Now in its 11th year, the festival aims to present the best of Israeli cinema to Australia audiences, preparing a program that features everything from political documentaries to romance, from comedies to dramas.
The festival is produced by Palace Cinemas and the Australia Israel Cultural Exchange, and is the only Australia-wide showcase for Israeli film. It continues to grow as Israel’s cinema continues to be increasingly recognised internationally, with seven films featured at Cannes this year. One of those films, Camera d’Or winner Shira Geffen’s Self Made will open this year’s festival. The program also includes prize-winners from a number of other prestigious festivals including Sundance and Jerusalem, as well as winners from Docaviv, Haifa, Tel Aviv SIFF and the Ophirs (Israeli ‘Oscars’).
Festival highlights include closing night film Nadav Schirman’s The Green Prince, comedy Kidon, documentary Album 61, Sweets which is nominated for seven Israeli Academy Awards and ambitious drama The Kindergarden Teacher.
