Friday Film: From Paris With Love
By Isaac Zablocki December 3, 2010
Isaac Zablocki is the director of film programs at The JCC in Manhattan.
“Five Hours From Paris” is an Israeli film, inspired by classic French New Wave cinema, that tells the story of a taxi driver with a fear of flying and a Russian immigrant who is planning to move to Toronto. When “Five Hours From Paris” screened on November 2 at The JCC in Manhattan, the sold out audiance asked director Leonid Prudovsky, “why does this film not have an American distributor?” Prudovsky explained that the reason might be because the film is not political. But in a war-stricken region, it is refreshing to have an occasional glimpse of daily life and true humanity. I took the opportunity to talk to Prudovsky about his love of French movies, the reaction to “Five Hours From Paris” in Israel, and the film’s inadvertent politicization in the wake of last June’s flotilla incident. “Five Hours From Paris” next screens on December 9 at the Washington Jewish Film Festival.
Watch an interview with Leonid Prudovsky:
