Festivals in the USA/Israel

The Boston Jewish Film festival has invited Bloodlines to screen in early November, and the Hot Springs Documentary Festival in Arkansas is featuring the film in October. They also wanted me to be there but it is on at the same time as the Israeli festival, and i haven't yet worked out how to be in two places at once.

Bettina and Ruth are preparing for their visit to Israel and we are discovering stories of Germans with Nazi backgrounds who have converted to Judaism and now live in Israel. I am deepening my understanding of the human rights issues within Israel today, it is a complex situation.

Going to Israel in October

Exciting news - myself, Bettina Goering and Ruth Rich will be going to Israel in October. The Jewish Eye World Jewish Film Festival will be screening Bloodlines twice during the festival, held from 22nd - 30th October in Ashkelon, a city on the coast not far from Tel Aviv. See our links page to check out the festival.

Oded Guy, the festival director, has arranged comprehensive media coverage including a TV story and a feature article in a national newspaper. So we will be busy with lots of press interviews to let everyone know about Bloodlines and the story of Ruth and Bettina.

I will be doing some filming while I am there, to capture whatever unfolds during our visit.

Ruth's powerful paintings of her family in the Holocaust, which drew Bettina to meet Ruth, will be flown over courtesy of the Israeli embassy and exhibited in the cinema exhibition foyer.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the film to be seen and discussed and hopefully it will provoke a desire for reconciliation where that is needed.