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🇮🇱 Israel /Culture & Society

Israeli movies balance excitement, sorrow, and war at Jerusalem Film Festival

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • The 43rd Jerusalem Film Festival balances celebratory atmosphere with films grappling with the ongoing war and its impact.
  • Screenings, including the premiere of "Tell Me Everything," sold out, reflecting a return to pre-war festivity.
  • Several documentaries, such as "Find Me, Okay?" about a hostage's murder, highlight the war's sorrow and the resilience of affected families.

The 43rd Jerusalem Film Festival has opened with a more vibrant atmosphere than its predecessors, which were overshadowed by the ongoing war with Hamas and the hostage crisis. This year's festival, running from July 9 to July 19, has seen sold-out screenings and a palpable excitement among attendees, beginning with the opening premiere of Moshe Rosenthal's coming-of-age drama, "Tell Me Everything," watched by 6,000 movie buffs.

Despite the festive mood, the reality of the conflict remains present. Title cards before each screening remind audiences of potential missile alerts and necessary shelter procedures. Several new Israeli films directly confront the war's impact, including Yula Gidron's documentary "Find Me, Okay?" This film, part of the Diamond Competition, delves into the kidnapping and murder of Eden Yerushalmi from the Nova Festival, detailing her family's ordeal and ongoing suffering.

"Find Me, Okay?" focuses on Yerushalmi's final words to a police dispatcher as she fled terrorists and chronicles her family's efforts to keep her memory alive. Yerushalmi, 24 at the time of her kidnapping, was held for 11 months, much of it in tunnels alongside other hostages later dubbed "The Beautiful Six." Their deaths at the end of August 2024, confirmed by Hamas, triggered widespread demonstrations across Israel.

The film emphasizes the struggle of Yerushalmi's mother and sisters to maintain public awareness of her fate, with one sister questioning, "Eden asked us to fight for her. If you were there, wouldn't you want people to fight for you?" The family's efforts to lobby for her release, including facing dismissive responses from American diplomats, underscore their courage amidst agonizing circumstances. Another film, "Good Morning, Gaza," offers a different perspective, focusing on a reserve tank driver who broadcasts a podcast to fellow soldiers, sharing their stories through radio interviews and raw combat accounts.

Eden asked us to fight for her. If you were there, wouldn't you want people to fight for you?

— One of Eden Yerushalmi's sistersA sister explains the family's motivation to keep Eden's memory alive and advocate for her.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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