Acting
several parallel plotlines set on the eve of the Six-Day War. The stories play out concurrently as a way of conveying the reality of life in Israel, where the national and political are forever invading the individual’s space.
A couple on the beach discuss their relationship. They reminisce about how wonderful things once were and find themselves wondering whether that was indeed the case, whilst at the same time also dreading the future. At the same time, a second couple – two elderly men whom we meet, both live entirely in the past whilst dreading the present.
The title is a reference to the Book of Isaiah 42:6, “I, the LORD, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee free, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.” The film is an episodic, cinematic biography of David Ben-Gurion, from his days as a youth in Poland when he met Herzl in the town of Plonsk, through his move to Palestine/Israel, becoming leader, the days of the Independence War and the establishing of the State of Israel, signing the reparations agreement with Germany, and all the way to the making of this film – in the aftermath of the Six-Day War. Perlov’s film highlights all the key milestones in the leader’s life which it goes about doing in the tradition of the reflexive documentary, through the creator’s subjective and artistic pov. The film goes back and forth between documentary and scripted scenes, black and white and technicolour, and even archival footage colourised in bold, artificial colours.
In 19th century Europe, to celebrate the emperor's daughter's betrothal to a rich prince, a group of prisoners are set free. Among them are a pair of con artists who convince the emperor to hire them to tailor the wedding apparel, which they claim will only be visible to intelligent and competent people.
A comic and episodic satire, the film uses improvisation to illustrate the clash between fantasy and reality in real life. Although conceived in the style of Mekas’ “Hallelujah the hills” (1962), it’s an authentically Israeli satire, an openly rebellious and individualistic expression that poked fun at the sacred myths of earlier zionist films. The technique of film within the film is used to portray cinema as reflection of the imagination, a miracle based on dreams and fantasies that take on concrete characteristics – parallel to the miracle of Israel, the dream that has become reality. Although not a commercial success, its importance is beyond any measure, though it remains a unique experiment, boldly uncommercial and subversive, out of any context in that patriotic, ideological epoch.
Rafi and Yossi are brothers who know how to enjoy life! They are students in Israel, living off the money their Argentinian aunt sends them. The Iraqi father of their girlfriends is happy to lend them money until their aunt visits, and has his eye on the boys as future sons in law. when the aunt does not arrive, Rafi and Yossi ask their actor friend Emanuel, to play the part of the aunt. all goes well until the real aunt appears without warning!
Two small men fight for a small woman’s affections. When one of them eventually wins her over, he is suddenly snatched up by a large woman and ends up drowning in her cleavage.
Ze'evik and Srool are hiding in Tiberias from the angry customer to whom they owe money.
My Dearest Enemy tells the story of a friendship between two women, Alice, an Israeli Arab professor and Maya, a Jewish artist, who met at age 14 in Jerusalem. The film spans over 25 years as they struggle to keep their friendship in the midst of their communities' ever growing toxic conflict.
A man and woman meet on either side of a desolate road. He falls in love and tries to impress her in any way possible. But from the moment they become a couple, it all starts to go downhill.
Dook the parrot embarks on an adventure with his young friends to find the missing letters from their book. They discover them on a mysterious island called Bood.
