Israeli Film Festival 2010

First published on 27 Aug 2010. Updated on 5 Apr 2011.

The AICE Israeli Film festival returns for a seventh year. Artistic director Katriel Schory explains.

Katriel, what do you look for when deciding on what gets screened?
We aim to show a really diverse picture of the very vibrant and turbulent Israeli society. I am looking for films that have a story to tell and something to say. We look for stories that are engaging and can move audiences.

What do you feel sets Israeli filmmakers apart from their colleagues around the world?
Israeli filmmakers are courageous, daring and direct in dealing with controversial issues and subjects, and with their own very personal stories. We are an art house film industry by the mere fact that our films are in Hebrew. Our films are also limited in their scope because of our limited budgets. So our stories are based on strong characters and relationships, on very direct and sincere dialogue and on great acting. This is the face of contemporary Israeli cinema.

How important was it to strike a balance between films that address the issues, and films that offer an escape?
Our main criteria was, and is, the cinematic merits of the individual films. You must also take into account the importance of the audience, as in our opinion, film cannot exist without an audience - films should also entertain.

This is a tough one. If you could only see one of the films on offer this year, which would it be?
I honestly can't say, as they are all my sons. Ajami, the opening film of the festival, is the third successive Israeli film to be nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. The highly entertaining A Matter of Size, the powerful The Loners and thriller Kirot have all struck a chord with international festivals and audiences. A Film Unfinished collected the best documentary award at the prestigious Hotdocs in Toronto. Jonathon Valenzuela