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March 15, 2007

For Immediate Release

PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PROUDLY ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL ISRAELI SHOWCASE OF FILMS EVENT

Israeli and Jewish Interest Films Include 2 World Premieres; 1 North American Premiere and 4 East Coast Premieres for South Florida Israel and Jewish Communities

Boca Raton, FL., March 15, 2007 The 12th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) announced its plans to feature Israel in the inaugural World Showcase of Films on Tuesday, April 24, Israeli Independence Day. The daylong event presented in partnership with the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival and the Jewish Community Center of the Greater Palm Beaches will feature premieres of independent films from Israel at Sunrise Cinemas in Mizner Park.

After months of programming this feature event with Karen Davis, Director of the PBJFF, we are eager to share the work of these talented Israeli filmmakers with our very diverse community, explained Randi Emerman, Executive Director of the Palm Beach International Film Festival.  In addition to the Israel World Showcase we have several other Jewish interest films that will play throughout the festival.

The excitement of the 12th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival begins Thursday, April 19 and runs through Thursday, April 26. The complete movie schedule and additional film selections will be announced in the coming weeks. Visit www.pbifilmfest.org for breaking news and schedule updates.

The 2007 World Showcase of Film Lineup

Out of Sight: A gripping, psychological mystery about Yaara, a young, blind woman who returns to Israel, to investigate the suicide of Talia, her cousin and inseparable childhood friend. As secrets are revealed, she learns what her sighted family chooses not to see.
Florida Premiere
Hebrew w/ English subtitles
Directed by Daniel Syrkin, starringAssi Dayan, son of Moshe Dayan
Director Syrkin won Israeli equivalent of Oscar for Best Director of this film.

YADAYIM KSHUROT/Tied Hands: A middle-aged mother steps out into the Tel Aviv night in search of marijuana for the pain of her son who is dying of AIDS.  On her journey, she learns more about her sons life and the complex relationship he had with his father.
East Coast Premiere
Hebrew w/ English subtitles
Directed by Dan Wolman, starring Gila Almogar, star of stage and screen.

Documentary Program # 1: The Gaza Withdrawal
V'Hinei Ruach Gedola Ba'a/ And Behold There Came a Great Wind: The Gaza withdrawal as seen through the eyes of three long-time residents over an eight-month period:  Benny and Rachel Yafet who farmed in Gush Katif for 28 years and buried a son there and Rabbi Raffi Peretz, head of a religious pre-military training academy.  Without demonizing either the settlers or the soldiers or sensationalizing the painful military action, the filmmaker gives a sensitive, even-handed picture of one of Israels most significant events
Florida Premiere
Hebrew w/ Eng. subtitles 
Directed by Ziv Alexandrony

Playing Together With
Haosef Shel Yedidiah/ Yedidiahs Collection: What would your child pack up if he or she had to leave home for good?  10-year old Yedidiah chooses his special collection: spent mortar shells and lighting parachutes, all evidence of the complicated reality he is facing.
Florida Premiere
Hebrew w/ English subtitles.  
Directed by Noam Demsky & Mordi Kershner

Doc Program # 2Faces of Israel Seldom Seen
The Film Class: A fascinating, little known story about slavery and racism among Israels Bedouin population.   Far from being ancient history, until Israel became a state in 1948 black Africans were still enslaved by white Bedouins.   When filmmaker Uri Rosenwaks signed up to teach filmmaking to a group of black Bedouin women living in the Negev, he had no idea that their story of discrimination would emerge as much as their charm and talents as filmmakers.
East Coast Premiere
Arabic, English & Hebrew w/Eng. subtitles
Directed by Uri Rosenwaks

Playing together with
Tolya: On International Womens Day, when all his fellow foreign workers call their wives to greet them, Tolya remains speechless as he calls Natasha, his wife.   His toothless mouth cant pronounce anything but a whistling mumble. Tolya is ready to give up on language, but not his romantic message!
East Coast Premiere
Hebrew w/ English subtitles
Directed by Rodeon Brodsky

