the settlers are a diverse community with deeply personal reasons for living on the knife's edge. This astonishing documentary seeks answers that go far beyond the headlines. | 2016, 100 Min

2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Documentary

WHO'S GONNA LOVE ME NOW?
Dir: Barak Heymann & Tomer Heymann
Los Angeles Premiere

A 39-year-old Israeli living in London discovers he is HIV-positive and begins a journey of reconciliation with his deeply religious family in Israel. This profoundly moving British-Israeli co-production contrasts the expatriate's difficulties finding acceptance at home with the life he's built in England as a member of the London Gay Male Chorus. This film does not keep its distance: family, friends, and the film's protagonist are seen in close, spontaneous moments of laughter, confrontation, and forgiveness. | 2016, 85 Min

2016 Berlin International Film Festival Winner-Best Documentary

SHORT FILMS

AN AVERAGE STORY
Dir: Yaniv Segalovich
US Premiere

How average are you? Avi Cohen gets the answer to that question-with a vengeance-on the day he learns that he's officially the most average man in Israel. This ought to be good news, since it instantly transforms him into a national icon. Unfortunately, Avi's plans with his wife to capitalize on their good fortune goes unpredictably awry. | 2015, 18 Min

2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Short Feature

ANNA
Dir: Or Sinai
Los Angeles Premiere

In the dog days of summer, a woman in her thirties finds herself unexpectedly alone. She wanders her small desert hometown, yearning to feel like a woman again... even in the arms of a complete stranger. This debut film from Or Sinai took first prize at the Cinefondation Selection, the world's highest-profile film school student competition. | 2016, 40 Min

2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Short Feature
First Prize-Cinefondation Selection

THE AMBASSADOR'S WIFE
Dir: Dina Zvi-Riklis
Los Angeles Premiere

After the murder of her diplomat husband, an Eritrean woman named Yerusalem is forced to flee Paris and now finds herself an illegal refugee in a decrepit area of Tel Aviv. The short film is the creation of award-winning director Dina Zvi-Riklis, whose feature Three Mothers was nominated for nine Ophir Awards. | 2016, 40 Mins

2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Short Feature

SHORT DOCS

DOWN THE DEEP, DARK WEB
Dir: Tzachi Schiff, Duki Dror

If you've heard anything at all about the Darknet, you've most likely been taught to fear it: this hidden side of the Internet is said to be a den of hitmen for hire and outlets for the most depraved aspects of the human psyche. If this is all you know, then prepare to have your expectations overturned. This short film goes beyond rumor and hype to reveal the deepest secrets of the Internet's hidden side, exposing how activists from around the world fight on the frontier of this invisible battleground, protecting the freedoms we all hold dear. | 2016, 56 Min

2016 Jerusalem Film Festival Official Selection
2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Short Documentary

THE MUTE'S HOUSE
Dir: Tamar Kay
Los Angeles Premiere

Abandoned by its Palestinian owners, the deserted building in Hebron is known to Israeli soldiers as "The Mute's House"-its only occupants are a deaf woman, Sahar, and her eight-year-old son Yousef. The family's unique story, a touching counterpoint to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is told through the eyes of the young and charismatic Yousef as he goes about his daily routine in the heart of a city torn apart by hatred and violence. | 2015, 31 Min

2015 IDFA-International Documentary Film Festival
2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Short Documentary

SHALOM ITALIA
Dir: Tamar Tal Anati
US Premiere

One night, three brothers fled their home in Tuscany and hid in a cave to escape the Nazis. Seventy years later, they return to a region famous for its zest for life, searching for the cave that sheltered them, hoping it will reconcile their conflicting memories of that night. | 2016, 70 Min

2016 DocAviv-Official Selection
2016 Ophir Awards Nominee-Best Short Documentary

For 30 years, the Festival has presented over 900 feature films, documentaries, television dramas and short films to close to million filmgoers and brought hundreds of Israeli filmmakers to the U.S. to share their art. The Israel Film Festival is produced by IsraFest Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization created in 1982. Among the Sponsors of the 30th Israel Film Festival are long-time partners Saban Charitable Fund, Adelson Family Foundation, Millennium Films, Israel Film Fund, The Hollywood Reporter, Rabinovich Foundation, Variety, Eclipse, The IAC (Israeli American Council), The ATLS World Wide, Maurice Marciano Family Foundation, Diane & Guilford Glazer Foundation, Bank Leumi USA, Four Seasons Hotel, The Orlando Hotel, Clear Channel, New Regency Productions and the Israel Consulate in Los Angeles, to name a few.