In the 1990’s a million former USSR Jews arrived in Israel. The immigrants were despised by the local population who feared their ‘invasion’. While many embraced the Israeli lifestyle, others chose to live in self-made Russian ghettos. These ghettos were a fertile ground for the creation of self-hating Jewish skinheads. ‘White Panther’ is the story of Alex, a young Russian immigrant who joins a skinheads’ gang, led by his older brother. An unexpected meeting with David, a religious Moroccan Jew, gives Alex a chance to pursue his longtime dream of becoming a boxer like his father. Alex finds himself torn between his two father figures – his violent older brother and his new Jewish trainer, only to find out the truth about those he so admires.
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Tag Archives: Hebrew
Harcheck mi headro / That Lovely Girl (2014) Keren Yedaya, Maayan Turjeman, Tzahi Grad, Yaël Abecassis, Drama
Moshe and Tami are a couple, Moshe is in his fifties and Tami is in her early twenties. They live together in a cruel and violent relationship, from which Tami seems unable to set herself free. Tami and Moshe are father and daughter.
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Laredet Meha Ets / Up the Wrong Tree (2013) Gur Bentwich, Sarah Adler, Sasha Agronov, Drama
This is the story of Nits, a restless bum and a hopeless cynic as he returns from his journey with an obsessive intention of bringing back his ex- girlfriend and their beloved dog. She however, throws him down the drain and so he finds himself, contrary to his anti- political and anti-everything attitude, stuck on top of a tree overlooking his beloved’s apartment fearlessly leading an environmental battle against real estate sharks. For once in his life, he finds some comfort by staying put. He refuses to disembark even when the bulldozers charge in. Perhaps it’s because he’s had enough time on the road and finally understands there’s nowhere to run to and perhaps because he can’t remember what he’s doing up that tree in the first place.
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Ha-Notenet / The Slut (2011) Hagar Ben-Asher, Ishai Golan, Icho Avital, Drama
Tamar, 35, a beautiful young woman, lives alone with her two daughters. She can’t restrain her sexual appetite and gives herself to several men of the village. Shai, a young veterinary, just moved in the region and soon falls under the spell of Tamar. They quickly become lovers but will Tamar be satisfied with only one partner?
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Hatuna Meuheret / Late Marriage (2001) Dover Koshashvili, Lior Ashkenazi, Ronit Elkabetz, Moni Moshonov, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Zaza is a 31-year old Israeli bachelor, handsome and intelligent, and his family wants to see him married. But tradition dictates that Zaza has to choose a young virgin. She must be beautiful and from a good family, preferably rich. Zaza’s parents, Yasha and Lily drag Zaza to meet potential brides and their families. Zaza has no choice. He plays along with his family, advocates of the suffocating traditions of their Georgian Jewish heritage. But Zaza always manages to somehow get out of being engaged. What his parents don’t know is that Zaza is already in love. Judith is sensuous, strong and intriguing. She’s also a divorcée with a 6-year-old daughter. So Zaza has kept Judith a secret from his family. He will have to choose between respect of the strict confines of family and tradition, or the love of his life.
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Hamesh shaot me’Pariz / Five Hours from Paris (2009) Leonid Prudovsky, Vladimir Friedman, Efim Gelman, Ohad Gil, Drama
Only 5 flight hours from Paris, in a working-class suburb of Tel Aviv, two people meet. He is a bred-and-born Israeli and she is a Russian immigrant. He is a taxi driver and she is a music teacher. He has no aspirations. She gave up hers long ago. He is afraid of flying and she is about to fly away. What are the odds of them ending up together?
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Ha-Asonot Shel Nina / Nina’s Tragedies (2003) Savi Gabizon, Ayelet Zurer, Yoram Hattab, Alon Aboutboul, Comedy, Drama
The taboo relationship between young Nadav and his Aunt Nina transcends definition on its way to odd highs and lows.
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