EDDIE Tamir loves the atmosphere at the bustling Cannes Film Festival, especially with the large contingent of Israeli filmmakers in attendance showcasing the boom in Israeli cinema.
The Melbourne cinema owner and co-director of the Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF) says that while this year’s Jewish-themed films were not as high profile as last year – when Natalie Portman’s A Tale of Love and Darkness, based on the early life of Israeli author Amos Oz, premiered at the festival and the Holocaust drama Son of Saul by Hungarian director Laszlo Nemes picked up awards on the way to its Oscar glory – there were still plenty of films and documentaries on offer from Israel.
“For the first time at Cannes the Israeli contingent had its own pavilion as part of a big presence,” says Tamir. “We are in the golden age for Israeli films and documentaries.”
Read the full report by Danny Gocs in the Australian Jewish News.