“Skin”, an Israeli short film (live action) nominee
1. Working Woman (2018)This movie is inspired by the #metoo movement. Filmmaker Michal Aviad is a known feminist and an advocate for social justice. The movie shares the story of a young woman (Orna) with a family of three children and a husband who’s struggling to start his own restaurant. To help support her family, she starts a new job working for a real estate developer. As Orna tries to balance her family life with a successful work life she finds herself experiencing sexual harassment from her boss.
This movie is a very powerful portrayal of the challenges women face in the workplace, and comes at a time when people around the world are emphasizing a movement against sexual harassment and sexual assault of women.
2. The Other Story (2018)
Avi Nesher, a well-known filmmaker in Israel, has produced another great film that explores Israel’s religious–secular divide. The movie is based on a true story. A rebellious young woman abruptly decides to marry a member of Jerusalem’s insular orthodox community. Her divorced secular parents and grandfather devise a plan to foil the upcoming wedding with unforeseen results.
This movie shows the complexity of what it means to accept religious differences and the challenging decisions parents make about their involvement in their children’s lives.
3. The Oslo Diaries (2018)
This movie is a historic documentary. In 1992 the Israeli-Palestinian relations were at an all-time low in the midst of the second Intifada. In an attempt to stop the bloodshed, a small group of Israelis & Palestinians host a secret meeting in Oslo. These meetings that changed the Middle East forever were never officially sanctioned and were chronicled only by the negotiators’ diaries.
This movie captures the journey of the Oslo deal – capturing Israel’s most vulnerable moments, showing the horrific reality of the people and the sensitive discussions of its leaders.
4. Shoelaces (2018)The importance of human life and human connection is the lead message of this film. This film is about a special needs child whose mother suddenly passes away. Her death forces him to move in with his father who hasn’t been a part of his life. The son’s endless optimism and humor has a big impact on his father. Throughout the movie, we watch their relationship grow stronger as their bond deepens.
This movie has been nominated 8 times in the Ophir awards (the Israeli, humbler version of the Oscars).
Enjoy!
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This article was written by Shir Schneier for The Jewish Agency for Israel