Israel’s Minister of Culture Miri Regev caused a stir among some publications and Netizens when she wore an A-line dress at the film festival that featured the skyline of Jerusalem. It was designed by Aviad Arik Herman.
I personally loved the dress and thought it looked fabulous on her. It reminds me of the pair of slacks I had made by another Israel designer based in Sweden that depicts Manhattan’s Empire State Building along my inseam.
Israel-haters were quick to criticize Regev’s “Jerusalem of Gold” dress, and some created meme’s that printed alternative scenes from Israeli history on the skirt’s hemline.
Israel has its own pavilion at the festival to show off its latest cinematic treasures. In addition to two dozen short films that are for sale at the festival, there are three notable films in the fest. HERITAGE (Ben Mamschich) by Yuval Aharoni, WEST OF THE JORDAN by Amos Gitai, and SCAFFOLDING by student filmmaker Matan Yair.
In HERITAGE, Noam, a young gay man, discovers that his father, who just passed away, had a secret affair with a married man. He follows and meets that man. Aharoni is a grad of the STEVE TISCH SCHOOL OF FILM & TELEVISION at TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY. Cannes contact for the film is: DEUX BEAUX GARÇONS FILMS – Shlomi Elkabetz and Eilon Shani – ISRAEL – T: +972 54-3174755 – [email protected]
In Amos Gitai’s latest: WEST OF THE JORDAN is a documentary and follow up to his 1982 documentary “Field Diary.” In the doc, Gitai interviews Israeli politicians, Palestinians, journalists, the legendary Gideon Levy, and even a “settler” who was stabbed by a Palestinian while she was pregnant but isn’t the cliche talking head with a grudge. In a sense, his film seeks out cracks in the walls and the fringe players who might one day change policies and attitudes.
So far, the film with the greatest buzz is one directed by Noah Baumbach; it is a Scott Rudin production and Netflix Original. “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)” stars actors Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller, who play half-brothers, the sons of a NYC sculptor. Danny Meyerowitz (Sandler) and Matthew Meyerowitz (Stiller) have a difficult relationship with their father, Harold Meyerowitz (played by Dustin Hoffman), as does their sister Jean (Elizabeth Marvel). He is pretty much a jerk, on his fourth marriage. The Whitney Museum once acquired one of Harold’s pieces, but he has never received the accolades, shows, or publicity as have his perceived peers. As with Willy Loman, sort of, attenton has not been paid to Harold, who is mostly just filled with stories. And even if he did have a retrospective, would that make up for his failings as a father and human? His metrosexual, perfectly tanned son Matthew is more interested in selling Harold’s huge NYC apartment to a gay couple, than with helping his father with a legacy. Like an Esau, Matthew is his father’s favorite, even though unkempt Danny is the more attentive. When Harold ends up in the hospital, the whole family has to be in the same room, and the dysfunction erupts (with music by… Randy Newman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSiygyP2bIk
