25th Israel Film Festival
Opens in NYC And Celebrates Its Anniversary
With A Jam-Packed VIP & Sponsor Party At
the Plaza Hotel
& SRO Award at the Paris Theatre
Liev Schrieber ~ Naomi Watts ~ Stanley
Donen ~ Phil Donahue ~ Marlo Thomas
Mike Burstyn ~ Tovah Feldshuh ~ Mira Tzur
~ Micha Shagrir ~ Counsel General
Ido Aharoni & Israeli Filmmakers and Actors
All On Hand For The Festivities
Successful Opening Paves Way for 12 More
Days Of Great Films & Events
As The Acclaimed 2011 IFF Gets Underway &
Celebrates 25 Years!!!
(New York – May 6)
There were paparazzi flashing and tv
cameras whirring in the grand Edwardian Room
of the famed Plaza Hotel on Thursday (5/5),
as the 25th Anniversary Edition
of the Israel Film Festival in New York
kicked-off with sumptuous VIP & Sponsor
party. Festival Founder and Executive
Director, Meir Fenigstein, welcomed
Honorees Liev Schrieber (along with
his beautiful ‘partner In crime,’ Naomi
Watts); legendary director of such great
films as “Singing in the Rain,” Wonderful
Town,” & “Two For the Road,” Stanley
Donen; one of Israel’s most venerated
filmmakers, Micha Shagrir; and
presenters and emcees including television
personality Phil Donahue with the
lovely Marlo Thomas, entertainer
Mike Burstyn, actresses Tovah
Feldshuh and Mira Tzur; Israeli
Consul General Ido Aharoni; NY
Festival Chairman, Ronald S. Guttman;
Filmmakers from Israel and the US –
including Orly Silbersatz Banai
(Actress, Star of Opening Night Film –
Intimate Grammar); Igaal Niddam
(Director, Brothers); Adam
Sanderson (Director, This Is Sodom);
Jorge Weller (Director, Salsa Tel
Aviv); Roi Warner (Director, 2
Night); Dan Wolman (Director,
Gei Oni); Estee Meckelberg
(Producer, Land Of Genesis);
Shlomi Eldar (Director, Precious Life);
and Kirk Simon & Karen Goodman
(Directors, 2010 Academy Awardâ Winning
Strangers No More) – on hand to support
their films and participate in the Festival
events; and scores of appreciated Sponsors
and Festival Friends.
Following the
splendid reception, the guests moved across
the street to the Paris Theatre for the
Awards presentation and Opening Night Film.
Everyone in the theatre was transfixed while
watching the prepared film clips of the
amazing body of work from the evening’s
first Honoree, Stanley Donen who had
everyone on their feet and cheering as he
went up to accept his Lifetime Achievement
Award from Phil Donahue. The beautiful
actress Mira Tzur was up next to present to
the great Micha Shagrir, presented with the
IFF Cinematic Achievement Award, whose films
will be highlighted throughout the
festival. Achievement in Film Award Honoree
Liev Schreiber’s turn was next and,
fittingly, was about the women in his life…
Emcee Tovah Feldshuh talked about playing
his mother in “A Walk On The Moon,” the
introduced his real life ‘partner in crime,’
and the mother of his children, Naomi Watts,
who said “we could be here all night while I
talk about this wonderful man,” and, finally
to the honoree himself said that ‘upon
hearing I was being given this honor, I did
what every good Jewish boy would do – I
called my Mother.” After the Awards,
everyone settled in to watch the Opening
Night Film, Intimate Grammar.
The 25th
Israel Film Festival in NY continues with
great films, panels and events through May
19 at the AMC Loews 84th Street 6
(2310 Broadway). For more tickets and more
information please visit:
http://www.israelfilmfestival.com.