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| Children of the Sun |
Children of the Sun
Israel 2007 Ran Tal 70 mins In Hebrew; with English subtitles
Director Ran Tal's documentary explores the fabled world of the Israeli kibbutz movement from a largely unexplored perspective - that of the first generation of children who were born on the kibbutzim and lived there for most of their lives.
Composed of more than 80 rare amateur films shot between 1930 and 1970, when the kibbutz movement flourished, Tal's film focuses on the complicated feelings and reflections of those who grew up in these communes. Winner of many film awards including Best Documentary at the 2008 Israeli Academy Awards.
Go in Peace, Rain
Israel 2007 Rehuven Hecker 84 mins In Hebrew, French, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Russian & Ladino; with English subtitles
What's in a name or, for that matter, important about a national anthem? Even the State of Israel, which officially adopted Hatikvah as its anthem only a few years ago - after more than 50 years of "unofficial" use and a century after being taken up by the Zionist movement - appears unsure.
Devoid of the rousing patriotism and the rallying call to arms associated with other anthems, Hatikvah holds a special place in Jewish life, as filmmaker Rehuven Hecker demonstrates. In this engaging documentary, Hecker takes us on a musical journey that traces the origins of this mournful melody and follows its metamorphosis from little-known ancient prayer through its many incarnations.
