Docu festival at National Library to feature film on Nova rave massacre
Event brings more than 20 documentary films to the indoor and outdoor spaces of the new library complex, including ‘We Will Dance Again’
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
The National Library will soon host its annual documentary film festival, Docu.Text Festival 09, screening films about issues of identity, memory and culture during the ongoing war.
The five days of screenings — August 18-22 — will open with “We Will Dance Again,” filmmaker Yariv Mozer’s documentary about the stories of mourning and survival at the Supernova desert rave, where 364 people were slaughtered and scores of others taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
More than 20 documentary films will be shown in the indoor and outdoor spaces of the new National Library building in Jerusalem, as well as talks, meetings with filmmakers, lectures and workshops that are part of the festival created in cooperation with Tel Aviv’s DocAviv.
Sessions include one with filmmaker Yariv Mozer, in the presence of families whose lives were affected by the Hamas attack on the party.
A seminar on Monday, August 19 will look at the process taking place in the library’s archives and documentation in times of war, while August 20 brings a screening of “Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: King of the Sephardim,” about the life story of the famed rabbi, including a talk with Rabbi Benny Lau and Yosef’s daughter, Adina Bar Shalom.
Other screenings include “Nesher,” a biography of beloved Israeli director Avi Nesher, followed by a talk with the famed filmmaker.
There will be a screening of the “Bargaining Chip” episode from “Hostages,” an upcoming five-part series by the Kan public broadcaster that looks at events when Israelis were captured and kidnapped during the last five decades, and the behind the scenes of negotiations conducted by Israel with terrorist organizations.
Docu.Text closes Thursday, August 22, with a screening of “Eifo HaYeled – Sugar Time,” an episode from the 2012 docu-series “The Albums,” marking an album considered a milestone in Israeli rock history, followed by a live outdoor performance by the band Eifo HaYeled, with special guest musician Yermi Kaplan.
For more information and tickets, go to the National Library website.
