By Maria Esteves - January 9, 2010

The 24th Israel Film Festival (IFF) in New York presented by IsraFest Foundation was held at the SVA Theatre, New York, December 5-13, 2009. The festival founded in 1982 by Meir Fenigstein, IsraFest Foundation, Inc., is the largest showcase of Israeli films throughout the world that supports emerging and established filmmakers. This year's festival included ten feature films, ten documentaries, nine U.S. premieres, five East Coast premieres, four New York premieres, and seven student shorts. The festival also included panel discussions, Q&A sessions, awards ceremony, gala receptions, and special events.

2009 IFF Special Panel with Israeli Filmmakers immediately followed the U.S. Premiere of A HISTORY OF ISRAELI CINEMA (Part 1), directed by Raphael Nadjari,
at the SVA Theatre, New York, on Sunday, December 6, 2:00 PM. The panelists were director Avraham Kushnir, BRURIAH, director Shmuel Beru, ZRUBAVEL, director Yaakov Gross, LEGEND IN THE DUNES, director Shlomi Elkabetz, THE SEVEN DAYS, and festival founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein. The panel discussion topics included the worldwide success of Israeli cinema.

2009 IFF Special Panel with Israeli Filmmakers: (from left-right), director Avraham Kushnir, BRURIAH, festival founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein, director Shmuel Beru, ZRUBAVEL, director Yaakov Gross, LEGEND IN THE DUNES, director Shlomi Elkabetz, THE SEVEN DAYS, and IFF moderator.

2009 IFF Special Panel with Israeli Filmmakers: (from left-right), founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein, with panelist director Avraham Kushnir, BRURIAH, director Yaakov Gross, LEGEND IN THE DUNES, and director Shlomi Elkabetz, THE SEVEN DAYS.

2009 IFF Special Panel with Israeli Filmmakers: (from left-right), founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein, with panelist director Avraham Kushnir, BRURIAH, and director Yaakov Gross, LEGEND IN THE DUNES.

2009 IFF Special Panel with Israeli Filmmakers: festival founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein, right, and director Shmuel Beru, ZRUBAVEL.