Israel's biggest documentary festival and one of the world's 28 Oscar-qualifying festivals, Docaviv, has announced the titles in its Israeli Competition and the opening film for its 21st edition, which takes place from 23 May-1 June.

The festival will open with Picture of His Life [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
scheda film] by Yonatan Nir and Dani Menkin (Dolphin Boy), which follows wildlife photographer and explorer Amos Nachoum during his final attempt to swim with a polar bear as he seeks personal redemption.

The film is one of the 15 titles selected for the Israeli Competition, out of 77 submissions. The section features a total of 12 world premieres, including Barak Heymann's Loving Dov, The Viewing Booth by Ra'anan Alexandrowicz (best known for the Sundance winner The Law in These Parts), Zohar Wagner’s 21 Days Inside, Duki Dror's There Are No Lions in Tel Aviv [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film], Sharon Yaish and Yael Shachar's A Whore Like Me, Ilan Mizrahi's Best Unkept Secret, Shay Fogelman's Chasing Yehoshua, Karin Kainer's Kosher Beach, Uri Levi's Once Upon a Boy [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
scheda film], Ari Davidovich's Shai K and Itamar Chen's The Rabbi from Hezbollah.

The competition also includes the Israeli premieres of Advocate [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Rachel Leah Jones, Lea Tse…
scheda film] by Rachel Leah Jones and Philippe Bellaiche, which world-premiered at Sundance and recently triumphed at Thessaloniki; Leftover Women by Shosh Shlam and Hilla Medalia, which will first bow at Tribeca; and the IDFA title Mussolini's Sister [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
scheda film] by Juna Suleiman.

In addition, two Israeli films will have their world premieres in the Depth of Field Competition: Resonance [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] by Itay Marom and Woman by Israela Shaer Meoded. 

Over 120 new local and international documentaries will be screened at the festival, making it the largest film festival in Tel Aviv, and the only one dedicated exclusively to documentaries. Last year, on its 20th anniversary, the festival set an all-time attendance record of 60,000 visitors and was subsequently chosen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as one of the world’s 28 Oscar-qualifying festivals.

This year, the Mifal Hapais Council for Culture and Arts will earmark up to €36,000 for the marketing and promotion of the winner of the Israeli Competition at Docaviv in preparation for the Oscars. The new prize will be awarded alongside the Howard Gilman Award for Best Israeli Documentary, worth €17,000, making it Israel’s largest prize for documentary filmmaking. Other trophies include the Special Jury Award, the Mayor’s Award for Best Debut Film and the Yossi Kaufman Best Director Award, as well as the Editing, Cinematography and Research Awards.