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Friday February 2, 2007

Shorts: The Arts

Israeli films win at Sundance

Two Israeli films took prizes at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

“Sweet Mud,” or “Adama Meshugaat” in Hebrew, received the World Cinema Jury Prize for Drama.

“Sweet Mud,” a top-grossing film in Israel this year, was the country’s foreign entry in the Academy Awards, though it was not nominated. It tells the story of a young Israeli boy coming of age on a kibbutz while trying to provide emotional support for his depressive mother.

The World Cinema Documentary Competition Jury presented a Special Jury Prize to “Hot House,” directed by Shimon Dotan, which looks at how Israeli prisons have become a breeding ground for the next generation of Palestinian leaders as well as the birthplace of future terrorist threats. — jta

Israeli film requested for Iran screening

The Tehran Film Festival reportedly requested to screen an Israeli film. Yediot Achronot reported that the film, “More Than 1,000 Words,” is a joint Israeli-German production about an Israeli photojournalist covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“This is an exceptional opportunity to show the Iranians a film about life in Israel. The film doesn’t deal with my work as a photographer. It serves as a mirror for Israeli society and presents my feelings as a human being who lives in Tel Aviv. I hope that the human message will get through.”

It was not immediately clear why the film was selected but its Israeli director, Solo Avital, suggested it might be a sign that there are growing voices in Iran who want to know more about Israel and don’t necessarily agree with the current regime’s policy.

The festival is set to begin Thursday, Feb. 1. — jta

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