The IIJS Fall 2023 Film Series kicks off on October 9, 2023, with The Road to Eilat, a new film from writer-director Yona Rozenkier.
Albert, an aging war veteran, makes a drunken bet: he will drive his beat up tractor (top speed: 35km/hour... downhill) the length of Israel to Eilat, in one week. Ben, his grumpy, unemployed son, is obligated to join him. Their funny and bittersweet journey towards forgiveness and understanding takes them on a road trip from their kibbutz through Israel's neglected backyard, meeting others along the way who also strive for a better life. The Road to Eilat premiered at the 2022 Jerusalem Film Festival, where it won prizes for Best Israeli Feature, Best Actor (Shmuel Vilozni), and Best Cinematography. It was later nominated for 8 Israeli Film Academy Awards, including Best Picture. (105 minutes)
Please register for the event below. You will receive an email with a link to watch the film at home on Wednesday, October 4th. This link will only be available until Monday, October 9th at 11:59pm EDT.
We will be hosting a Zoom Q&A session on Monday, October 9th at 12:00pm EDT with writer-director Yona Rozenkier. You will receive a separate email with the Zoom link for the Q&A several days before the event.
Please note: at this time, only viewers in the United States will be able to stream the film.
Please email iijs@columbia.edu with any questions.
Yona Rozenkier is an actor, writer, and director. Born and raised on Kibbutz Yehiam, Rozenkier's short films and two features examine kibbutz culture, IDF culture, masculinity, and their impact on family relationships (often casting his brothers and himself). His prior feature, The Dive, was screened by Columbia IIJS in March, 2020.
Supported by the generosity of the Appel and Kaye families.
While all IIJS events are free and open to the public, we do encourage a suggested donation of $10.