Haifa International Film Festival opens with emotional tribute to Avi Nesher

The 42nd Haifa International Festival opened with an emotional tribute to director Avi Nesher, who was awarded its lifetime achievement award, and the official Israeli premiere of his latest movie, Our Loves.The festival will continue until October 3, and Our Loves will open throughout Israel on October 15.Our Loves received a standing ovation, and the tribute referenced Nesher's personal and professional connections to the festival in a way that was especially meaningful. Nesher was joined after the film by the cast of his epic, multi-character drama about a group of people in the south of Israel who think they are having the worst day of their lives on October 6, 2023, and struggle to survive when Hamas attacks the next day.As he stood on stage with most of the cast, including Shalom Michaelshwilli, Magi Azarzar, Noa Cohen, Daniel Gimpel, Yaniv Biton, Chancela “Sean” Mongoza, Hadas Yaron, Amir Banai and others,…