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Catalog  New Release Eli & Ben |
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Eli & Ben
Israel, 2009 | Feature, 89 minutes, |
Director:
Ori Ravid
Producers: inosan, Mosh Danon
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| Synopsis |
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Eli is 12-years-old and his world is turned upside down when his father, the City Architect of Herzelya, is charged with taking bribes. The father is taken into custody right before Eli`s eyes and the news makes its way into the newspaper and the school ground alike. Eli is convinced that his father is innocent. He intends to draw on the full reserves of his innocence and mischief to see to it that his father is released. But the path would not be easy. Eli will have to face injustice, corruption and pretence, among both adults and children. He will have to shape his own principles and stick to them. In the process he will re-discover his father and taste the bitter sting of first love.
From the press:
"A beautiful down-to-earth story"
Gidi Orsher, Galey Tzahal
"A coming of age drama with a social message, brilliantly made"
Matan Shiram, Globes daily newspaper
"Spurs great appraisal"
Ori Klein, Haaretz newspaper.
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Awards and Festivals |
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Awards:
Grand Prix (Golden Swan) - Moscow International Festival for Children and Youth 2009
Audience Award for Best Feature Fiction, Boston Jewish FF 2009 |
Festivals:
Haifa International Film Festival - World premiere
LA Israeli Film Festival 2009
Australian Israeli Film Festival, 2009
Hamburg Childrens and Youth Film Festival 2009
Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, 2009
Boston Jewish Film Festival 2009 - opening film
UK Jewish Film Festival, 2009
Baltimore Jewish Film Festival, 2009
Beth Tzedec Calgary Jewish Film Festival, 2009
Bucharest Israeli Film Festival, Romania 2009
Toronto Israeli Film festival, Canada 2009
Moscow International Film Festival, Russia 2009
Bologna Film Festival, Italy 2009
Mumbai International Children`s Film Festival, India 2009
New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2009
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, USA 2010
Jewish Public Library Montreal Film Festival, Canada 2010
Brooklyn Israel Film Festival, USA, January 2010
Consulate General of Israel in Hong Kong, January 2010
San Diego Jewish Film Festival, USA, February 2010
Denver Jewish Film Festival, USA, February 2010
Phoenix Jewish Film Festival, USA, February 2010
Little See-Horse Children`s Filmfest, Germany, February 2010
Fribourg International Film Festival, March 2010
Wesleyan University Film Festival, USA, February 2010
Contra Costa Jewish Film Festival, USA , March 2010
North New Jersey Israeli Film Festival, USA , March 2010
Philadelphia Israeli Film Festival, USA, March 2010
Hartford Jewish Film Festival, USA , March 2010
Isratim, Israeli Film Festival in Paris, March 2010
Bologna International Film Festival, March 2010
Hartford Jewish Film Festival, March 2010
Pittsburgh Jewish-Israeli Film Festival, March 2010
Huston Jewish Film Festival, March 2010
Columbia Jewish Film Festival, March 2010
New Jersey Jeish Film Festival, March 2010
Palm Beach International Film Festival, April 2010
Austin Jewish Film Festival, April 2010
Cherry Hill Jewish Film Festival, April 2010
Nova International Jewish Film Festival, April 2010
Dayton Jewish Film Festival, April 2010
Toronto Jewish Film Festival, April 2010
Montreal Jewish Film Festival, April 2010
DetectiveFEST Moscow, April 2010
Detroit Jewish Film Ffestival, April 2010
Rockland Jewish Film Festival, May 2010
Saint Luis Jewish Film Festival, June 2010
Grand Rapids Jewish Film Festival, May 2010
Northwest Film Center, April 2010
Sinai Temle, Los Angeles, July 2010
Caracas Jewish Film Festival, Venezuela 2010
San Paulo Jewish Film Festival, Brazil 2010
Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival, USA 2010
Sid Jacobson Jewish Film Festival, July 2010
South Africa Istraeli Film Festival, July 2010
Martha`s Vinyard Jewish Festival, July 2010
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More Credits |
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| Cast: Lior Ashkenazi, Yuval Sheva, Tsahi Grad, Nissan Nativ |
| Original Language: Hebrew |
| Subtitles: English |
Photos |
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Quotes |
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Quote from Roberta Bloom, director of the Denver Jewish Film Festival:
"I watched Eli and Ben last night. I like the film, and will present it to my selection committee as a choice for our family film. What I like is that people are not all good, or all bad. We want the father to be innocent of the crimes he is accused of, but he is not. We want the policeman to be a bad man who is persecuting an innocent man, but he is not. And, in fact he is a thoughtful, caring, individual who is insightful about human character and behavior. Eli has conversations about first love with the policeman that we would rather he would have with his own father. When Eli discovers his father is guilty and then he is planning to run, he becomes angry, and feels rejected. But, he also discovers, that despite his father’s imperfections, Eli still loves and cares for him. At the same time, when Eli’s friend’s bullying goes too far, and there is no punishment, Eli publically reveals the truth, distancing himself from his friend, and endangering himself. And, when he asks a girl out only to make another girl jealous, he discovers that this other girl is a kind and sensitive friend who can help him through a challenging time. So, there is a lot going on about relationships, commitment, judging others, and justice." |
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