And also
Dead End: A forbidden journey around the border sharpens the differences between Eran, an Israeli musician, and Ali, a young Palestinian.   Erans naivet and Alis fears meet on their joint journey to a wedding in Jericho.   On the border, whoever breaks the law isnt necessarily the one who pays the price.
East Coast Premiere
Hebrew, Arabic w/English subtitles
Directed by Imri Matalon

Doc Program #3
Wasted: At the foot of an ancient Crusader fortress in Lebanon, stands Beaufort Castle and military post. Young men have died here for the last 1300 years: Saracens and Crusaders and most recently Israelis and Lebanese. Its the site of one of the most controversial battles of the Israeli Armys occupation of Southern Lebanon. Israeli soldiers from one of the last units to withdraw in 2000 break down the macho soldier myth and in intimate, unprecedented detail recall their thoughts and feelings. This is the story of any battle in any war and about a heroic myth which generations of Israelis have been raised upon and given their lives for.
North American Premiere
Hebrew, Arabic w/English subtitles  
Directed by Nurit Kedar

Additional Jewish Interest Films

The Joel Files: Beate Thalberg's critically acclaimed documentary tells the story of two German families, whose ways first cross in the 1930s. Karl Amson Joel owned the fourth largest mail order company in Germany, but has to leave Germany with is family due to his Jewish roots in 1933. Meanwhile, the Neckermann family gains his business empire by profiteering from the Nazi expropriation laws. Almost seventy years later, their descendants, among them pop star Billy Joel, meet in Vienna to confront themselves and each other with their common history...        
US Premiere
Directed by Beate Thalberg. Starring Billy Joel & Family & Neckermenn Family

Stray Soul: The script tells the tale of a young man who strays off his orbit only to wind up on Heavens front door. There he meets a sexy yet somewhat peculiar receptionist. Although he is returned to his body, after realizing he made it to the wrong place, his place in Heaven is more than guaranteed. The Script was the winner of an Israeli internet contest by Mikooka Productions.
World Premiere
Directed by Mika Orr,Guy Boskoboinik and Asaf Solomon

Tovarisch Ya Yesche Zhiv/ Tovarisch I Am Not Dead: A true story of my father, the Holocaust and the Gula.  A feature documentary by Stuart Urban on Garri Urban, one of the 20th Centurys extraordinary survivors, who endured the extremes of both Nazism and Communism.
World Premiere
Directed by Stuart Urban

Yiddish Theater: A Love Story: Enter the funny, larger-than-life world of Yiddish Theater through this documentary film about the amazing woman who has kept the oldest running Yiddish Theater in America alive. Zypora Spaisman is a Holocaust survivor who conquers all hearts in her passion for art, life, and Yiddish. This heartwarming story of one unique womans struggle portrays the fight of both an old art form to stay relevant and an old actress to find meaning and a stage in a society that worships youth.
Florida Premiere
Directed by Ravit Markus and Dan Katzir

About PBIFF

The Palm Beach International Film Festival is a 501(3) not for profit organization supporting film programs in local schools and dedicated to making a difference in the lives of future filmmakers by helping them fulfill their dreams to one-day work in the world of film.

Founded in 1996, the Palm Beach International Film Festival emerged as a major cultural venue for the community as well as a productive fundraiser for film and TV education. Each year it introduces filmmakers worldwide to the areas unique resources, while celebrating the history and future of the film industry with seven days of world premieres, special events, seminars, feature films, short films and documentaries.  The PBIFF has always been supported and attended by some of Hollywoods greatest talents: Academy Award Winners Adrian Brody, Anthony Hopkins, Tommy Lee Jones, Faye Dunaway, Dennis Hopper and Michael Caine; Academy Award Nominees Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Edward Norton, Sylvester Stallone, Woody Harrelson, Anouk Aimee, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Robert Evans, Burt Reynold. As well as filmmakers Brett Ratner, Richard Zanuck and William Friedkin are just a few who have strolled the festivals red carpet over the years.  For more information, please call (561) 362-0003.

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