What movies are waiting for us? • Haifa Film Festival

The 39th Haifa International Film Festival will be held at Sukkot 7.10.2023 – 28.9.

The outstanding, anticipated and prize-winning films at the most important festivals in the world will be screened at the festival in an Israeli premiere

The new films of Jonathan Glazer, Wim Wenders, Pedro Almodovar, Hirokazu Kura-Ada, Marco Bellocchio, Luc Besson, Francois Ozon, Ryosuke Haguchi, Michel Gondry, Robin Campillo and Matteo Garrone will be screened at the festival alongside new restorations by Peter Greenaway, Werner Herzog Walt Disney and Charlie Chaplin.

The festival's international program includes many films dealing with the struggle for freedom and resistance. Special emphasis will be placed on exposing new and award-winning Iranian cinema.  

One of the most special and important films ever made about the Holocaust will be shown

"The zone of interest" by Jonathan Glazer, the winner of the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, will be revealed to the Israeli audience at the premiere at the festival. The film that was the talk of the day at the Cannes Film Festival, was defined by many critics as one of the most special and important films ever made about the Holocaust and World War II.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to actor Sasson Gabbay for his contribution to Israeli cinema and culture. Sasson Gabbay, one of the greatest and most respected actors in Israel, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his enormous contribution to culture, cinema and theater in Israel. Gabbay has played dozens of prominent roles in theater, cinema and television, winner of 4 Ophir awards and laureate of the European Academy Award.

100 to Disney

The festival will celebrate Disney's 100th anniversary with a varied program that will include restorations of classics, new films and a screening of "Fantasy" with live accompaniment by the Haifa Symphony Orchestra. 

Straight from the Venice Film Festival

The festival will close with Matteo Garrone's new film "Capitano" Io Capitano, which comes to Haifa straight from the main competition at the 2023 Venice Film Festival where he won the director award and the Marcello Mastroianni award for acting. A modern, exciting and shocking odyssey about the dream of immigrating to a better life.

A selection of the films in question, the award winners, by the most important creators in the world will be screened in the different frameworks of the festival

• Capitano Io Capitano, director: Matteo Garone, director award and Marcello Mastroianni award for acting, Venice Film Festival 2023. Matteo Garone ("Gomorrah"), presents an exciting and moving modern odyssey about the dream of immigration to a better life - and its destruction (cinema of the struggle for freedom).
• Evil Does Not Exist, directed by Ryosuke Maguchi, Grand Jury Prize, Venice Film Festival. The new film from the director of "Mr. Yosuke's Leadership" and "Zodiac" arrives to rave reviews.
• El Paraiso, directed by: Enrico Maria Artala, Actress Award and Screenplay Award, Orizonti, Venice.
• The zone of interest, directed by: Jonathan Glaser, winner of the Grand Prix at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

• Perfect Days, director: Wim Wenders, winner of the actor award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the World Jury Award (Japan's representative for the Oscars).
• Monster, directed by Hirokazu Kura-Ada, winner of the screenplay award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
• The pot, The Pot-au-Feu, directed by: Tran An Hung, winner of the director prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
• Anatomy of a Fall, directed by Justine Trier, winner of the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
• About Dry Grasses, director: Nuri Bilga Ceylan, Cannes Film Festival 2023 - winner of the actress award, Turkey's representative to the Oscars.
• Kidnapped, directed by Marco Bellocchio, the main competition Cannes Film Festival 2023. The review was enthusiastic about the new film of the Italian master in a film based on a true case.
• Strange Way of Life, directed by: Pedro Almodovar, special screening Cannes Film Festival. Almodóvar's new film is a western starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal.
• Hounds, director: Kamal Lazark, winner of the Jury Prize as part of "A Certain View" at the Cannes Film Festival.
• The Settlers, directed by Felipe Galvez, winner of the critic's award as part of "A Certain View" at Cannes this year and Chile's representative for the Oscars. (Cinema of the struggle for freedom).
• Farewell The Rapture, directed by: Iris Kaltenbeck, winner of the French Writers' Union Award as part of the "Criticism Week" at the Cannes Film Festival.
• The Goldman Case, directed by Cedric Kahn, the opening film of the "Directors' Fortnight" frame at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
• The Book of Solutions, director: Michel Gondry, directors' fortnight Cannes Festival. The French master returns in an almost autobiographical film.
• It's All Right with Georgie Scrapper, directed by Charlotte Regan, winner of the Grand Jury Prize in the International Competition at the Sundance Film Festival.
• Radical, director: Christopher Zala, winner of the crowd favorite award at the Sundance Film Festival.
• Eileen, directed by: William Oldroyd, one of the most talked about films of Sundance and of the year. The new film of the director William Oldroyd ("Lady Macbeth"), which adapts the book of the famous writer Utesa Moshpeg to the screen.
• The Survival of Kindness, directed by Rolf de Heer, winner of the critic's award at the Berlin Film Festival (cinema of resistance and struggle for freedom).
• She Came to Me - She Came to Me, director: Rebecca Miller. The opening film of the Berlin Film Festival 2023.
• The Teachers' Lounge, director: Ilker Cetak, European Film Award, Art Cinema Award. Berlin Film Festival 2023, Germany's representative for the Oscars. The German actress in the lead role, Leonie Bensch, will be the guest of the festival.
• Midwives, directed by: Leah Fenner, World Jury Prize as part of Panorama at the Berlin Film Festival.
• Masculinity Manodrome, directed by: John Trengove, main competition Berlin Festival.

