Cinema Sabaya

Houston Jewish Film Festival

Cinema Sabaya chronicles a fictional group of Arab and Jewish women, municipal workers in the Israeli city of Hadera, taking part in a video workshop run by Tel Aviv filmmaker Rona (Dana Ivgy from Zero Motivation). The participants are asked to film their lives. As each woman shares her footage, beliefs and preconceptions are challenged.

Based on the director’s experience as a teacher, the film presents a deft and heartfelt portrait of art’s capacity to connect disparate communities. Winner of five Ophir awards, including Best Film and Best Director, Cinema Sabaya was Israel’s submission to the Academy Awards.


Generous support for this film festival has been provided by Isabelle and Eric Mayer and Lois and George Stark.

The MFAH film department is supported by Tenaris; the Vaughn Foundation; The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea; Nina and Michael Zilkha; Consulate General of Italy in Houston; Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles; Consulate General of Brazil in Houston; Franci Neely; Carrin Patman and Jim Derrick; Ms. Laurence Unger; L’Alliance Française de Houston; and ILEX Foundation.

Cinema Sabaya

Directed by Orit Fouks Rotem
(Israel, 2021, 91 minutes, in Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles)
Brown Auditorium Theater

Location

Caroline Wiess Law Building
1001 Bissonnet Street
Houston, TX 77005
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