The Unorthodox
Synopsis
When Yakov Cohen’s daughter is expelled from school for ethnic reasons, he decides to fight back. It’s 1983 and Yakov, a printer in Jerusalem, is just a regular guy. He has no knowledge, no money, no connections and no political experience. But he does have the will and the passion to take action, and a belief that he and and other Sephardic Jews should be able to hold their heads up high. Yakov brings two friends along and together they start the first ethnic political group in Jerusalem, with an operation characteristic of the people they represent: not the suit-wearing types, but rather the people working their way up from the bottom. Their operation is informal, full of love for their fellow man, animated by a great sense of humor and a whole lot of rage.
Credits
Director(s)
Eliran Malka
Producer(s)
Ra'anan Gershoni
Executive Producer(s)
Rachel Paran, Idit Paran
Script
Eliran Malka
Cinematography
Yaron Scharf
Editor
Arik Lahav-Leibovich
Original Music
Ophir Leibovitch
Cast
Shuli Rand, Yaacov Cohen, Golan Azulai, Yoav Levi, Or Lumbrozo, Tzahi Grad, Yigal Naor, Shifi Aloni
Original Language
Hebrew
Subtitles
English, French, Greek
Chief Producer
Yehonatan Paran
Head of Film Dept
Keren Michael
Production Company
Dori Media Paran, Tel Aviv
Production Design
Ido Dolev
Sound Design
Avi Mizrahi, Gil Toren
Supported by
Israel Film Fund, The Jerusalem Film & Television Fund at the Jerusalem Development Authority, Gesher Multicultural Film Fund, HOT
Festival Highlights
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Winner
Special Mention Best FeatureReligion Today2020 -
Winner
Best Feature FilmChicago Festival of Israeli Cinema2019 -
Winner
Best FilmMontreal Israeli Film Festival2019 -
Winner
Best ScreenplayMontreal Israeli Film Festival2019 -
Winner
Best PhotographyMontreal Israeli Film Festival2019 -
Winner
Best FilmMoscow Jewish Film Festival2019
Religion Today, Italy, 2020
Bengaluru International Film Festival, India, 2020
Mexico Israeli Film Festival, Mexico, 2020
Louisville Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2020
Jewish Federation of El Paso, USA, 2020
Spokane Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2020
Denver Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2020
Tirana International Film Festival, Albania, In Competition, 2019
Jewish Motifs International Film Festival, Poland, 2019
Stony Brook International Film Festival, USA, 2019
Axelrod Performing Arts Center, USA, 2019
St. Louis Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2019
Shalom Europa, France, 2019
Israel Film Center Festival, USA, 2019
Moscow Jewish Film Festival, Russia, 2019
Montreal Israeli Film Festival, Canada, 2019
Winnipeg Jewish Film Festival, Canada, 2019
Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2019
Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2019
Synagogue Beth Or, USA, 2019
Washington Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2019
Detroit Jewish Film Festival, USA, 2019
Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Canada, 2019
Beijing International Film Festival, China, 2019
Victoria International Film Festival, Canada, 2019
Santa Barbara International Film Festival, USA, 2019
Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel, Opening Night Film, 2018
Goa International Flim Festival, India, Official Selection, 2018
