Ramleh

Israeli documentarian Michal Aviad’s (JENNY & JENNY, SFJFF 1998), probing camera puts human faces on four women, all in their thirties, living in the heartland of Israel, the working class town of Ramleh. The film gives a new understanding to the ways religion, fundamentalism and tradition influence day-to-day life in Israel and the region. Sima and Orly have chosen to follow the path of the Jewish ultra orthodox “Shas” party, which has become the third largest political party in Israel. Svetlana, a new Jewish immigrant from Uzbekistan, is searching for a new identity. Gehad, a Palestinian Muslim, alternates between a career and strict tradition that does not allow her the freedom she seeks. The film follows them between the election years of Bibi Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, and Ariel Sharon.

MICHAL AVIAD has been working as a director and producer of documentary films in San Francisco and Tel Aviv since 1986. Among her films are the 1987 award-winning American documentary Acting Our Age (60 min, 16mm), which she produced and directed. The film explores women and aging and was part of many international film festivals including the U.S. Sundance Film Festival and the Telluride Film Festival. The film was aired in many countries and was selected in 1988 to be the first program on PBS's P.O.V documentary series. In 1992 Aviad produced and directed The Women Next Door (80-min, 16mm). Filmed during the Intifada, the film examines the roles of Palestinian and Israeli women in the conflict. The film was part of the Forum in the Berlin International Film Festival where it received Honorable Mention. It took part of many festivals including Jerusalem, Pesaro, Munich, Chicago, San Paolo, Portugal, and INPUT '93. The film was aired in many countries including a national broadcast on PBS's P.O.V. series. In 1995 she directed Ever Shot Anyone? (produced by Amit Goren, 60-min, beta.) This documentary explores Israeli male culture from a woman's point of view. The video was part of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, Feminale, the Liepzig Film Festival, INPUT '96, London Jewish Film Festival, Washington Jewish Film Festival, Flaherty film Seminar and many others. It was aired in Canada, Israel, Holland, Denmark, Russia and other countries. In 1997 Aviad completed producing and directing Jenny & Jenny (60 min Beta), a film on two teenage working-class Israeli girls. Jenny & Jenny was awarded Best Israeli Documentary for 1997 from the Israel Film Institute. It was part of the Jerusalem International Film Festival, Denver Film Festival, Boston Film Festival, Feminale, San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, Films des Femmes in France and INPUT '98. To date it was aired in Germany, Sweden and Israel. In July 2001 Aviad completed directing and co-producing Ramleh (60-min Beta, co-produced by Yulie Gerstel,) a social-political film about the lives of four women in the town of Ramleh. Ramleh, a Jewish- Arab town, is a powerful example to the disintegration of a country of displaced people torn by religious, national and cultural differences. The film premiered at the Jerusalem International Film Festival. Currently Aviad is working on A Letter To My Children (co-produced by Yulie Gerstel), a personal film about the history and events in the life of one family of immigrants and refugees. This film, which is co-produced with Israel and ZDF-ARTE will be ready in Summer 2002. Aviad teaches film production at Tel Aviv University. She is also the coordinator of the Tel Aviv International Students Film Festival.