„If someone had claimed a decade ago that Romania would one day become the focus of remarcable cinema by global standards, the claim would have sounded somewhat unrealistic. Yet, in the past five years Romanian filmmakers have proved they have what it takes to generate a genuine revolution. These young, ambitious directors have created an impressive array of films that won international critical acclaim and starred in the most important festivals in the world." - excerpt from the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival catalogue, June 2010
The Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, now at its 13th edition, takes place in Tel-Aviv between the 5th and the 12th of June 2010. Since its foundation in the Film and TV Department of Tel Aviv University in 1986, the prestigious International Student Film Festival gained an impressive reputation and was rated by 'Cilect' (the International organization of Cinema schools) as one of the top festivals of its kind. The Festival is run and managed by film students, fueled by their passion and pure love for the Seventh Art. Well-known guests from around the world are frequent participants in the festival and play an active role in the jury panel or teaching master-classes and workshops. Past years guests include Theo Angelopoulos, Emir Kusturica, Jim Sheridan, Richard Gere, Claude Lanzmann, Marcello Mastroiani etc. The Romanian Cultural Institute in Tel Aviv latest participated in the 2008 edition of the Festival, when it supported the participation in the festival of the young director Mihai Chirilă, whose short "Nigredo" was selected in the international competition.
This year, in addition to the festive premiere in Israel (June 11) of "If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle" winner of both the Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear as well as the Alfred Bauer award for cinematic innovation at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, the festival organizers conceived a special section dedicated to Romania, A Gala Tribute to the New Romanian Cinema, (June 9), including a lecture on the trends and characteristics of the modern Romanian cinema, presented by prof. Tereza Barta, York University, Toronto, a meeting with the director Florin Şerban and the presentation of a selection of short films that were created within the UNATC (the National University of Theatre and Cinematography „I.L.Caragiale" in Bucharest), many graduates and teachers of which are the „New Romanian Cinema" filmmakers. Also, prof. dr. Laurenţiu Damian, pro-rector of UNATC, was selected as a member in the prestigious jury of the Festival, and two films by Romanian students participate in the international competition: „Timi", by Cristi Iftime and „Afterparty", by Ivana Mladenovici.
The events are suported by the Romanian Cultural Institute in Tel Aviv.
Romanian program in the Festival:
5 June 2010, Tel Aviv Cinemateque 22:00 – Screening of "Timi", by Cristi Iftime, international competition
8 June 2010, Tel Aviv Cinemateque 13:00 – Screening of "Afterparty", by Ivana Mladenovici, international competition
9 June 2010, Tel Aviv Cinemateque A Gala Tribute to the New Romanian Cinema 12:00 – " Romanian Cinema: New Wave - Old Traditions" – Lecture by Prof. Tereza Barta, York University, Toronto.
13:00 – "From Student Film to Feature Film" – meeting with Florin Şerban, UNATC graduate and director of "If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle"
14:30 – A selection of student short films from UNATC, Bucharest (the last decade) - Presented by prof. dr. Laurenţiu Damian, Pro-rector at the National University of Theatre and Cinematography "I.L. Caragiale" in Bucharest
11 June 2010, Tel Aviv Cinemateque
20:30 – Israeli festive premiere of When I Want to Whistle, I Whistle, director Florin Şerban. Presented by Dan Fainaru. Q&A after the screening
comunicat de presa_Focus Romania. Festivalul de film studenţesc de la Tel Aviv, iunie 2010 comunicat de presa_Focus Romania. Festivalul de film studenţesc de la Tel Aviv, iunie 2010 comunicat de presa_Focus Romania. Festivalul de film studenţesc de la Tel Aviv, iunie 2010
