The 37th Israel Film Festival Presented A Vast Array of Films

At The Movies With….

Lady Beverly Cohn

Under the unwavering leadership of the Israel Film Festival’s Founder and Executive Director Meir Fenigstein, this year’s festival screened 23 films which included 21premieres. IFF kicked off with a sold-out Opening Night Gala at the Saban Theatre which honored film and television producer Lawrence Bender with the 2026 IFF Visionary Award. During his career, he received 37 Academy Award nominations winning for Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Basterds, Good Will Hunting, Red Alert and won the Best Documentary Oscar for An Inconvenient Truth.  It was not possible for me to see every film but following are Capsule Film Summaries of a few. 

A LETTER TO DAVID  

Director:  Tom Shoval

On October  2023, David Cunio, along with family members, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz and was held hostage for over 738 days.  This intense documentary is a tribute to Shoval’s friend David with whom he had worked 10 years ago on his award-winning debut feature film, Youth.  David’s twin brother Eitan was also in that film which illuminated the unbreakable bond between brothers which, ironically, manifested in their real-life traumatic separation. Using footage from that film, the director created a cinematic love letter to his friend who was finally released in October 2025.  This was the opening night film and deeply impacted the audience.

David and Eitan Cunio in Tom Shoval’s A LETTER TO DAVID. Photo Courtesy: IFF

READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN

Director:  Eran Riklis

This is a remarkable, haunting film based on the memoir of Iranian-American author and professor, Azar Nafisi. Armed with a U.S. university degree, she and her husband decided to immigrate to Tehran in 1979, where she began teaching literature.  Eventually, the Islamic Revolution cracked down on basic freedoms, banning Western literature and imposed a stringent dress code for women.  Undaunted, the professor gathered up seven brave students to secretly meet in her home.  They remove their hijabs and basked in this hidden oasis to read the classics, share personal stories, eat delicious food, and drink tea. The film, meticulously directed by Riklis, is an intriguing true account of Professor Nafisi’s incredibly brave, but dangerous actions. 

Director Eran Riklis' READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN tells the story of  Professor Azar Nafisi's determination to give her students access to literature despite the harsh restrictions imposed by the Islamic Revolution. Photo Courtesy: Eran Riklis

EID

Director: Yosef Abu Mdegem

Eid is a young man from Rahat in southern Israel who,

unbeknownst to his family, dreams of becoming a playwright

and begins writing a story about his childhood sexual assault. He is in a secret relationship with a married actress who lives in Paris.  He visits her often for conjugal pleasures.  Quite unexpectedly, his family arranges a marriage which appears to dash his hopes and dreams.  He weds but refuses to have sex with his wife.  However, he makes a bargain to impregnate her so she has a child, after which his wife  would release him from the marriage. Alas, on another trip to Paris to see his lover, he receives a chilly welcome so that part of his life is not turning out as he wished either.  Don’t despair as the script is filled with unexpected new twists. By the way, this is the first feature made by a Bedouin filmmaker and gives you a glimpse into their culture, which is truly reflective of the universal human condition.

With his delightful film “EID,” director Yosef Abu Mdegem (not pictured) becomes the first Bedouin filmmaker.  Photo Courtesy: Israel Film Festival

CABARET TOTAL

Director: Roy Assaf

Assi returns home to his family after completing reserve duty during the war. A failed actor, he dreams of becoming a successful performer, but needs a bread-and-butter job which manifests in him teaching theater at the local high school.  In addition, he puts on a nightly cabaret show at the community center.  An unexpected tragic event thrusts him into the spotlight - but not for the right reason. This talented young man is placed in a position of having to either give up on his dreams or to keep pursuing them. I especially enjoyed the fun “Fellini-esque” ending and didn’t care that it was derivative from one of the “Master’s” films - 8 ½.  It was well done and fun to watch.

Director and star Roy Assaf in CABARET TOTAL screened at the 37th Israel Film Festival. Photo Courtesy:  IFF 

MALACHI 

Directors: : Noam Demsky, Ido Bahat

This documentary is the tender story about a man named Malachi.  Sadly, he was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, a rare facial deformity.  His birth parents were horrified by his distortion and signed adoption papers.  A midwife took pity on the baby and decides to raise him as her own, thus giving him stability and a chance to grow up in a loving environment, which he does.  Despite his imperfect face, Malachi blossoms into a very special young man with wonderful friends.  But, guilt (or is it one’s natural parental instincts,) has a way of rearing its ugly head and the birth parents start looking back at their gut-wrenching decision. Was it too late to meet their son as the lovely, happy man he is today? My lips are sealed.

Meir Fenigstein looks forward to the 38th Israel Film Festival in 2027. Photo Courtesy: IFF

LOST IN TERRITORIES

Director: Nadav Shlomo Giladi

This wonderful film showcases five different stories that cover myriad subjects centered around daily life in the West Bank, where the residents try hard  to be good neighbors, which isn’t always easy.  Pepper in the chaos inherent in the short films, which include soldiers, terrorists, dancers, rabbis, imams, and marijuana, the growing of which becomes a hilarious, possibly crazy joint venture between two opposing “tribes.” The negotiations are comical as more and more people from both sides participate in the “talks,” which eventually results in an unlikely resolution.   

MY ONE AND ONLY ONE

Director:  David Tauber

A young married woman gives birth to a child but as the weeks go by, she is convinced that her husband is not her husband.  She explains to the Rabbi’s wife that although he looks and sounds the same, she knows he’s an imposter.  Over time, despite her conviction that he is a stranger, what transpires between them is unexpected and if I may say so, rather charming.

What made this year’s IFF particularly joyous was due to the war, last year’s Festival was cancelled.  Hopefully, the difficulties will be resolved some day and peace will, at long last, reign in that region.