Quality is a tradition

Next week at the 6th DocAviv Galilee Festival.

By HANNAH BROWN
DocAviv Galilee Festival (photo credit: PR)
DocAviv Galilee Festival
(photo credit: PR)
The sixth DocAviv Galilee Festival, which features the best in contemporary documentary cinema, along with dance, music and other cultural events, will be held at Ma’a lot Tarshiha from October 28 to November 11.
In addition to screenings and performances, there will be workshops, master classes and lectures, all of which will give audiences the opportunity to interact with performers and artists.
According to Sinai Abt, the artistic director of DocAviv, the annual international documentary festival held in Tel Aviv and one of the co-sponsors of DocAviv Galilee, “The DocAviv Galilee Festival program allows for the creation of a space for dialogue between artists and the public.”
Abt says that, along with screenings of dozens of Israeli and international documentaries, there will be, for the second year, screenings of documentary works in progress. Audiences will be invited to watch these projects and then give their feedback. There will also be a pitching event for aspiring filmmakers.
Galia Bador, the CEO of DocAviv, says, “After six years, we can say that DocAviv Galilee has become a tradition that realizes the vision of the DocAviv festival when it comes to the distribution and creation of documentary film everywhere, which allows for a dialogue to develop with audiences around the country.”
DocAviv Galilee at Tarshiha, she says, creates a place where fascinating stories of filmmakers from the periphery of the country are inspired, created and heard.
Shlomo Bohbot, the mayor of Ma’a lot Tarshiha, says, “I am proud that the city Ma’alot Tarshiha is continuing to host the DocAviv festival this year. Every year more and more visitors come to enjoy one of the highest quality and most unique festivals in Israel.”
The city was established in 1963 when the Arab town of Tarshiha was merged with the Jewish town Ma’alot.
Documentaries are often about serious subjects, but they can be a great deal of fun. That becomes clear when you look over the wide variety of titles that will be shown at DocAviv Galilee.
The international offerings include this year’s Oscar-winning Twenty Feet from Stardom, directed by Morgan Neville. It tells the story of backup singers who work with the world’s most popular musicians, among them The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder.
Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, is a fascinating and disturbing look at Tilikum, the orca whale that was a top attraction at Sea World and killed three people.
The Armstrong Lie, directed by Alex Gibney, details the rise and fall of champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, who fought accusations of doping for years and then admitted to them.
Charlie Siskel and John Maloof’s Finding Vivian Maier looks at an enigmatic Chicago nanny whose trove of 10,000 photographs was discovered after her death and who is now considered one of the most accomplished street photographers of all time.
Among the Israeli films that will be screened is Vanessa Lapa’s The Decent One, an investigation of the life of Nazi officer Heinrich Himmler, based on an archive of family letters that was discovered recently, and is illustrated with family photos and newsreel footage. This film won the prize for the top Israeli documentary at last summer’s Jerusalem Film Festival.
Nadav Schirman’s The Green Prince tells the story of Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a Hamas leader who became an informant for the Shin Bet, and Gonen Ben-Yitzhak, his former Shin Bet handler who helped Yousef find safety as a US citizen. This film won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.
Nitzan Ofir’s Almost Friends (aka Linor and Samar) is about the attempts of two girls, one Israeli and Palestinian, to form a lasting friendship.
Newsroom, directed by Nofar Ben Margi, tells the story of a news station in Kiryat Shmona and the struggles of its devoted staff to keep it from closing.
For more information on the festival and to order tickets, go to://www.docaviv.co.il/ Galileeee2014/