International Women’s Day goes to the movies

Jerusalem Cinematheque hosts film festival on women and religion; Bar Ilan Univ. to screen 'Bend it Like Beckham,' Israeli films.

By JONAH MANDEL, LAHAV HARKOV
movie theater 88 224 (photo credit: Courtesy, Tzilum Pirsum)
movie theater 88 224
(photo credit: Courtesy, Tzilum Pirsum)
A film festival on women and religion is launching Tuesday at the Jerusalem Cinematheque.
The two-day event, the sixth of its kind, is organized by the Mavoi Satum organization, which works for the rights of women who have been refused divorces by their husbands. It marks International Women’s Day and the upcoming Yom Ha’aguna, a day devoted to women “chained” to a marriage by recalcitrant husbands.
As in past years, the films, accompanied by lectures and discussions, will deal with the complex relationship between women, religion and state. Wednesday’s panel debating whether private rabbinic courts have a place in today’s reality comes in the wake of the growing problem of rabbinic courts’ inaction toward recalcitrant husbands.
The head of Mavoi Satum attorney Batya Kahana-Dror will be on the panel. Also participating in that discussion will be MKs Otniel Schneller (Kadima) and Rabbi Haim Amsalem (Shas), and attorney Dr. Aviad Hacohen.
Bar-Ilan University’s Rackman Center for the Advancement of Women’s Status is presenting a day at the movies on Tuesday, also to mark International Women’s Day.
British films The Duchess and Bend it Like Beckham will be screened, free of charge, at the Mintz Auditorium at the university’s Ramat Gan campus. The Duchess will be screened at 10:10 a.m., while Bend it Like Beckham will be shown at 2:30 p.m.
In addition, starting at 9:40 a.m., Israeli short films focusing on women’s issues will be shown.
At 12:10 pm, the short film Heftzi on the Air, about a religious woman with her own radio show, will be screened, followed by a discussion with Dalit Eliraz, who wrote and directed the film.
Bend it Like Beckham, a film about a Punjabi Sikh teen living in London who hopes to be a soccer star, is highly recommended. The film highlights the treatment of young women in different cultures and the role of women in sports. It also marks the breakout role of Oscar-nominated actress Keira Knightly.
Later Tuesday, a shuttle will take participants to the Yes Planet Cinema in Ramat Gan, where the film Made in Dagenham will be shown for a discounted price of NIS 15. The tickets include a complimentary beverage and popcorn.
For more information and to order tickets for the special Yes Planet screening, contact the Rackman Center at (03) 351- 8895.