Ithaca College

The first annual Israel Film Festival being held the weekend of March 1–2 at Ithaca College will feature two dramas and a documentary. Panel discussions focusing on an aspect of the film will follow each screening. All of the events are free and open to the public.

The theme for this year’s festival is multiculturalism in Israel.

The aim of the Israel Film Festival at Ithaca College is to bring together people who care about the art of cinematography, Israel and Ithaca College. 

We welcome everyone to see the complex picture of Israeli life, with its miracles, struggles, and opportunities. Through cinema, we offer a space to learn, explore, and better understand the multi-layered reality of a contemporary Israel.

Saturday, March 1

6:15 pm., Opening Reception and Remarks, Park Hall

7:15 p.m., Screening, Park Hall Auditorium

Film: “The Ballad of the Weeping Spring”

Panel Discussion: “Music in Film”

The final wishes of a dying man result in a musician with a scarred past taking a journey through the northern Israeli countryside on a mission: to find the best band-mates to perform the world premiere of the symphony “The Ballad of the Weeping Spring.” The film by Beni Torati explores and presents the authentic and classic music of the Mizrahi Jews, Israelis who came from Iran, Morocco and other Arab countries.

Sunday, March 2

2:15 p.m., Park Hall Auditorium

Film: “Mabul” (“The Flood”)

Panel Discussion: “Dealing with Disabilities”

As the smart but scrawny Yoni prepares for his bar mitzvah amidst his already unstable family, his autistic older brother suddenly returns home after being institutionalized for many years. Buried secrets come to light and Yoni’s bar mitzvah Torah portion — Noah and the flood — becomes a metaphor for the family’s fragile existence.

Sunday, March 2

5 p.m., Park Hall Auditorium

Film: “The Garden of Eden”

Panel Discussion: “Documenting Life”

The highly acclaimed documentary tells the story of Gan Hashlosha, one of the largest, most famous and most visited parks in Israel. The film documents the park’s transformation over the course of one year, and with a spectacular expression of cinematic beauty, it tells the stories of the people who visit the park and work therein.

The Israel Film Festival is sponsored by Hillel at Ithaca College, the Jewish studies Program, and Roy H. Park School of Communications, and Center for Academic Excellence.

 For more information, visit http://israelffithaca.com or contact hillel@ithaca.edu.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Igor Khokhlov at ikhokhlov@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-3323. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.