2 Israelis win Sundance film awards

Erez Kav-El and Talya Lavie both receive recognition at the independent film festival for their contribution to cinema.

Restoration film screenshot 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Restoration film screenshot 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The Sundance independent film festival over the weekend followed the Oscars and Golden Globes in recognizing the Jewish and Israeli contribution to world cinema by handing out awards to two Israeli filmmakers.
The world cinema dramatic screenwriting award went to Erez Kav-El for his film, Restoration. "Thank you to the shuttles in Sundance," Kav-El joked on receiving the award.
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Restoration depicts the rich texture of modern Israeli society telling the story of Yakov Fidelman who is forced to deal with his estranged son when he discovers his antique furniture-restoration shop is in grave financial difficulty.
Talya Lavie received an Inaugural Sundance Institute Mahindra Global Film-making award which recognizes and supports emerging independent filmmakers from around the world.
Her film, Zero Motivation, is a sometimes comic, often dramatic look at the power struggles of three female clerks over one year in an administrative office at a remote army base in the Israeli desert.