Acclaimed filmmaker Barry Levinson (Liberty Heights, Avalon) chats about his HBO film, "The Survivor," which tells the true story of Holocaust survivor Harry Haft, who becomes a professional boxer years after being forced to fight in Auschwitz by sadistic Nazi guards.
Director Yair Qedar discusses "The Last Chapter of A.B. Yehoshua," his film about the greatest Israeli writer alive in 2022, as he deals with illness and widowhood, but ultimately chooses love and embarks on his final journey.
Shira Haas, award-winning Israeli actress and star of “Shtisel” and “Unorthodox” is joined by writer-director Ruthy Pribar to discuss “Asia,” their new film that tells the universal and timeless story of maternal love and loss.
Morris Ben-Mayor talks about "Queen Shoshana," his award-winning new documentary film about Shoshana Damari, Israel's greatest female singer. Widely known as the "first Israeli diva," Damari graced local and international stages, stirring millions with her beguiling voice and spectacular performance. Yet behind the larger-than-life persona and her memorable songs was a woman about whom we know little.
Eran Kolirin's "Let It Be Morning," won Israel's Ophir Award in 2021 for best feature film, thereby becoming Israel's submission to the Oscars. Kolirin speaks about working with Palestinian actors on a film that challenges its audience. He also talks about his earlier success writing and directing "The Band's Visit."
"Tango Shalom" is a heartfelt family comedy/dance movie involving a group filmmaking effort mainly from the Laniado brothers, Jos and Claudio, and the Bologna family. Heart-pumping and heartwarming, the film tests the bonds of family and community, and the bounds of tolerance and faith. Joining the Laniados are Golden Globe nominee Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Karina Smirnoff (Dancing with the Stars) and the film's director, Gabriel Bologna.
"Speer Goes to Hollywood" garnered Israel’s 2021 Ophir Award for best documentary film. The movie studies Albert Speer, the highest-ranking Nazi to avoid execution at the Nuremberg Trials. Director Vanessa Lapa and producer Tomer Eliav talk about what they discovered about Speer and how his dream to have his best-selling memoir become a motion picture almost became reality.
It's 1933 Berlin and nine-year old Anna's life changes from the ground up. Her father, a well-known Jewish journalist, must flee in the middle of the night, with Anna and her family to follow. Writer-Director Caroline Link (Nowhere in Africa) speaks about her challenge to adapt Judith Kerr's beloved children's book.
Avi Nesher is one of Israel’s foremost film directors, whose films include "Turn Left At the End of the World" and "The Troupe." His latest film “The Other Story" raises important questions about the world of the ultra-Orthodox Jew
Filmmaker Eytan Fox ("Yossi and Jagger", "Walk on Water") sits down with Eric to discuss “Sublet,” his latest drama about a sorrowful American travel writer brought back to life by a younger man and the city of Tel Aviv.
Veteran Israeli actor Sasson Gabai, three-time winner of Israel's Ophir Award for Best Acting, discusses playing the lead role in “The Band’s Visit” in both the movie (Best Actor - Israeli Ophir Award) and as Tony Shalhoub's replacement in the Tony Award-winning Broadway show.
Keith Thomas and lead actor Dave Davis talk about the new Jewish-themed horror movie, "The Vigil." Based on the Jewish ritual of keeping "vigil" with a corpse overnight, the film features Yiddish as the primary language spoken and is a first for the horror film genre.
"Golden Voices" is about two older immigrants making aliyah to Israel in 1990 from the collapsing USSR, trying to find their place in Israeli society. Writer-Director Evgeny Ruman drew on his personal experience as an immigrant to Israel to make this film.
Israeli filmmaker Eran Riklis has directed over a dozen classic Israeli movies, including "Cup Final," "Lemon Tree," "The Syrian Bride," and "A Borrowed Identity." Riklis speaks about his work, his career, and his latest film, "Spider in the Web," starring Sir Ben Kingsley.
Producer and first-time director Dan Friedkin talks about "The Last Vermeer," set in the aftermath of World War II. Joseph Piller (Claes Bang), is a Dutch Jewish soldier who returns home to find a society intent on only seeking vengeance. Piller seeks justice, even for those for whom he has little regard.
Producer Robert Lantos, director François Girard & Three-time Oscar-winner composer Howard Shore discuss their narrative film "The Song of Names," about a violin prodigy left in London by his Polish Jewish parents weeks before the outbreak of World War II, so that he may study. Then events take over!
Writer/Director Roberta Grossman talks about her documentary film focused on Dr. Emanuel Ringelblum and the Oyneg Shabes archive that was created during WWII in the Warsaw Ghetto to preserve the story of Jews during the Holocaust
Yaron Zilberman talks about his latest narrative film, "Incitement," winner of the 2019 Ophir Award for Best Picture. His narrative follows the events that led to the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, as seen through the eyes of the killer, Yigal Amir. With a great performance by Yehuda Nahari Halevi.
Mike Burstyn sits down with Eric to discuss his film directorial debut, "Azimuth," about the Six Day War. The discussion also touches on Burstyn's long-ranging show business career, which includes his childhood roles in theater and many films, like "Two Kuni Levels," in which he had starring roles.
Dror Moreh ("The Gatekeepers") discusses "The Human Factor," his documentary that tells the behind-the-scenes story of how the U.S. came within reach of securing peace between Israel and its neighbors over the last 25 years