The 42nd Haifa International Film Festival is set to take place from September 25 to October 3, expanding its originally scheduled September 26 start date due to high demand. The event will showcase a diverse range of films, including internationally acclaimed titles, new Israeli productions, documentaries, genre films, and cinematic classics.
The festival will open with the Israeli premiere of Avi Nesher’s "Our Loves," which recently debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film, set on October 6, 2023, follows several characters confronting what they believe to be the worst day of their lives, only to face even graver challenges. Nesher will be honored with the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to Israeli cinema during the opening ceremony, hosted by actor Lior Ashkenazi.
Artistic director Yaron Shamir curated a strong international lineup featuring notable films from this year’s major festivals. Among them is Danny Boyle’s "Ink," which explores the cutthroat environment of 1969 British tabloid journalism and the transformation of The Sun under Rupert Murdoch, portrayed by Guy Pearce. Olivier Assayas’s "The Wizard of the Kremlin," starring Jude Law as Vladimir Putin and Paul Dano as Vadim Baranov, dramatizes the creation of political mythology surrounding the Russian leader.
For audiences seeking lighter fare, Pierre Salvadori’s "The Electric Kiss" offers a Parisian romantic comedy set in 1928, while Mark Waters’s biopic "Hershey" tells the story of Milton Hershey, played by Finn Wittrock, with Alexandra Daddario as his wife.
The Panorama section includes Marc Fitoussi’s "All About Corinne," a comedy about an aspiring actress, starring Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Kiberlain, and Tudor Giurgiu’s "3 Days in September," which combines comedy and drama in a continuous-shot narrative about a disrupted wedding journey.
American films such as Noah Segan’s "The Only Living Pickpocket in New York," featuring John Turturro and Steve Buscemi, and Padraic McKinley’s Depression-era thriller "The Weight," starring Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe, will also be screened.
The Carmel International Competition highlights include Andrey Zvyagintsev’s "Minotaur," a Cannes Grand Prix winner about a Russian businessman facing turmoil amid the 2022 context, and François Ozon’s adaptation of Albert Camus’s novel "The Stranger," set in French-colonial Algeria.
Israeli cinema will feature prominently with Marco Carmel’s "Double Panther," based on the true story of Yaakov Elbaz infiltrating the Israeli Black Panthers political group. Imri Matalon’s "MANY WATERS" explores an intimate story of rehabilitation and love, while Nitzan Gilady’s posthumous film "Thou Shalt Love" depicts the struggles of a haredi yoga teacher confronting personal and marital challenges.
Documentaries include Tomer Heymann’s "I Want to Tell My Story," which reconstructs Holocaust survivor Shimon Rothschild’s life through reenactments, and Uri Levi’s "Peace 2030," chronicling the peace efforts of two individuals impacted by conflict. Boaz Dvir’s "To Kill a Nazi" investigates a French Jew’s pursuit of justice related to Auschwitz and the Entebbe rescue, narrated by Jason Alexander. Music documentary "Broken English" profiles singer Marianne Faithfull’s six-decade career.
A special program, "From Mishima to Oshima," presents Japanese cinema classics such as Paul Schrader’s "Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters" and Kon Ichikawa’s "Conflagration," adaptations of writer Yukio Mishima’s works.
The Haifa Classics section offers screenings of Barbra Streisand’s iconic films, including "Funny Girl," "Hello, Dolly!," "A Star Is Born," and "Yentl," providing a retrospective of her storied career.
With a mix of premieres, established filmmakers, documentary projects, and classic films, this year’s Haifa International Film Festival promises a comprehensive cinematic experience appealing to a wide audience of film enthusiasts.