Cinema from another world:
The 38th Haifa International Film Festival closed today (Saturday) with a festive ceremony where the winning films in the various categories were announced.
Israeli feature film: "Valeria is getting married"
Screenwriter and director Michal Vinik's film, "Valeria Gets Married" won the most coveted and prestigious category.
Vinik's film, which tells the story of a Ukrainian citizen who, like her sister, wants to marry an Israeli man and move to Israel, won the best film award and the best screenplay award.
In the reasoning of the jury, it is written that "'Valeria Gets Married is a chamber and claustrophobic film that wraps within it a great human and universal story - a choice. With sensitivity, precision and compassion, the film unfolds the story of four lost souls trying to survive in an oppressive and binding reality and it does so with great success."
The big winner.
The movie "Valeria is getting married", photography: Guy Raz
Debut film: "The Fat"
Gudis Schneider's film, "Hashman", won the debut film category.
It is a romantic comedy about a large guy who falls in love with a thin girl.
The film, which is based on the relationship between the director and his wife, the film's screenwriter, Liat Elkayam - also picked up the acting prize, which was awarded to Tzachi Sadan.
The judges' reasoning states that Sadan "does play the role of a fat man, but even the last of the thin can identify with his unrequited love and his desire to be loved. The play is unpretentious and captivating."
The movie "The Fat", photography: Amit Shael
The artistic achievement: "Virgins"
Maor Zagori's bold debut film ("Zagori Empire"), "Virgins", did not win the debut category, but managed to pick up the "Artistic Achievement" award.
The film tells the story of a sensitive boy who discovers his sexuality in the Israel of the nineties.
Maor Levy stars as the boy, and Amos Tamm and Chen Amsalem play his parents.
The judges' reasoning states that Zagori's film is "a spectacularly beautiful film cast in a gallery of wonderful actors who handle their complex roles with great talent."
"virginity".
Maor Zagori in his first film, photography: Boaz Yonatan Yaakov
Israeli Documentary: "Nitza's Choice"
"Nitza's Choice", the film of the veteran director Uri Barbash, won the prize in the coveted category in Israel, which is considered a powerhouse in the field of documentary cinema.
At the center of the story is a Holocaust survivor who reveals dramatic details about her past.
A commendation in the documentary category was awarded to "Bronka!", by Tomer Slutsky and Shlomo Slutsky, in which they document a long-standing struggle for the extradition of an Argentine war criminal living in Israel.
"Nitza's choice".
Fine documentary, photography: Ofer Dori
"Bronka!", was satisfied with a commendation, photo: Tomer Slutsky
Carmel International Cinema Competition: "Kirba"
In the coveted category for foreign films, the celebrated youth drama "Kirba", by the Belgian director Lucas Donut ("Girl"), won, which will also represent Belgium at the Academy Awards.
A commendation in this category was awarded to the psychological thriller "Like Animals" by Rodrigo Soroguin.
"closeness".
Picked up the prize, photo: PR
were we wrong
We will fix it!
If you found an error in the article, we would appreciate it if you shared it with us