A movie celebrating the women of Israel, their diversity, the power of their friendships and secret lives was screened in Paris in November as a preview of the Israeli Film Festival that is set to take place in March. “Cinema Sabaya'' directed by Orit Fouks Rotem, tells the story of a group of women, Jewish and Muslim, participating in a movie workshop in their small town in northern Israel.
Actress Dana Ivgy plays Rona, a filmmaker from Tel Aviv who runs the workshop. As each student shares footage from her home life with the others, their beliefs and preconceptions are challenged and barriers are broken down. The group comes together as mothers, daughters, wives, and women living in a world designed to keep them apart, forming an empowering and lasting bond as they learn more about each other and themselves.
The movie won five Ophir Awards in September and was selected as the official Israeli nominee for the Academy Award for Best International Film at the 95th Academy Awards.
The screening at the Majestic Passy movie theater was supported by the Embassy of Israel in Paris. Deputy Ambassador Ronit Ben Dor introduced the event. One of the actresses starring the movie, Emmanuelle Mayer, also attended the screening and had a Q&A session with the audience.
Cinema Sabaya was recently released in the US and several Israeli embassies across the world, including in Norway, Morocco and Egypt, have already requested it for a screening.
In addition, the Israel Film Fund, headed by Noa Regev, which supported the production of the movie, organized a special screening for those attending the cadet course of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.