Renen Schorr

Raveh does not only document the past, he documents a future that will never be, and the films that Amrani did not live to create. Researching Amrani's documents, Raveh found several short screenplays, and sought out three directors of Amrani's generation to bring them to life. The short films are interwoven throughout the documentary - "The Boat", directed by Nir Bergman, "Albert and Ronit", directed by Dover Kosashvili, and "Sabbath Eve", directed by Joseph Cedar. The warmth, intensity and drama of family life; issues of Persian ethnicity; tradition and the desire to break away from tradition; the competition and camaraderie of boys and men; the search for love; a persistent spiritual search and a love of the sea - all these are reflected in the brief yet intriguing vignettes, imbuing the film with a sense of Amrani's vision as a filmmaker and how his presence might have influenced the Israeli film scene.

Just as he is about to go on a date, Obadiah decides to take his barber’s advice and leave his moustache on. En route from the barbershop to seeing his date, he realises that his concerns were, in fact, very much with merit; for in Israel, a moustache is the symbol of the enemy. An endearing little comedy with an absolutely addictive soundtrack, which offers a tongue-in-cheek look at the various facets and manifestations of Israeli racism.

Pinchas (12) and his mother Tamara (39) are new immigrants from Russia. Pinchas spends most of his time alone, while Tamara works hard to put food on the table. Pinhas learns that his classmates are preparing for their Bar Mitzvah ceremonies. He follows his religious neighbor, Shimon Amazaleg (36) and asks for his help to prepare for his Bar Mitzvah.

This human drama centers around two loner Russian soldiers who are caught smuggling arms and consequently arrested. The two characters do not want to lose their honor as soldiers even though they have committed a crime considered unforgivable in military society and want go through an honorable military trial. The military is not at all concerned with their wishes, and pushes to get them tried as civilians. This causes conflicts that send the story towards an unexpected direction.

This human drama centers around two loner Russian soldiers who are caught smuggling arms and consequently arrested. The two characters do not want to lose their honor as soldiers even though they have committed a crime considered unforgivable in military society and want go through an honorable military trial. The military is not at all concerned with their wishes, and pushes to get them tried as civilians. This causes conflicts that send the story towards an unexpected direction.

I Am Ahmad, a 1966 13 min. revelatory short, was originally censored before its stormy release. Fifty years later, top Arab and Jewish alumni of the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School conduct a poignant dialogue about “today’s Ahmad”, contending with questions of the impossible coexistence between Palestinian citizens of Israel and Jews that is rapidly deteriorating. Comprised of six chapters, the feature film is political, activist and fistful, mirroring a torn Israel. Yet, Voice of Ahmad is at times also funny, poetic and sarcastically utopian.

A group of close friends celebrate the bittersweet changes coming to their lives during the summer of their high-school graduation: adult responsibilities, adult romance -- and the soberingly adult fact that some of their number are being drafted into the Israeli army. This has very much the feel of a high-school beach-party movie -- with music, and in Hebrew -- until a sudden and disturbingly realistic reminder of their own mortality finally slashes through the kids' cheerful, close-knit obliviousness.

A group of close friends celebrate the bittersweet changes coming to their lives during the summer of their high-school graduation: adult responsibilities, adult romance -- and the soberingly adult fact that some of their number are being drafted into the Israeli army. This has very much the feel of a high-school beach-party movie -- with music, and in Hebrew -- until a sudden and disturbingly realistic reminder of their own mortality finally slashes through the kids' cheerful, close-knit obliviousness.

A group of close friends celebrate the bittersweet changes coming to their lives during the summer of their high-school graduation: adult responsibilities, adult romance -- and the soberingly adult fact that some of their number are being drafted into the Israeli army. This has very much the feel of a high-school beach-party movie -- with music, and in Hebrew -- until a sudden and disturbingly realistic reminder of their own mortality finally slashes through the kids' cheerful, close-knit obliviousness.

Fifty years after Slow Down by Avraham Heffner won a prize at Venice Film Festival, top alumni of the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School challenge the 1968 legendary black and white