Moshe Rosenthal’s ‘Independence’ to Open the Jerusalem Film Festival

The Jerusalem International Film Festival announced this morning, Wednesday, that “Independence,” the new film by director Moshe Rosenthal, will open the festival’s 43rd edition. The opening event will take place on July 9 at Sultan’s Pool, in the presence of the filmmakers, the cast, and an audience of about 6,000 spectators.

The film stars Asi Cohen in the lead role, his first major film role in 15 years. It also features Ido Tako, Keren Tzur and child actor Yair Mazor in his debut performance. “Independence,” produced by Alona Refael, Green Productions, and United King Films, had its world premiere earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, becoming the first full Israeli feature film accepted to the festival in a decade.

“It is a great honor to open the festival with ‘Independence’ and to present the film for the first time to an Israeli audience on this stage,” said the film’s director, Moshe Rosenthal. “At a time when Israeli cinema is facing challenges on the global stage, the support and platform that the Jerusalem Festival gives us are significant. ‘Independence’ is a film that takes the personal and the local and translates it into a cinematic experience meant for the big screen. I am excited for the opportunity to celebrate the film and Israeli cinema together with the audience.”

Roni Mahadev-Levin, CEO of the Jerusalem Cinematheque and director of the festival, and artistic director Or Sigoli, said: “The choice of an original Israeli work as the opening film highlights the festival’s commitment to placing local cinema at the forefront, alongside the international program and the Israeli competitions, whose full details will be published soon. We invite the audience to a cinematic celebration that will bring the best of Israeli and world cinema to Jerusalem.”

The 43rd Jerusalem International Film Festival will run from July 9 to 19.