Female Faces in Film Story and photo by MICHELLE PASTER, AFI Daily News Magazine Editor Female filmmakers have a strong presence at AFI FEST this year. In two films, JELLYFISH, from Israel, and WITH YOUR PERMISSION, from Denmark, the female filmmakers' sensibilities impact character development and choice. Though the directors come from different cultures, the ties that bind their films are family, personal relationships, and love or the lack of it. In writer/director Shira Gefen's JE...

On the fourth day of the Festival new authors whose films are on today’s program introduced themselves to the press. Shira Geffen, director of 'Jellyfish', came to Zagreb without her husband Etgar Keret, film co-director and author of a short story turned into a film by Goran Dukić, 'Wristcutters: A Love Story' Shira, who also wrote the screenplay for 'Jellyfish' began by saying: 'So far I've worked in theatre, this is my first excursion into the world of film. Theater direction is simple...

This year's Boston Jewish Film Festival, our 19th, runs November 1 through November 11, and shines a spotlight on Israeli films, which have been screening in and winning awards in major film festivals around the world, as you know. We also feature several films with local ties, and a few films that take a novel look at sports. In all we show nearly 40 films in 50 programs at 8 venues, with some 30 visiting artists present for introductions, question-and-answer session, panel discussions, and s...

Sunday, May 27-------The Romanian film 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS by director Cristian Mungiu (whose celebrated debut film THE DEATH OF MR. LAZARESCU was cited by US film critics as one of the best of last year) has won the prestigious Palme D'Or at the 60th Cannes Film Festival. The film, which was picked up for US distribution by IFC First Take, is the first film from Romania so honored. The prizes in all categories were presented prior to the Closing Night screening of the Quebec fi...