Celebrating in style, the three major New York film schools – Columbia University School of Arts, The School of Visual Arts Film School and NYU Tisch School of the Arts will host the Sam Speigel Film & Television School – Jerusalem from March 22 – 24, 2011, with special tribute screenings to mark its 20th anniversary. Each of the three evenings will include opening words by industry professionals followed by a 90 min program of renowned and prizewinning short films, followed by a Q & A moderated by Mr. Renen Schorr, Founding Director of the school.
The Sam Speigel Film School has been central to the resurgence of Israeli film, nurturing new talent, providing a supportive framework for creativity and exploration alongside the acquisition of professional skills, attracting new audiences to Israeli film and generating a dialogue between Israeli filmmakers and audiences – both local and international.
The school has won many accolades at home and abroad, a major landmark in its first years was the 1996 retrospective at the MOMA – the first of over 100 international retrospectives since. The Sam Speigel Film School counts among its alumni exceptional filmmakers who have had a significant impact on Israeli film, and the school has won 295 international awards, including awards at the Cannes, Berlin and Venice film festivals.
The festivities will begin on March 22, 2011 with a gala screening at the SVA, a closed event for invitees only, with guest speaker Mr. Laurence Kardish, Curator of the Department of Film and Media at the MoMA. The evening will include screenings of: Cock Fight (14 min/2000) written and directed by Sigalit Lifshitz, Sliding Flora (12 min/2003) written and directed by Talya Lavie, Sea Horses (17:30 min/1998), Sabbath Entertainment (21 min/2003) written and directed by Mihal Brezis and Oded Binnun, and Anthem (31 min/2008) written and directed by Elad Keidan.
On March 23, 2011 the Israel Film Center at the JCC in Manhattan will host a screening for Columbia University students that will be open to the general public, with opening remarks by Mr. Richard Peña, Program Director – The Film Society of Lincoln Center &Professor of Film Studies- Columbia University. The program will include: A Different War (15 min/2003) written and directed by Nadav Gal, The Red Toy, (12 min/2004) written and directed by Dani Rosenberg, The Substitute (16 min/2005) written and directed by Talya Lavie, Bedouin Sand (17 min/1997) written and directed by Omri Levy, Driver (30 min/2011) written and directed by Yehonatan Indursky.
The final evening, March 24, 2011 will take place at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a screening for NYU Cinema Studies Department students. The program will include: Home (18 min/1994) written and directed by David Ofek, Tolya (9:30 min/2006) written and directed by Rodeon Brodsky, Diploma (20 min/2009) written and directed by Yaelle Kayam, The Substitute (16 min/2005) written and directed by Talya Lavie, and Guided Tour (25 min/2009) written and directed by Benjamin Freidenberg.
Additional information can be found on the Sam Spiegel School Takes Manhattan site.
Part of this initiative are Producers Anthony Bregman, Ira Deutchman and Carol Polakoff who together with the guest speakers serve as members of the advisory board. The events are supported by The Israel Film Center at JCC in Manhattan, Consulate General of Israel in New York, The Jerusalem Film and Television Fund of The Jerusalem Development Authority, The Jerusalem Foundation, Bank Leumi, Producer Carol Polakoff,and The School of Visual Arts Film School. The events are co- presented by the School of Visual Arts Film School, Columbia University School of The Arts & NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. In partnership with The Film Society of Lincoln Center, IFP, Hurry Date and America- Israel Cultural Foundation.
