Haifa Film Festival Features Russian Subtitles, Zvyagintsev's 'Minotaur'

The 42nd Haifa International Film Festival will run from September 26 to October 3, coinciding with the Sukkot holiday. The festival will screen international premieres, Israeli cinema, festival hits, and art films, with a portion of the program offering Russian subtitles for Russian-speaking audiences. Six films will be available with Russian subtitles: 'The Kremlin Wizard,' two parts of 'De Gaulle,' 'Three Days in September,' 'I Am Another,' and 'No Comment.' Additionally, Andrey Zvyagintsev's 'Minotaur' is presented in Russian.

'Minotaur,' Zvyagintsev's first feature since 'Loveless' in 2017, is a highlight of the festival and part of the international 'Carmel' competition. It will be shown three times in Haifa. Set in Russia in 2022, the film follows a successful company executive, Gleb, as his life unravels amidst business pressures and a changing reality, exploring themes of fear, power, and moral choice. The cast includes Dmitry Mazurov and Anatoly Bely. 'Minotaur' has already garnered critical acclaim, receiving the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and an award for best film at the Sydney Film Festival. It will be screened in Russian with Hebrew and English subtitles in Haifa.

Another film of interest to Russian-speaking viewers is Olivier Assayas's 'The Kremlin Wizard,' based on Giuliano da Empoli's novel. The film depicts the early 1990s in Russia, focusing on Vadim Baranov, who transitions from artist to reality show producer and eventually becomes a political consultant involved in shaping the nascent power system around Vladimir Putin. Starring Paul Dano and Jude Law, the film will be shown in English with Hebrew and Russian subtitles.

The festival also features two films by Antonin Baudry about Charles de Gaulle: 'De Gaulle: The Resistance' and 'De Gaulle: Freedom.' Both premiered at Cannes and will be screened with Russian subtitles. 'The Resistance' covers de Gaulle's efforts in London after France's defeat in 1940, while 'Freedom' delves into his struggles in 1943 to secure France's post-war standing amidst international diplomacy. Both films will be shown on September 27, with repeat screenings on October 1.

Other films with Russian subtitles include Tudor Giurgiu's Romanian drama 'Three Days in September,' about a woman's transformative journey after fleeing her wedding, and Felix Randau's German historical drama 'I Am Another,' which investigates the claims of Heinrich Himmler's former masseur. Petter Ness's Norwegian political satire 'No Comment,' about a prime minister facing a pre-election scandal, will also be screened.

The festival opens on September 26 with Avi Nesher's new film 'Our Loves,' which connects personal stories to the events of October 6-7, exploring loss and resilience. Nesher will receive a special award for his contribution to cinema. The festival program includes dozens of other films from various countries, special events featuring directors like Danny Boyle, and various competitions and film categories. Additional screenings have already been added due to high demand.