Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., December 03, 2007 Kislev 23, 5768 | | Israel Time: 14:43 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah

Actor Sasson Gabai posing with his trophy during the 20th European Film Award ceremony at the Arena in Berlin on Saturday. (AP) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 02:48 03/12/2007 Israeli film wins country's first two European Academy Awards By Assaf Uni, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel  Sasson Gabai was named Actor of the Year by the European Film Academy on Saturday for his role in the Jim Jarmuschesque comedy "The Band's Visit." The film's director, Eran Kolirin, won European Discovery of the Year, marking the first time Israeli artists have taken awards in this prestigious competition since Israel joined the academy in 2004. "Helen Mirren was the European Actress of the Year and I'm European Actor of the Year, so it's nice to be in such exalted company," Gabai told Army Radio. He offered a special thanks to Kolirin "for giving me [the role of] Tawfiq," the leader of the Egyptian police band that gets lost on a visit to Israel and winds up in a small town in the Negev. Gabai beat five other nominees, including French actor Michel Piccoli. Advertisement Kolirin topped three other directors who were nominated with their premiere films in the European Discovery 2007 category. "I would like to thank everyone who worked with me on the film," he said. The European Film Academy's award winners are chosen in a vote by the academy's 1,700 members throughout the continent. Some 18 Israeli film professionals are members of the academy. "This winds up a wonderful year in Europe," said the director of the Israel Film Foundation, Katriel Shechori. "It establishes Israel's success on the continent and greatly contributes to the Israeli-European confederation." The Berlin awards for "The Band's Visit" add to the film's already respectable showing at international festivals. The film has captured the Un Certain Regard competition at Cannes, the Best Film award at the Tokyo festival and the Audience's Award in Sarajevo and Warsaw, among other honors. Kolirin has won the New Talent Award in Zurich. In Israel, "The Band's Visit" took the Best Film award at the Jerusalem Film Festival, as well as six Ophir (Israeli Oscar) awards. "The Band's Visit" was barred from competing in the Academy Award's Foreign Language category because more than half of the movie's dialogue is in English. Bookmark to del.icio.us Big heart The organs of an IDF soldier were donated to five people in Israel and Germany. Settler harassment Palestinians in the West Bank said settlers threw stones at a boy and stole his donkey.   1.   ISRAEL is finished cried the Fool as night follows day 05:28  |  PETER SM 03/12/07   2.   Kol haKavod 08:30  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 03/12/07   3.   just congratulate can you? 14:37  |  suad 03/12/07

Today Online Israel begins release of 429 Palestinian prisoners Responses: 58 Akiva Eldar: Avigdor Lieberman's settler friends can relax Responses: 22 Report: Israel's disabled worst off in Western world Responses: 20 Officials: Extraordinary measures used on 17% of Gazan inmates Responses: 10 Historic New York synagogue celebrates $20M restoration Responses: 10 Rosner's Domain The new Jews who actually love their Shabbat services "Anyone who shows contempt for Bush - not serious person," says Olmert Lebanon will pay the price for Annapolis (WTR) Poll: So, was the Annapolis meeting a success? More Headlines 12:39 Ze'evi killer jailed for two life terms plus 100 years 13:42 PM: Ability to implement all home front improvements is limited 14:22 Israel releases 429 Palestinian prisoners in gesture to Abbas 11:29 Egypt relaxes border with Gaza to let pilgrims travel to Mecca 14:26 Ben-Zvi Institute calls for return of Aleppo Codex fragments 08:23 IDF kills four Hamas gunmen in clashes in northern Gaza 11:32 Five indicted in plot to smuggle cocaine to Israel from Ecuador 13:33 Israel delays transfer of armored personnel carriers to Abbas 11:57 Four men get heavy sentences for rape, kidnap of 4 women, girls 11:31 Changes to Labor constitution would fix chair's term at four years Previous Editions Select Day 02 dec 30 nov 29 nov 28 nov 27 nov 26 nov 25 nov 23 nov 22 nov 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov

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