Contact
1-10.7.21
DOCAVIV - THE TEL AVIV INTERNATIONAL
DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
November 3–6
Now in its 13th edition, Docaviv Galilee has become an integral part of cultural life in the Galilee. This year, in addition to the traditional theater screenings in Ma’alot Tarshiha, some of the films will be available for streaming on the Docaviv website.
31 local and international documentaries will play at the festival, including premiere screenings of two National Geographic new documentaries: The Rescue by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (the Oscar-winning directors of Free Solo), a breathtaking film about the international headline-making rescue of children trapped in a cave in Thailand; Becoming Cousteau by award-winning director Liz Garbus—the story of the brilliant photographer, diver and inventor; and a premiere screening of Dark Red Forest—a visually stunning film about 20 thousand nuns who journey each year across the snowy expanse of the Tibetan Plateau.
Featured in this year’s Israeli lineup is Portrait, the new film by Yael Kipper and Ronen Zaretzky, made in collaboration with Kifaya Ayati, an artist and activist from Acres who has already shown great courage by telling her story as a survivor of violence in her personal film, screened at Docaviv Galilee in 2018. Now, in this new important film, the filmmakers spotlight other women—those who have faced violence and survived and those who were murdered—poignantly criticizing the inaction of the police and the justice system.
Three acclaimed films from Docaviv 2021 will return in Docaviv Galilee’s Israeli doc selection: Queen Shoshana by Kobi Farag and Morris Ben-Mayor—about the unforgettable Israeli Diva Shoshana Damari; On This Happy Note by Tamar Tal Anati about the life and death of playwriter Anat Gov; and I Am Not by Tomer Heymann, winner of the Best Director and Best Cinematography awards at Docaviv.
Other films selected for the festival include Noa Aharoni’s Not a Word of Truth—about the rise and fall of Israel’s first psychology guru, Dr. Rudy, and the controversial psychoanalytic institute he founded; and two alumni films from DocLabTLV, Docaviv’s rough-cut lab: Anna Somershaf’s Women of Valor, which follows Esty Shushan, who fights to change a historic ban in Haredi society—and pays for it dearly; and Razzouk Tattoo—about the dark secrets of an ancient lineage of Christian tattoo artists from the Old City of Jerusalem.
The festival’s international program includes some of this year’s top documentaries from around the world, including one of the year’s most talked-about docs: Flee, an animated film about trauma and memory, which tells the story of Amin, who had to flee Afghanistan and start a new life when he was only a boy; The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, a lyrical portrait of the shy 15-year-old whose life changed completely when he starred in the film Death in Venice, and the man he has since become—a man still dealing with the aftermath of fame fifty years later; Imad’s Childhood, the shocking story of a 4-year-old Yazidi boy recovering and healing from two and a half years in ISIS captivity.
The festival will open with a premiere that celebrates local talent. Project Knafayim (Wings) presents four films by filmmakers from Ma’alot Tarshiha, made at the Docaviv Galilee and Apter Barrer Art Center filmmaking workshop and supported by The Rabinovich Foundation. The workshop is mentored by filmmakers Yael Kipper and Ronen Zaretzky.
This year’s closing film is Yuval Hameiri’s That Orchestra with the Broken Instruments, in which a brilliant conductor, three gifted composers, and one hundred musicians prepare for an unusual concert by rehearsing a symphony for broken instruments.
As in previous years, the festival will continue its fruitful cooperation with the Apter Barrer Art Center at Ma’alot Tarshiha. During the festival, visitors are also invited to Nobuya Yamaguchi’s art exhibition Being a Droplet, Being Water.
Nobuya Yamaguchi, a Japanese artist who lives in Israel, examines the uniqueness and value of one drop of water by following its permutations and comparing them to the human life cycle. The exhibition will be followed by a screening of The Man Who Paints Water Drops—the dramatic life story of painter Kim Tschang-Yeul, revealed through his relationship with his son. The exhibition is curated by Shir Meller-Yamaguchi.
Also playing at the festival is The Truffle Hunters, a delectable doc about the eccentrics who gather rare and precious truffles deep in the forests of Italy. To complement the film, viewers will be able to take a guided culinary tour of an organic hydroponic farm and an exotic mushroom farm, both located in the western Galilee.
Born to Be Free: films by and about people with disabilities will be screened at Ma’arag Center in Kfar Vradim: A Reason to Live by Arik Alon, Jonathan Levin, and Adva Levi shows the unique point of view of a disabled war veteran trapped inside his paralyzed and intubated body; and A Home of My Own, in which Hodaya, who has cerebral palsy, becomes independent for the first time at 34 and tries to find herself a home.
The festival will continue the tradition of hosting a seminar for film students. Held in partnership with the Israeli Documentary Filmmakers Forum, this year’s seminar will revolve around documentary research. The seminar will feature an online screening of Blue Box, winner of the Research Award at Docaviv 2021, followed by a Q&A with Michal Weits, Lily Yudinsky, and Lee Rotbart, who did the research for the film. The session will be hosted by Hagit Ben-Yaakov, archive researcher and chairwoman of the Israeli Documentary Filmmakers Forum.
Like every year, the festival is proud to offer film screenings for the students of Ma’alot Tarshiha’s schools (from elementary schools to high schools). The festival believes that watching and talking about documentary content enriches young viewers, challenges them, and expands their worlds. The films include Anan Barakat’s Gangster Chocolate, which follows a recovered drug addict who uses his story to help others; Arthur Abramov’s Hot Blood—about a boy and a girl determined to make their dreams come true and become kickboxing champions despite their families’ objections; and two short films—both premieres—about children around the world.
Docaviv Director Galia Bador: “Docaviv Festival’s partnership with Ma’alot Tarshiha has now turned 13. From the day this festival was born, our aims have remained the same: to reach as many audiences as possible by showing them the incredible world all around us, to spur dialogue and encourage people to engage with social issues. This year’s selection paints a poignant, vivid, diverse, and visually arresting picture of the world we live in. We hope to give our viewers deep and meaningful experiences. I am proud that this year’s Docaviv Galilee will begin with a project that holds a special place in my heart: Knafayim, four world premieres of films by and about the people of Ma’alot Tarshiha.”
To learn more about the films, exhibition, seminar, and culinary tour, and for tickets and screening times, visit Docaviv Galilee Website (In Hebrew).