Synopsis

A shocking, emotionally wrenching melodrama taken straight from the pages of history, Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara tells the story of Edgardo Mortara, a six-year-old Jewish boy in Bologna who was stolen from his parents to be raised by the Catholic Church in 1858. Edgardo was secretly baptized when he was a baby, according to his nurse, stoking anti-Semitic fears that he would be “sacrificed” by his parents for this transgression. His parents try desperately to get their son back, but the conspiracy to claim the child for Catholicism goes all the way to Pope Pius IX (Paolo Pierobon).

Veteran director Marco Bellocchio (Fists in the Pocket) handles Edgardo’s story with a blend of righteous anger and sumptuous craftsmanship, for a film that makes a lasting impression both through its story and its style.

Synopsis

When Sami returns with his wife and son to his Arabic village for his brother’s wedding, he plans a quick return to Jerusalem, where his business and mistress await. Just as he is leaving, the village is unexpectedly put under lockdown by Israeli soldiers, and Sami finds himself caught in an uneasy web of personal and political intrigues. This adaptation of Sayed Kashua’s 2006 novel mixes wry comedy with a touch of the absurd to create a perceptive, winsome satire.

Synopsis

This perceptive documentary follows 12-year-old Idan, a talented young athlete anticipating his Bar Mitzvah. More than a rite of passage, it represents the first time the boy will meet his African father, Tony Toklomati, a professional soccer player removed from the country for lying about his age. But will the family raise enough money to pay his way to Israel, and how long will he be able to stay?