• "Taxi Driver" meets "Fight Club" starring Jesse Eisenberg - one of the most talked about and controversial films from the Berlin Film Festival.
• The Crime Is Mine, directed by François Ozon, Berlin Film Festival.
• Blaga learns a lesson Blaga's Lessons, directed by Stefan Komandriev, winner of the Best Film Award and the Actress Award at the Karlovy Vary Festival. The Bulgarian director Stefan Komandriev will be the guest of the festival.
• Fremont Fremont, directed by Babak Jalali. Winner of the directing award at the Karlovy Vary Festival.
• Hypnosis The Hypnosis, directed by: Ernest de Hier. Winner of the actor award and the critic award at the Karlovy Vary Festival.
• In a critical state Critical Zone, directed by: Ali Ahmadadze. Winner of the Best Film Award at the Locarno Festival 2023 (Iranian Resistance Cinema).
• The village of Stepne, directed by Mariana Roda. Winner of the directing and critic awards at the Locarno Festival (cinema from Ukraine).
• The Animal Operators, directed by Sofia Axarvo. Acting Award at the Locarno Festival. The Greek director Sofia Axarvo will be the guest of the festival.
• Sweet Dreams, directed by Ana Sandiarevic. The winner of the acting award at the Locarno festival and the Netherlands' representative for the Oscars (cinema of the struggle for freedom).
• Stone Turtle, directed by Wu Ming Jin. The critic's prize at the Locarno festival. 2022 (cinema of female resistance).
• Wicked Games Rimini Sparta, directed by Ulrich Seidel. Rotterdam Festival 2023. Seidel re-edited his 2 previous films "Rimini" and "Sparta" and turned them into one provocative and rare powerful film.
• Autobiography Autobiography, directed by Makbul Mubarak. Venice Film Festival 2022 critic award winner.
• The Kings of the World, directed by Laura Mora. Winner of the Best Film Award at the 2022 San Sebastian Festival.
• Endless Borders, directed by Abbas Amini. Winner of the "Big Screen" award at this year's Rotterdam festival (Iranian cinema of the struggle for freedom).
• Robot Dreams, directed by Pablo Berger. Special screening in Cannes. Winner of the Best Film Award Annecy Festival, animated film.
• Libertate, directed by Tudor Giorgio. From the competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival (cinema of the struggle for freedom). The Romanian director Tudor Giorgio will be the guest of the festival.
• Europe Europa, directed by Subada Mortezai. From the competition at the Sarajevo Festival, the award-winning director of Iranian origin Sovada Mortezai will be the guest of the festival (Cinema of Resistance and Struggle for Freedom).

Straight from the Venice, San Sebastian and Rome 2023 festivals

• Commander Comandante, directed by: Eduardo de Angelis. The opening film of the Venice Film Festival. Based on a true and inspiring story that took place on an Italian submarine in World War II.

• Model DogMan, director: Luc Besson. The main competition is the Venice Film Festival. Luc Besson returns to the form of Nikita and Leon.
• Dawn of a new day finally dawn, directed by Saverio Costanzo. The main competition is the Venice Film Festival. Costanzo's new film is a love song to the cinema of the 50s, to beginning actresses and big stars and to the legendary Chincita studios in Italy.
• Red Island, director: Robin Campillo. The main competition is the San Sebastian Festival (cinema of the struggle for freedom).
• Tomorrow is another day - There Is Still Tomorrow, director: Paula Cortelysi. The opening film of the Rome festival (cinema of female resistance). The director and actress in the main role Paula Cortelysi will be the guest of the festival.

