The trailer has launched for Adar Shafran’s drama-comedy “Running on Sand,” which is being sold worldwide by Picture Tree International, ahead of the Israeli film’s international premiere at Palm Springs Film Festival (Jan. 4-15). It is released in Israel on Thursday by United King Films.
The film centers on Aumari (played by Chansela Mongoza), a young Eritrean refugee living in Israel, who is about to be deported back to his home country. After a spontaneous escape attempt at the airport, he is mistaken for a Nigerian striker, who is supposed to arrive at the same time.
Aumari seizes the opportunity and benefits from his new identity as the key acquisitions for the team of Maccabi Netanya. Despite the absence of any soccer talent, he is able to cover-up and heal the divisions of his struggling team, while a tender romantic bond with the charmingly unconventional daughter of the patriarchal team owner is growing.
The film centers on Aumari (played by Chansela Mongoza), a young Eritrean refugee living in Israel, who is about to be deported back to his home country. After a spontaneous escape attempt at the airport, he is mistaken for a Nigerian striker, who is supposed to arrive at the same time.
Aumari seizes the opportunity and benefits from his new identity as the key acquisitions for the team of Maccabi Netanya. Despite the absence of any soccer talent, he is able to cover-up and heal the divisions of his struggling team, while a tender romantic bond with the charmingly unconventional daughter of the patriarchal team owner is growing.
- 12/7/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The film follows an African refugee to Israel who finds himself part of a struggling football team.
Picture Tree International (Pti) has acquired international sales rights to Running On Sand, the debut feature of Israeli director Adar Shafran.
The Germany-based sales agency acquired the film from the Israeli producers Firma Films, United King Films and Rommel Films.
United King Films will conduct the domestic release in autumn 2023; currently in final post-production, the film is aiming for a premiere at an autumn festival.
Running On Sand is a comedy-drama about an African refugee to Israel, who accidentally finds himself playing for...
Picture Tree International (Pti) has acquired international sales rights to Running On Sand, the debut feature of Israeli director Adar Shafran.
The Germany-based sales agency acquired the film from the Israeli producers Firma Films, United King Films and Rommel Films.
United King Films will conduct the domestic release in autumn 2023; currently in final post-production, the film is aiming for a premiere at an autumn festival.
Running On Sand is a comedy-drama about an African refugee to Israel, who accidentally finds himself playing for...
- 7/19/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Beasts of Burden: Levi’s Slapstick Heist Film Runs Amuck
For his sophomore film, Israeli director Reshef Levi inserts Patrick Stewart alongside the likes of Sasson Gabai, Moni Moshonov, and Moshe Ivgy for a comedic bank heist in Hunting Elephants. While there’s mild amusement to be had amongst this group of sassy old codgers, the whole endeavor feels a bit forced. Snippets of characters directly addressing the camera frequently distract as Levi and co-writer Regey Levi cut across timespans in attempt to give the scenario added depth. Reinforcing stereotypes rather than playing with them, Levi’s broad scenario feels tonally akin to something like Last Vegas (2013) but entrenched in more archaic stagnation.
Daniel (Zvika Hadar) is a security guard at a bank. While explaining to his twelve year old son Jonathan (Gil Blank) how the new security system works, replete with all the proper codes needed to gain entry,...
For his sophomore film, Israeli director Reshef Levi inserts Patrick Stewart alongside the likes of Sasson Gabai, Moni Moshonov, and Moshe Ivgy for a comedic bank heist in Hunting Elephants. While there’s mild amusement to be had amongst this group of sassy old codgers, the whole endeavor feels a bit forced. Snippets of characters directly addressing the camera frequently distract as Levi and co-writer Regey Levi cut across timespans in attempt to give the scenario added depth. Reinforcing stereotypes rather than playing with them, Levi’s broad scenario feels tonally akin to something like Last Vegas (2013) but entrenched in more archaic stagnation.
Daniel (Zvika Hadar) is a security guard at a bank. While explaining to his twelve year old son Jonathan (Gil Blank) how the new security system works, replete with all the proper codes needed to gain entry,...
- 5/7/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
You might have heard that The Voice and The X Factor won't be the only singing competitions in town for much longer. ITV confirmed this week that it has picked up Rising Star - a brand new talent show based on an Israeli format. But if you're feeling baffled, fear not - we have all the answers to all of your Rising Star questions...
1. Um, what makes Rising Star different from all those other singing shows?
Good question! The answer is... you. Rising Star's original selling point is that viewers vote on acts in real time, deciding whether or not they get through as they're actually on the stage singing. In other words, those auditionees have just the length of a song to convince you to put them through. No padded-out results shows here - it's all happening straight away.
2. So does that mean there aren't any judges?
Ha,...
1. Um, what makes Rising Star different from all those other singing shows?
Good question! The answer is... you. Rising Star's original selling point is that viewers vote on acts in real time, deciding whether or not they get through as they're actually on the stage singing. In other words, those auditionees have just the length of a song to convince you to put them through. No padded-out results shows here - it's all happening straight away.
2. So does that mean there aren't any judges?
Ha,...
- 11/29/2013
- Digital Spy
Channel 2 tops split win at Golden Screen Awards
TEL AVIV, Israel -- Commercial Channel 2 was the major winner at Israel's fifth annual Golden Screen Awards, but it didn't quite sweep the board. Keshet Communications, Reshet Prods. and Telad Studios Ltd., the Channel 2 license-holders who divide up the broadcasting week, took home a total of eight awards. Keshet's "We Won't Stop Singing -- A Star Is Born" was voted best entertainment show, "Ugly Esti" was named best local series, "License to Kill" was voted best factual program, and Zvika Hadar won best actor in a local drama series for "Shemesh". Reshet's "Sex and the City" from HBO was voted best international comedy series. "Love Around the Corner", broadcast by all three Channel 2 licencees, was named best soap opera, and the show's Yehuda Levi and Aya Keren were named best actor and actress in a soap opera, respectively.
- 11/19/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Film review: 'Afula Express' A Magical Ride on the 'Afula Express' / Shles' well-made film focuses on relationships, dreams, determination
A winner of six Israeli Academy Awards -- including best picture, actress and supporting actor and actress -- entertaining 1997 romantic comedy "Afula Express" (a k a "Pick a Card") continues to make the festival rounds with the not-unreasonable hope of garnering a domestic distribution deal.
Documentarian Julie Shles has a dream cast to work with in her feature debut, but one of the more pleasant surprises of "Afula" is how well made it is, from script to camera work to editing. Alas, the film is more interesting during its first half, while the final section drastically overuses a storytelling device -- raw, documentarylike footage of interviews with people acquainted with the celebritylike lead character.
Reminiscent of a Billy Wilder or Paddy Chayevsky tale, "Afula" unfolds leisurely, with a unique atmosphere arising from the likable but hard-pressed, three-dimensional characters. In most important aspects of life, David (Zvika Hadar) is an irresponsible jerk or comes off as one. A transplant from Afula in northern Israel, he lives with overweight but otherwise angelic Batya (Esti Zackheim), and their relationship is not idyllic.
She works at a supermarket and flirts with a shy, handsome loner. An out-of-work electrician, David dreams of becoming a professional magician, but he's an ugly mixture of arrogance, compulsiveness and childishness. He tries to learn a card trick or two and gets involved with some intimidating illusionists, while she gets to know their new neighbor -- lively, young Vicki (Orly Perl).
David talks Batya one last time into being his assistant at a bar mitzvah gig. It goes badly, and she implores him to look for regular work. A laughingstock but not easily discouraged, David Hooks up with Romanian immigrant Shimon (Aryeh Moskuna), a veteran magician. The duo amazingly achieve success right after Batya leaves David.
Batya moves in with Vicki and enjoys the freedoms of being single, along with the expected makeover, but she decides to move back to Afula and break up permanently with David. The film then becomes preoccupied with chronicling David Rise's to fame, including the distracting documentarylike inserts of friends and neighbors before his appearance with Shimon in Afula.
Unfortunately, the story works in vengeful competitors that strike back at Shimon and David during the muddled finale, which also sees an unconvincing reconciliation between the separated lovers. Indeed, Batya reappears to help redeem David when the battle appears unwinnable.
AFULA EXPRESS
Norma Prods.
Credits: Director: Julie Shles; Producer: Assaf Amir; Screenwriter: Amit Leor; Director of photography: Itzik Portal; Production designer: Eva Gronowitz; Editor: Maor Keshet; Music: Yuval Shafrir. Cast: David: Zvika Hadar; Batya: Esti Zackheim; Shimon: Aryeh Moskuna; Vicki: Orly Perl. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo.
Running time -- 96 minutes.
Documentarian Julie Shles has a dream cast to work with in her feature debut, but one of the more pleasant surprises of "Afula" is how well made it is, from script to camera work to editing. Alas, the film is more interesting during its first half, while the final section drastically overuses a storytelling device -- raw, documentarylike footage of interviews with people acquainted with the celebritylike lead character.
Reminiscent of a Billy Wilder or Paddy Chayevsky tale, "Afula" unfolds leisurely, with a unique atmosphere arising from the likable but hard-pressed, three-dimensional characters. In most important aspects of life, David (Zvika Hadar) is an irresponsible jerk or comes off as one. A transplant from Afula in northern Israel, he lives with overweight but otherwise angelic Batya (Esti Zackheim), and their relationship is not idyllic.
She works at a supermarket and flirts with a shy, handsome loner. An out-of-work electrician, David dreams of becoming a professional magician, but he's an ugly mixture of arrogance, compulsiveness and childishness. He tries to learn a card trick or two and gets involved with some intimidating illusionists, while she gets to know their new neighbor -- lively, young Vicki (Orly Perl).
David talks Batya one last time into being his assistant at a bar mitzvah gig. It goes badly, and she implores him to look for regular work. A laughingstock but not easily discouraged, David Hooks up with Romanian immigrant Shimon (Aryeh Moskuna), a veteran magician. The duo amazingly achieve success right after Batya leaves David.
Batya moves in with Vicki and enjoys the freedoms of being single, along with the expected makeover, but she decides to move back to Afula and break up permanently with David. The film then becomes preoccupied with chronicling David Rise's to fame, including the distracting documentarylike inserts of friends and neighbors before his appearance with Shimon in Afula.
Unfortunately, the story works in vengeful competitors that strike back at Shimon and David during the muddled finale, which also sees an unconvincing reconciliation between the separated lovers. Indeed, Batya reappears to help redeem David when the battle appears unwinnable.
AFULA EXPRESS
Norma Prods.
Credits: Director: Julie Shles; Producer: Assaf Amir; Screenwriter: Amit Leor; Director of photography: Itzik Portal; Production designer: Eva Gronowitz; Editor: Maor Keshet; Music: Yuval Shafrir. Cast: David: Zvika Hadar; Batya: Esti Zackheim; Shimon: Aryeh Moskuna; Vicki: Orly Perl. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo.
Running time -- 96 minutes.
- 4/6/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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