UK Premiere: The Loners (Habodedim)

Reception 6pm/ Film 6.20pm

Dir. Renen Schorr | Israel | 2009 | 92 mins | Hebrew and Russian with English subtitles

Inspired by true events that took place in a military prison in northern Israel in 1997, Renen Schorr’s compelling fi lm tells the story of two Russian speaking immigrants accused of treason.

 Despite pleading not guilty and demanding a retrial to prove their innocence, the men are ignored by the Israeli authorities and soon fi nd themselves at a point where they have nothing left to lose. Many young people have arrived in Israel from the countries of the former Soviet Union. They are seeking adventure and idealism but they may lack the maturity to understand how to deal with immigration and the challenges it could bring for them. Their fate may be to have to fi ght in order to prove themselves so that they can attempt to integrate. This new feature fi lm by Renen Schorr (Dir. Late Summer Blues; Exec. Prod. James’s Journey to Jerusalem) depicts the compelling story of two such individuals, Glory (Sasha Avshalom Agrounov) and Bluchin (Anton ‘Klin’ Ostrovsky), who get into trouble when they are accused of selling arms to the enemy.

Winner Best Actor (Sasha Avshalom Agrounov), Israeli Film Academy 2009

Followed by a Q&A with the Director Renen Schorr.

Screening with

Tolca Mama

Dir. Maayan Rassin | Israel | 2010 | 14 mins | Russian, Hebrew and English with English subtitles

The Sam Spiegel Film & TV School, Jerusalem Yasha arrives at the Dead Sea with his deceased mother’s urn in order to scatter her ashes, but he finds it difficult to say goodbye.

Sponsored by Jane & Michael Grabiner.