Haifa Film Festival to Showcase International and Russian-Language Films
The 42nd Haifa International Film Festival will take place from September 26 to October 3, coinciding with the Sukkot holiday. The festival will feature premieres and films previously shown at major international festivals including Berlin, Cannes, and Venice, alongside new Israeli productions and special screenings. Notably, the program includes Andrey Zvyagintsev's acclaimed film "Minotaur," presented in Russian, and six other films with Russian translations.
"Minotaur," directed by the internationally recognized Andrey Zvyagintsev, is a centerpiece of the festival. The film, which has garnered critical acclaim at European and North American festivals, including the Grand Prix at Cannes and an award for best music, stars prominent Israeli actors Vladimir Fridman and Anatoly Vaysman. It explores themes of power, fear, and moral choice through the story of a successful executive whose life unravels amidst political shifts and personal crises, a narrative described as particularly relevant in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Other highlights include "The Kremlin Wizard," a French film by Olivier Assayas based on Giuliano da Empoli's novel, which depicts a young political consultant's rise to influence in 1990s Russia. The festival will also screen Antonin Baudry's historical diptych "De Gaulle," a two-part epic about Charles de Gaulle's leadership during World War II, with both parts shown with Russian subtitles. Additional films include Tudor Giurgiu's "Three Days in September," Felix Randau's psychological drama "I Am Nobody," and Petter Ness's political satire "No Comment."
