The Jerusalem Film Festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a very contemporary line-up of films and acclaimed personalities like director Richard Linklater and Iranian filmmaker, Mohsenzadegan Makhmalbaf, who will be presenting their films during the festival.

Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
The Jerusalem Film Festival is celebrating its 30th year with a very contemporary line-up of films and acclaimed personalities like director Richard Linklater and Iranian filmmaker, Mohsenzadegan Makhmalbaf, who will be presenting their films at the festival.

Irene Pletka, who is the chairman of the festival, got sentimental on us when reminiscing about the festivals anniversary.

Irene Pletka, Chairman of the Board, Jerusalem Film Festival:
It’s really such an out of life experience to come to Jerusalem, and have the entire world gather and watch movies, it’s great. This institution in fact educated the entire Israeli film world in average having directors, producers, writers, actors come here and mingle with the Israeli film world and we feel that the Israeli film world has really stepped up and is on a world class footing now and therefore it is very appropriate to have the 30th film festival open with an original Israeli movie.

American director Neil Barsky claims having the Jerusalem Film Festival mark on your movie is a great benefit.

Neil Barsky, Director, Kotch:
It’s a very respected film festival, it’s an international film festival, it’s not parochial, it’s prestigious and we have a DVD coming out of the film September I think, and we’re very proud to have Jerusalem film festivals. One of the festivals we’ve been in so it’s very well regarded. Just look at the films that have been here, historically, you’re in great company.

The director of the opening night film, Reshef Levi, requested an especially big arena for the showing of his film to fit all his seven children who were all in attendance.

Reshef Levi, Director, Hunting Elephants:
Well, the Jewish mothers who are watching the channel would love to hear that I have seven children from the same wife, which is you know it’s a kind of a world record for a guy who is not religious, so yes I have a lot of children, it’s a mess, you know they eat a lot but I love them and they will be here with me in the pool.

Reshef Levi, Director, Hunting Elephants:
It’s wonderful because usually they chose a big blockbuster from America you know, like Shrek and suddenly I am the Shrek. The Shrek of the year and the fact that they have chosen an Israeli movie which is two thirds in Hebrew one third in English, it’s a big honor, it’s didn’t happen a lot during the years so I’m very excited and it’s wonderful.

Lifetime Achievement honorees, Sasson Gabbai and Moni Moshonov, tried to be very modest about why they feel they are deserving of this award.

Sasson Gabbai, Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree:
I don’t call it life achievement award because it’s scary, a little bit scary. I will call it kind of an appreciation award because the life is.. my life achievement is still on, I’m very busy, I’ve got so many plans for the future but it’s so nice to get such award you know you get appreciation from the industry, from the people who caring and involved with the cinema. You are so busy when you are doing things that you are not. But after a while you calculate and see that you’ve done quite a lot. I’m thankful and it’s very nice to have this award but I still have plans, many plans for the future.

Moni Moshonov, Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree:
It’s a lifetime achievement, you’re sure about it? Oh, I thought it’s, you know just achievement, I don’t think, I don’t really feel like I have something to say yet, I’m here to stay for… I don’t know, to make some more films, some more movies.

Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
With the screening of Hunting Elephants the festival has officially kicked off and the organizers are expecting around 25,000 visitors to attend the around 130 screenings and workshops during the ten days of the festival.
For JN1 I am Ron Jacobsohn at the opening ceremony of the 30th Jerusalem Film Festival.