The Jerusalem Film Festival opened with a celebration, in the presence of the President and his wife Israel today

The 39th Jerusalem Film Festival - the largest, oldest and most important cultural event in Israel - opens tonight (Thursday).

The opening event opened, as is the best tradition, with a festive ceremony in the Sultan's pool under the sky, with the participation of about 5,000 spectators and guests.

The opening ceremony was held in the presence of President Yitzhak Herzog, his wife Mrs. Michal Herzog, Minister of Culture and Sports Hili Troper, Minister of Housing and Construction, Jerusalem and Heritage Ze'ev Elkin, Director of the Film Festival Roni Mehdev-Levin, and Chairman of the Jerusalem Cinematech Board Danny Mimran.

The opening event was held in the presence of the Swedish director Ruben Östlund, the guest of honor of the festival, whose new film "Triangle of Sorrows", winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, was screened as the opening film of the festival.

Östlund received a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the festival.

Director of the film festival Roni Mehdev-Levin, Swedish director Ruben Ostlund, Michal Herzog and president Yitzhak Herzog, photo: Sion Farge

The wife of the country's president, Michal Herzog, opened the ceremony and said: "Every summer a wonderful thing happens called the 'Jerusalem Film Festival.'

"This festival not only exposes Israeli cinema to those who lead the international film arena, but also manages to encourage local creation - even in its early stages, and certainly when it is at its peak - and most importantly, to be a hotbed for inspiring meetings between creators from the country and the world.

"Cinema has the power to take us out of our everyday life. Like all art, cinema has the power of life. This is why art is not just a hobby or a leisure activity - it must be part of the range of our human behaviors. It must be diverse and accessible to everyone. Go see movies !"

The Jerusalem Film Festival will be held this year on July 21-31.

As every year, the festival will present a rich and comprehensive artistic program, which includes more than 200 films from 50 countries, dozens of festive premieres of the outstanding Israeli films of the year, and spoken word films that have won leading festivals in the world.

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