Israeli film wins big at Berlin film fest
berlin (jta) | A documentary about transsexual workers from the Philippines in Israel won three awards in this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
Though it did not reap any of the top prizes, “Bubot Niyar,” or “Paper Dolls,” directed by Tomer Heymann, was a favorite at the 56th annual festival.
An Israeli-Swiss co-production, “Paper Dolls” tells the story of several male nurses from the Philippines who care for frail elderly Jews in Tel Aviv by day, and perform in a transvestite revue by night. The film includes moving demonstrations of respect and appreciation between some of these nurses and their charges, including a scene in which one nurse shows off the dress given by his elderly patient.
The film won a Manfred Salzgeber prize, a Panorama audience prize and an award from the readers of Siegessaeule, a gay and lesbian magazine in Berlin.
‘Idol’ winner to sing in Israel next month
tel aviv (jps) | Kelly Clarkson, former “American Idol” and Grammy-winning pop star, will make her Israeli debut next month.
In what is the first case in a long time of an American or British pop artist on an upward career trajectory arriving in Israel, Clarkson, 23, will perform two shows March 26 and 27 in Tel Aviv.
Clarkson’s current album, “Breakaway,” has sold 5 million copies, spawned four Top 10 hits in the United States and won a Grammy for best pop vocal album.
According to Ofer Menahem, the public relations director at Hed Artzi, Clarkson’s Israeli record company, “Breakaway” has been the top-selling album in Israel for the last two months.
One of Clarkson’s guitarists, Danny Weissfeld, is Israeli. He was instrumental in encouraging Clarkson to play in Tel Aviv.