Bethlehem, Yuval Adler’s debut film, was awarded the Haifa Cultural Foundation Feature Film Award at the 29th Haifa International Film Festival in a ceremony that took place in the festival garden on Thursday, September 26, 2013. The 29th Haifa International Film Festival took place from September 19 – September 29, 2013.
Co-written by Yuval Adler and Ali Waked, Bethlehem describes the complex relationship between Razi, an Israeli Secret Service officer, and his teenage Palestinian informant Sanfur. The judges wrote in their assessment: “The film had us in its grip from the first scene, and held us there even after the film was over. It is a courageous, disturbing, powerful and moving film that presents the viewer with dilemmas of conflicting loyalties. Although it is the director’s first feature, he demonstrates complete control of the cinematic medium and creates a captivating, fascinating film. It is important to note that in addition to being a wonderful film, it is also, and primarily relevant to our lives in this place.” Members of the jury: jury chairperson and actor Gila Almagor, artist and experimental filmmaker Vivian Ostrovsky, film director and producer Jorge Gurvich, producer Haim Mecklberg, and Director of the Istanbul Film Festival Azize Ten.
Bethlehem‘s lead actor Tsahi Halevi won the award for Best Actor. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, has also received the Ophir Award for Best Picture, awarded this past Saturday, September 28, 2013 by the Israel Academy for Film and Television.
Ana Arabia received two awards: Amos Gitai and Marie Jose Sanselme received the award for Best Screenplay; Giora Bejach and Nir Bar received the award for Best Cinematography, recognizing their artistic filming of the entire 81 minutes in one long shot.
Farewell Herr Schwarz, directed by Yael Reuveny, won the award for Best Documentary. The film tells an incredible and touching story of a Jewish family lost to one another after World War II. The members of the jury panel – Heinz Emigholz, Netalie Braun and Tamar Yarom – wrote of the film: “A journey of three generations in Israel and Germany that gradually builds the contradictory family stories into a narrative that is full of life. The mystery of the separation between sister and brother caused by the Holocaust is conveyed in a cinematic language and screenplay that is mature and coherent.
Itamar Chen’s Night Shift received an Honorable Mention.
Best Debut Film was awarded to Yossi Aviram for La Dune.
Hila Vidor won Best Actress for her performance in Funeral At Noon.
The Golden Anchor Award for films from Mediterranean countries went to Italian director Roberto Ando for Viva la Liberta.
Alex van Warmerdam won the Filmmakers of Tomorrow Fedeora Competition with his film Borgman.
Joseph Pitchhadze’s Sweets won the critics association award for special artistic achievement.
[…] reservations about Bethlehem – and I seem very much alone in this, given the film’s success at Haifa, Venice and most recently the Israeli Academy Awards, meaning that it will be the country’s […]
[…] Bethlehem leads this year with six awards, including: Yuval Adler receiving the award for Best Director, and Best Screenplay with Ali Waked. Tzahi Halevy received the award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film. Bethlehem was also chosen as the Best Feature Film at the 29th Haifa International Film Festival 2013. […]
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