World Premiere: Israeli Film to Screen at Sundance

DEBUT: Reuven Badalov stars in ?Zion and His Brother.?

By Nathan Burstein December 11, 2008

Following an impressive year on the international film festival circuit, Israel’s movie industry will get off to a strong start in 2009 with a world premiere at January’s Sundance Film Festival.

DEBUT: Reuven Badalov stars in ?Zion and His Brother.?

“Zion and His Brother,” a family drama set in Tel Aviv, has secured a highly coveted spot in the festival’s World Drama Cinematic Competition, earning a Sundance screening alongside just 15 of the record 1,012 films submitted.

The first feature-length project by writer/director Eran Merav, “Zion” tells the story of its 14-year-old title character, who, along with his older brother, is connected to the accidental death of an Ethiopian immigrant. The film marks the debut of Reuven Badalov, as Zion, and also features veteran performers Tzahi Grad and Ronit Elkabetz, who together share four victories and nine additional nominations at the Israeli Film Academy awards ceremony.

Should “Zion” take home the top prize in its category, it won’t be the first Israeli film to claim that honor: Kibbutz drama “Sweet Mud” won the World Drama Cinematic Competition in 2007.

Also at this year’s Sundance is “Amreeka,” a drama featuring Israeli-Arab performer Hiam Abbass that will be screened as part of the festival’s U.S. Dramatic Competition. The story of a divorced Palestinian woman who moves to rural Illinois with her son, the film includes Abbass, who in September won the Israeli Film Academy award for best actress in a supporting role.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO