KEYNOTE EVENT

Sunday, May 21, 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM – EDCJCC

Wednesday, May 17, 6:00 PM – EDCJCC

Our annual keynote program exploring the daily lives and challenges of Arab citizens of Israel. Following the film, join us for a Q&A with producer and founder of Budo for Peace Danny Hakim and Budo for Peace alum Nour Anaeem.

Dir Roy Westler - 50 min - Documentary - Israel - 2005 - Arabic & Hebrew w/ English subtitles

Like many teenage girls, Shadya Zoabi enjoys listening to music and hanging out with her friends. But unlike most 17-year-old girls, Shadya is a world champion in karate, a Muslim Arab living in Israel, and a feminist in a male-dominated culture.

Sponsored by the Greater Washington Forum on Israeli Arab Issues and the Edlavitch DCJCC.

Lead support provided by The Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation.

2023 marks our first ever Teen Film Contest, where teenagers across the DMV area submit a 1–3-minute short film answering the question, “Where do you belong?”

Two winners will receive a Visa gift card and will have their films premiered during the Festival’s Closing Night screenings!

Dir. Marco Carmel - 81 min - Narrative - Israel - 2022Hebrew w/ English subtitles

French-Jewish lawyer Louise takes a break from planning her lavish wedding in Paris to go on a short business trip to Jerusalem. She hopes to seal a multimillion property deal and meets a charming Israeli man. Paris Boutique is a fun and delightful romantic comedy about love, friendship – and even, a little peace in the Middle East.

Sunday,

Dir. Erez Tadmor - 96 min - Narrative - Israel - 2022Hebrew w/ English subtitles

A witty, entertaining romantic comedy, Matchmaking is a goodhearted story of two young, eligible ultra-Orthodox singles looking for a match. A Romeo and Juliet tale about love, Matchmaking is Israel’s biggest box office hit of the year, starring Maor Schwitzer from Shtisel and Irit Kaplan from The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem.