A Film by Eli Cohen (Israel, 1988, 95 Minutes, Color, Hebrew, English subtitles, Cast: Kaipo Cohen, Dina Avrech, Rami Baruch, Gila Almagor, Ariella Rabinovitch )
It is summertime, 1951, in an Israeli town where European immigrants continue to settle after World War II.
Still scarred and raw from the Holocaust, they are often misunderstood and ridiculed by native Israelis.
Aviya is a bright ten-year-old girl whose fiercely independent mother, Henya is traumatized by her own experiences as a Partisan during the war. Their affectionate, fragile and deeply poignant relationship is told through Aviya, who hopes for stability with her mother while still having fantasies of a father she refuses to believe is dead.
An exquisite and courageous memoir providing profound insights into Israeli society. Based on the autobiographical book THE SUMMER OF AVIYA by Gila Almagor.
AWARDS & FESTIVALS
BERLIN (1989), THE SILVER BEAR - For poignant film with two stunning performances by Kaipo Cohen and Gila Almagor ITALY (1989), SAN REMO FESTIVAL - For Best Foreign Quality Film SPAIN (1989), THE GOLDEN SPIKE - Espiga De Oro - Valladolid Film Festival ISRAEL (1989), THE SILVER MENORAH AWARD - For Best Director (Eli Cohen),
Best Actress (Gila Almagor) YUGOSLAVIYA (1990), GRAND PRIX UNICEFA - for the Best Film JCC Manhattan Nancy Israeli Film Festival Brown University Forum des Images, Paris
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BERLIN (1989), THE SILVER BEAR - For poignant film with two stunning performances by Kaipo Cohen and Gila Almagor