It’s not Cannes, Venice or Sundance — yet — but organizers of “Israel in the Gardens” 2005 are jumping into the celluloid fray with the event’s first Israeli film festival.
The festival features clips and short films spanning the breadth of contemporary Israeli cinema. Comedy, drama, documentary and animation will be represented in a program that loops continuously between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 5, at the Metreon Theater adjacent to Yerba Buena Gardens.
Yarden Schneider, events coordinator at the Israel Center, is co-producing the minifestival along with Shiri Limor, her colleague from the Israel Center, and Israeli consulate cultural attaché Tamar Akov. All three are Israeli and big fans of its cinema.
“The industry is growing in Israel,” says Schneider. “It’s gotten a lot of government support, and it’s getting worldwide recognition.” She cites the film “Walk on Water” as an example of Israel’s successful inroads in the global movie market.
For the “Israel in the Gardens” film festival, Schneider promises a varied program.
First up, a sampling of clips from “The Cameri Quintet,” which is akin to an Israeli “Saturday Night Live.” Says Schneider: “It’s a very clever, at times very bitter look at Israeli society, politics and the Israeli spirit. The show is a good way to see the inside of Israeli culture.”
Also featured: a collection of short films from Israel’s Sam Spiegel Film and Television School. One of those is Nir Bergman’s “Sea Horses” (Bergman went on to direct “Broken Wings,” a film that enjoyed U.S. distribution). For animation fans, the festival includes shorts from Jerusalem’s arts academy Bezalel.
Other highlights include “Moments,” a collection of shorts that originally premiered at the 2002 Jerusalem Film Festival, and a clip from “Who’s the Israeli?” a comedy /doc made for Israeli TV in honor of Independence Day this year. “It points out the best and worst of Israeli society,” says Schneider.
There is no admission charge for the festival; all films are subtitled and visitors can come and go as they please. But Schneider thinks once people wander into the theater and perceive the quality of the films, they will probably stick around until the last reel.
“This shows the variety of approaches Israeli cinema uses to deal with the country’s political situation,” she adds, “whether through humor or drama or animation.”
So as attendees of “Israel in the Gardens” check out the cinematic sampler, Schneider hopes they will see Israel as a bigger player on the international artistic and economic stage.
“Every year,” she says, “Israel opens its gates more and more to the world.”
“Israel in the Gardens” Israeli Film Festival takes place 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 5, at the Metreon Theater adjacent to the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco.