Not a surprise to those of us who live here or actually know what a free society Israel is, for all her citizens.
Israel has picked Elite Zexer’s feature directorial debut Sand Storm, an Arabic-speaking desert-set family drama, as its submission for the Oscars in the best foreign-language film category.
The film won six Ophir Awards, awarded by the Israeli Academy of Film and Television, including supporting actress honors for Ruba Blal-Asfour, director honors for Zexer and the all-important best film honor, in a ceremony Thursday in the city of Ashdod.
The film looks really good from its trailer.
Best of luck for the Oscars. Now if only the Arab world would make some Hebrew-language films. And I don’t mean for those like this:
Update: Yes, this is disappointing.
The moment was upstaged, however, by political uproar as Minister of Culture & Sport Miri Regev left the theater in silent protest during a musical number by Arab-Israeli rapper Tamer Nafar, whose lyrics sampled the work of controversial Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. Upon returning to present the best film category, Regev was met with loud booing as dozens exited the theater in response to her earlier actions.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you (I am referring to whoever decided to have the rapper perform those lyrics).
