2008 Jerusalem Film Festival Awards

2008 Jerusalem Film Festival: July 10–19

Ronit Elbabetz and Shlomi Elkabetz’s 7 Days: "One of the brothers of the Ohaion family dies. It is a large family. According to the tradition, the period of mourning begins after the funeral: the entire family goes to the home of the deceased, and nobody can leave for seven days. One must dedicate oneself to prayer for the soul of the deceased and tell him goodbye. Over the course of the week, they will sleep together on slim mattresses, eat light food, and go without shaving, taking a shower, or even changing clothes. The mourners are the six brothers, the two sisters, the spouse and her two children, as well as the mother. To these twelve people are added the brothers’ wives, and some close friends. The action takes place during the 1991 Gulf War, and Saddam Hussein’s missiles constitute a permanent threat. The family business of aluminum painting, which is their mutual source of income, is on the brink of bankruptcy, and debts pile up. With these multiple pressures, the Seven Days will put the family structure to the test. All the family’s members must unite and show solidarity towards one another. They should be mourning their deceased brother and put aside any material worries, but instead, they reject the idea of death and the purpose of their meeting, to leave room for their old demons." Synopsis from the Jerusalem Film Festival website.

The Wolgin Award for Best Feature Film: 7 Days, directors Ronit Elbabetz and Shlomi Elkabetz

The Award for the Best Actress: Hana Azulay Hasfary, for her role in 7 Days

The Award for Best Actor: Alon Aboutboul and Moshe Ivgy, for their roles in Out of the Blue

The Wolgin Award for Best Documentary: The Tale of Nicolai & the Law of Return, director David Ofek

Special Mention: Nuran, directed by Amikam Shossberger

The Wolgin Award for Best Short Film: Around Trip by Gur Bentwich

Special Mentions: The Repentance of Rachamim Hanuka directed by Ariel Benbaji, and Bait, directed by Michal Vinik

The Award in Memory of Anat Pirchi for Best Single Drama: And Thou Shalt Love, director Chaim Elbaum

Special Mention: Anthem, directed by Elad Keidan

Award for Best Television Series: Arab Labor, creators Daniel Paran, Sayed Kashua, and Roni Ninio

Special Mention: A Taste of Conflict, creators Uri Barbash and Ronit Weiss-Berkowitz

The "In the Spirit of Freedom" Awards: Hunger, director Steve McQueen, and Little Moth, Peng Tao

Special mention: Under the Bombs, directed by Philippe Aractingi

FIPRESCI International Critics’ Award: My Marlon and Brando, directed by Hüseyin Karabey

The Jewish Experience Awards: Outside Love, director Daniel Espinosa, and The Green Dumpster Mystery (above), director Tal Haim Yoffe

The "Shavim" (Equals) Production Grant: "Lod Bypass," to be directed by Orna Raviv and produced by Shula Spiegel

Israeli Film Survey Winners:

Avanti Popolo, Atash-Thirst, Late Wedding

Wim van Leer Young Filmmaker’s award:

Fiction film: On Top of the Water, directed by Efrat Raz

Documentary Film: Nadine, directed by Nadine Abu Lashin

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