Close-up on Israeli cinema

THE best contemporary Israeli films will screen this month as part of the annual Israeli film festival hosted by the Australia Israel Cultural Exchange (AICE).

Now in its sixth season, the annual festival will take place from August 25-30 and showcase seven new features and four documentaries, along with a special presentation of three award-winning short films from the Ma’ale Film School in Jerusalem.

“Film is a potent means of expression, which provides a window through which we can appreciate the culture of another country,” said the festival’s founder, Albert Dadon.

The film Zrubavel, the first feature-length Israeli drama by Ethiopian-Israeli filmmakers, will be a major drawcard at the festival. The film follows a multigenerational family of immigrants as they attempt to adjust to their new homeland.

Other highlights in the festival include Lost Islands, Seven Days, Yiddishe Mama and Chronicle of a Kidnap.

The AICE Israeli Film Festival will run from August 25-30 at Palace Como and Palace Brighton Bay. Enquiries: www.aicec.org.