From the Jerusalem Festival: Can Films Transcend Politics?

Watching movies for ten days at the 31st Jerusalem Film Festival might seem like an escape from the current reality of rockets fired from Gaza into Israel as well as the subsequent military retaliation of the Israeli government. But many of the Festival selections confront ethnic tension and inspire a deeper reflection than headlines can ignite.At the Closing Night ceremony Thursday, Festival Founder and President Lia Van Leer thanked "those who came in our days of sorrow to help us make a great festival." This indomitable woman, 93 years young, set a tone for the rest of the evening that was both sober and hopeful. It included the awarding of the Festival's Achievement Award to actor Makram Khoury, a Palestinian who has incarnated both Jewish Holocaust survivors and Arabs onscreen.Although...

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