Opening and Closing Films and Special Events at the 2018 JFF
World Premiere Screening for THE UNORTHODOX by Eliran Malka to Open the 35th Jerusalem Film Festival
Wes Anderson's ISLE OF DOGS set as closing film
The Unorthodox, the first feature film directed by Eliran Malka, has been set as the opening film for this year's 35th edition of the Jerusalem Film Festival. The Unorthodox will make its world premiere with a festive gala screening on July 26, 2018 at the festival's signature outdoor venue in Jerusalem, The Sultan’s Pool.
Synopsis: When Yakov Cohen’s daughter is expelled from school for ethnic reasons, he decides to fight back. It’s 1983 and Yakov, a printer in Jerusalem, is just a regular guy. He has no knowledge, no money, no connections and no political experience. But he does have the will and the passion to take action, and a belief that he and and other Sephardic Jews should be able to hold their heads up high. Yakov brings two friends along and together they start the first ethnic political group in Jerusalem, with an operation characteristic of the people they represent: not the suit-wearing types, but rather the people working their way up from the bottom. Their operation is informal, full of love for their fellow man, animated by a great sense of humor and a whole lot of rage.
They didn’t know how to play the political game, so they made it all up as they went along - setting off on one of the oddest, most surprising and moving election campaigns Israel has ever known. Today, the Sfarad’s Guardians political party – known as “Shas” – is an empire, an institution and a brand influencing an entire society. Yakov Cohen still works at his printing house at the Bukharan Quarter in the heart of Jerusalem city.
The Unorthodox is the first feature film directed by Eliran Malka, best known as the creator of the hit Israeli TV series Shababnikim.
Inspired by the unique formation story of Israel's Shas political party, which created a movement for Israel's disenfranchised Sephardic community, the film is a comic drama about events that reshaped Israeli society and continue to resonate today.
The Unorthodox also marks a return to the screen for lead actor Shuli Rand, who endeared himself to audiences in films such as Ushipizin by Gidi Dar, Marco Polo: The Missing Chapter by Rafi Bukai, and Life According to Agfa by Assi Dayan. In The Unorthodox Shuli Rand plays the lead role of Ya’akov Cohen, a man who, in wanting a small change, transformed an entire country.
Jerusalem Film Festival director Noa Regev and Artistic Director Elad Samorzik jointly commented on the selection of the film: “We are thrilled to unveil Eliran Malka’s debut as a world premiere and a fantastic opener for our 35th Edition. The movie weaves a unique narrative that is serious and profound, as well as genuinely fun and entertaining. The Unorthodox is inspired by local Jerusalemite events of four decades ago, so it's the perfect place for it to be shown for the first time on screen. This local story has now been adapted into a universal film full of sentiment and emotion, written and directed with a confident hand. We are very excited to see Shuli Rand on the screen again. Rand gives an incredible tour-de-force performance presenting the character of a man devoid of political aspirations, but who is completely determined to bring about change and social justice."
Director Eliran Malka is best known for the award winning Israeli television series Shababnikim, a humorous dive into the lives of four Jerusalem yeshiva students. Shababnikim was the top rated show on Israel's HOT network last year, beating out imports such as Game Of Thrones and The Handmaid's Tale. Malka studied at the Ma'aleh Film School in Jerusalem and also previously directed the short film 71 Square Meters.
The Jerusalem Film Festival has also announced that it will close with a festive screening of the animated film, Isle of Dogs, by American director Wes Anderson. The film opened the 2018 Berlin Film Festival and has been rolling out worldwide to rave reviews.
Wes Anderson’s new film transports us to Japan to tell the story of Atari, the nephew of a corrupt mayor. When the mayor banishes all dogs from the city of Megasaki, Atari highjacks a plane to Trash Island to find his pet. Joined by a pack of courageous canines, he embarks on a journey that will determine the fate of the region.
Through a long line of films including, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Grand Budapest Hotel, Anderson has established himself as one of the most esteemed and original filmmakers in the world. In Isle of Dogs, his second animated film, he creates a lush and exciting world, and continues to develop his unique cinematic language.
Over 180 films from 60 different countries will be screened at the 2018 Jerusalem Film Festival, offering a panorama of Israeli and international cinema of the past year.
The films will be screened at the JFF's main venue, the Jerusalem Cinematheque, as well as select movie theatres throughout the city. Beyond film screenings, the Jerusalem Film Festival includes a rich program of encounters with leading Israeli and international filmmakers, industry workshops including the Jerusalem Film Festival's Pitch Point co-production, star-studded gala premieres, parties, performances, and an unprecedented number of outdoor events.
This year, the festival also launches JFF in the Park, an outdoor film compound offering a wide selection of activities. JFF in the Park will be located at the Harry Wilf (Independence) Park, which will add another major festival hub in addition to the Jerusalem Cinematheque. JFF in the Park will offer a program set to include film screenings and events for all age groups, musical performances, a huge outdoor swimming pool, a screening accompanied by a live musical symphony, and a main stage for nighttime performances, among other events.
In addition, the Festival will continue to route its Mobile Cinema truck through Jerusalem’s various neighborhoods. The Mobile Cinema, by now a familiar sight on city streets, will offer the best of Festival films at no cost to the residents of the city.