Focus on new Iranian cinema of resistance

• Endless Borders, directed by Abbas Amini. Winner of the "Big Screen" award at this year's Rotterdam festival, a tense, fascinating and relevant drama that takes place on the Iran-Afghanistan border.
• In a critical state Critical Zone, directed by: Ali Ahmadadze. "In a critical situation" deals with the rage and frustration of a young generation of Iranians. Winner of the Best Film Award at the 2023 Locarno Festival.
• My Worst Enemy, directed by Mehran Tamadon. Director Mehran Tamadon spent years documenting the Iranian regime in an attempt to find an opening for dialogue. Now, when he is in exile in France, he turns to three refugees and asks them to go to the other side for a moment, become investigators and put him through the same difficult interrogation they went through. The special documentary is a shocking testimony of life under a totalitarian regime. The Iranian director Mehran Tamadon will be the guest of the festival.
• Seven Winters in Tehran, directed by Shetfi Niderzol. A powerful and heartbreakingly relevant documentary. Director Shetfi Niderzol uses secretly recorded videos, testimonies and letters to trace the story of a woman who became a symbol of resistance and struggle. The German director Steffi Niederzul will be the guest of the festival.
• I'm Dancing Too And Me, I'm Dancing Too, directed by: Muhammad Valizdegan. Winner of the Crystal Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival, the short film "I Dance Too" takes place on the line between feature and documentary, and paints a moving portrait of a young generation suffocated by the strict rules of the Islamic Iranian regime.

Haifa Classics

• Caligula: The Ultimate Cut Caligula: The Ultimate Cut, directed by: Tinto Brass. Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Peter O'Toole, John Gielgud, Helen Mirren. Perhaps the most controversial film of the 20th century, "Caligula", comes to Haifa in an ultimate version from its premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The film - a scandalous, decadent and erotic cult work about the corrupting power of government - has been completely re-edited, including a record number of never-before-seen scenes and it provides, forty years after it was first released, an opportunity to see the film from a completely new angle. Those who watch the version screened at the festival will discover a relevant film like no other, a kicking satire on the intoxication of power and unrestrained rule. Even in the new version, the film is not suitable for everyone. It includes many stomach-churning scenes of violence and sex, but those who rise to the challenge are in for a special cinematic experience.
• Sorcerer, directed by: William Friedkin. William Friedkin, who passed away about a month ago, may be remembered for "The Exorcist", but this wild film from 1977, an original and pretentious tough thriller - which was Friedkin's own favorite film and a box office failure that has been recognized over the years - is just as deserving of his memory. In a small town in South America, on the edge of the jungle, four desperate people led by Roy Scheider are hired to transport a dangerous cargo of explosives to stop a devastating fuel fire. classics.
• A Woman of Paris, directed by Charlie Chaplin. On the 1923th anniversary of the making of the film, the Haifa Festival presents the first romantic drama directed by Charlie Chaplin in XNUMX. The silent film, which was praised, reveals for the first time the dramatic talent of the king of comedy.

Honoring Lorner Herzog

The Haifa Festival pays tribute to one of the most unique and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Werner Herzog, in light of the director's entry into the ninth decade of his life.

• New documentary about Werner Herzog "Werner Herzog - Radical Dreamer - Werner Herzog - Radical Dreamer", directed by: Thomas Von. Steinaker combines exclusive photographs from the life of Werner Herzog, rare archive footage and interviews with Herzog himself, his wife Lena and famous actors such as Christian Bale and Nicole Kidman, to draw - for the first time - a comprehensive and fascinating portrait of one of today's iconic artists.
  
  New restored copies of the films will be screened: Fitzcarledo (1982), Little Dieter Must Fly (1977), Nosperto the Vampire (1979), The Mystery of Casper Hauser (1974).

A cinematic tribute to Peter Greenaway

The Haifa Festival is pleased to present a cinematic tribute in honor of Peter Greenaway, one of the most daring, original and challenging filmmakers in world cinema. New restorations by the British Film Institute will be screened for the following films: The Sketcher's Contract (1982), An Architect's Belly (1987), Drowning in Numbers (1988), Zed and Shani Epsim (1985), B. Zeh Beit (1976, an early short film by Rabbi Amen).
The tribute was curated by Pnina Blair, the festival's honorary president.

