Jerusalem Film Festival to open with Cannes winner ‘Sentimental Value’

The 42nd Jerusalem Film Festival, taking place as planned from July 17 through July 26, will open with a screening of the award-winning “Sentimental Value,” a family drama directed by Joachim Trier.

The film, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes, the second-most prestigious award at that festival, stars Stellan Skarsgård as Gustav, a famous film director and father of Nora, an actress played by Renate Reinsve. After the death of Nora’s mother, Gustav wants Nora to play the lead role in a new autobiographical project. Nora declines, and the role is given to a promising American actress (Elle Fanning). Meanwhile, Nora and her sister Agnes try to navigate a maze of conflicting emotions and their desire to begin a new chapter in their lives.

Norwegian director Joachim Trier delves deep into the human psyche and family dynamics, supported by outstanding performances from its stars.

The film will be screened on July 17 at Jerusalem’s Sultan’s Pool, with an audience of some 6,000 people.

The festival will also screen dozens of Israeli films, including eight feature films competing for the Haggiag award for local cinema.

In “Nanduri,” director Eti Tsicko tells the story of a stranger disrupting the peace in a snow-covered Georgian village, while “Oxygen” stars Dany Ivgy and Nurit Galron in a film about a single mother awaiting her son’s army discharge and a long-planned trip to India.

“Foreign Language,” directed by Michal Brezis and Oded Binnun, is about a woman picking up the wrong man at the airport, and “Mama” is the tale of
a migrant worker returning to her impoverished Polish village after years abroad.

A rare curly-feathered pigeon is at the center of a chaotic cross-border quest in “Bella,” starring Elisha Banai. “The Sea” is about a Palestinian boy who is denied a beach trip and sets out alone, followed by his father, an undocumented worker in Israel.

“Because You’re Ugly” is director Sharon Englehart’s debut film about a soldier with issues, and “Homes” is Veronika Nicol Tetelebaum’s movie about a non-binary immigrant revisiting all their childhood homes in Safed.

The festival will include special screenings of “Yes,” Nadav Lapid’s new film, a political satire set after October 7, about a struggling jazz musician tasked with composing a new national anthem, and “My One and Only,” about a young ultra-Orthodox woman who believes her husband has been replaced by a double.

The festival also announced that actress Gal Gadot and Hollywood producer Lawrence Bender will be guests of honor at the opening event, where they will receive special tributes.

Approximately 70,000 film and culture lovers from Israel and around the world are expected to attend the festival, which hosts guests from the international film industry alongside Israeli filmmakers, actors, directors, producers, film fund managers, and more.

Full details on the opening event, films, screening times, and ticket bookings will soon be available on the festival’s official website.