Israeli film has been finding itself more and more in the spotlight recently, as the inclusion last week of Ajami to the short list for the best foreign-language Oscar attests, following Waltz with Bashir and Beaufort in the category the two years before. But there's much more to Israeli cinema than just takes on war and Arab-Jewish relations. Just ask Amy Kronish, who curated Israeli and Jewish films at the Jerusalem Cinematheque for 15 years.
You'll have a chance to do just that this coming Monday, and four nights following, as Beit Avi Chai kicks off a new series on Israeli film called Fact and Fiction: Diversity Within. Kronish, who was born in New York and now runs the Israeli Film and Filmmakers blog while staying active on the lecture circuit, will moderate the encounters. All the movies shown will be (mostly) in Hebrew, but Anglophones can rejoice, because not only will there be English subtitles, but the whole discussion series will be conducted in English.
"There's a large English speaking community. People are comfortable and maybe enjoy being able to have analytic discussions in their mother tongue," Kronish tells Jerusalem.com about the Fact and Fiction concept.
The series focuses on dramas and documentaries made by Israelis that deal with issues often overlooked by many, such as immigrants, foreign workers and life on the periphery. The events will include screenings and discussions with people involved with the making of the films, like screenwriters and directors.
"The theme was trying to give a picture of different groups in Israeli society and talk to the different groups," Kronish says. "I think film affects a lot of what goes in Israeli society. I think a lot of the films are universal but are very pluralistic. People can gain an understanding and insight. Maybe that's something we English-speaking immigrants need."
Jerusalem is no stranger to independent filmmaking, with two film schools, a number of film festivals at the Jerusalem Cinemateque, and the city's recent inclusion in the 48-hour filmmaking contest. The city is also home to the Lev Smadar Theater, which regularly screens movies you might not find at your local megaplex.
You'll have a chance to do just that this coming Monday, and four nights following, as Beit Avi Chai kicks off a new series on Israeli film called Fact and Fiction: Diversity Within. Kronish, who was born in New York and now runs the Israeli Film and Filmmakers blog while staying active on the lecture circuit, will moderate the encounters. All the movies shown will be (mostly) in Hebrew, but Anglophones can rejoice, because not only will there be English subtitles, but the whole discussion series will be conducted in English.
"There's a large English speaking community. People are comfortable and maybe enjoy being able to have analytic discussions in their mother tongue," Kronish tells Jerusalem.com about the Fact and Fiction concept.
The series focuses on dramas and documentaries made by Israelis that deal with issues often overlooked by many, such as immigrants, foreign workers and life on the periphery. The events will include screenings and discussions with people involved with the making of the films, like screenwriters and directors.
"The theme was trying to give a picture of different groups in Israeli society and talk to the different groups," Kronish says. "I think film affects a lot of what goes in Israeli society. I think a lot of the films are universal but are very pluralistic. People can gain an understanding and insight. Maybe that's something we English-speaking immigrants need."
Jerusalem is no stranger to independent filmmaking, with two film schools, a number of film festivals at the Jerusalem Cinemateque, and the city's recent inclusion in the 48-hour filmmaking contest. The city is also home to the Lev Smadar Theater, which regularly screens movies you might not find at your local megaplex.
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