to all the family

• "The Circus" - Charlie Chaplin's classic from 1928 with a live performance of the sound effects - Polly Amor Ensemble. World premiere for a multidisciplinary show, combining cinema, sound, props, movement and acting. The members of the Polly Ensemble will perform live on stage the sound effects for "The Circus", Chaplin's famous film. The effects will be produced by moving, playing and tapping on mechanical objects, everyday accessories, and those built especially for the show.
• Disney's 100th Anniversary: ​​The Walt Disney Company celebrates its 100th anniversary in October 2023, and throughout the year celebrates the stories and characters that have created the joy and magic of Disney over the past 100 years. The Haifa Film Festival is happy to participate in the festivities and will hold 4 different events during the Disney "Fantasia" festival in a live concert screening of Disney's "Fantasia" accompanied by the Haifa Symphony Orchestra on stage! Walt Disney Studios made a magical combination of the most beautiful parts of the two iconic and ground-breaking films - "Fantasia" (1940) and "Fantasia 2000". The piece will be projected on a huge screen in the Haifa Auditorium, when the Haifa Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yaron Godfried, will perform on stage the classic musical soundtrack of the films. This is a one-time event at the Haifa International Film Festival. Screening of a rare collection of beloved short films from the early days of animation, through the introduction of sound in films and the appearance of Mickey Mouse, to the popular films and modern technology of today. Mickey, Donald Duck, Oswald the Rabbit, the chipmunks Chip and Dale, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella and more. The films: Cinderella (1922), Alice in Wonderland (1923), Oswald the Rabbit (1927), Steamboat Willie (1928), The Clock Washers (1937), The Old Mill (1937), The Wagon Horn (1950), Lambert , The Lion Who Thought He Was A Sheep (1952), The Paper Man (2012), The Feast (2014), Coming Home (2021). A screening of "Cinderella", a restored copy of the classic animated fairy tale from 1950, will be screened dubbed into Hebrew. The screenings of 5 favorite films - will be open to the public and will be held every evening in the piazza at the festival complex: "The Voice in the Head", "Aladdin", "Kadima", "Luca" "Encanto".

In a personal view

A frame curated by Panina Blair, the festival's honorary president.

• Blaga learns a lesson Blaga's Lessons, directed by Stefan Komandriev.
• Inside, directed by Vasilis Katsoupis.
• Three Women - Glorious Ashes, directed by Boy Tak Choyen.
• A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes, directed by Gentian Kochi.

Culinary cinema

A strip dealing with global food culture

• The pot The Pot-au-Feu, directed by: Tran An Hung. The wonderful Juliette Binoche is a talented cook who worked for 20 years for Dodin, a renowned and respected master chef. The film is about the love for cooking and raw materials, a love that is reflected in every hand movement, in the light, in the color, in the spectacular photography and in the love in the heart.
• I will not starve - I will not starve, director: Umberto Spinazzola. A love song to Italian cuisine and a relevant reading against the shameful waste of food in the Western world.
• Sugar and Stars, directed by Sebastian Tular. Based on the true and extraordinary story of chef Yazid Ihraman, who managed, against all odds, to escape from a future that seemed predetermined, and shine.
• Michelin Stars - Tales from The Kitchen, directed by Rasmus Dinsen. The film is about the world of haute cooking, chefs who have become influencers and opinion leaders. The director of the film, Rasmus Dinsen, followed 15 leading chefs for two years to bring the viewer a relevant document that examines in depth the fascinating scene of Michelin restaurants.

Industry events

The Haifa Film Festival celebrates 20 years of the International Film Pitching Forum and invites extensive activity for other industry events, including: the 13th Haifa Cinematography screening of work-in-progress copies, the 3rd Pitching Forum for TV series, the 9th Final Films Forum for students in production stages.
A delegation of producers from Italy will come again this year for personal work meetings, and for the launch of the Haifa Forum for Cinematic Creation. Among the industry guests at the international table are Mariet Riesenbeek, director of the Berlin Festival, Harold Valentine, producer of the famous series 10%, and more.

The industry events are in partnership with the Israel Cinema Fund, the Rabinovitz Foundation for the Arts - the Israeli Cinema Project, Kro Gesher for Multicultural Cinema, the Screenwriters' Union and the Producers' Union in Israel.

"Intifada"

The television events are hosting the premiere of "Intifada", a series by Ben Shani and Shai Lahav that go back to the days of the first intifada, produced by Beyond Creative, the series was produced for the docu department of Kaan 11. Premiere event of the series "Berlin Blues", coming soon at yes, creators and screenwriters Dana Idisis and Itamar Rothschild, directed by Ram Nahari, which deals with relocation and is a source for a discussion that will be held with the creators and actors on the essence of a house. Media generation producers.  

The full program will be published soon on the festival website.