June 4 BELLA
75 min
co-produced by two-time Cannes Palme d'Or winners the Dardenne brothers and legendary Israeli producer Moshe Edery, nominated for Best Film at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
When Yaki discovers—too late—that Bella, a curly-plumed, prize-winning dove and his sole inheritance, has vanished, he sets off with his childhood friend and their wives for a madcap journey through Israel to bring her back. Their pursuit hurtles through wedding crashes, stolen cars, tense checkpoints, and a hilariously awkward family reconciliation ceremony—all in a frantic race to reclaim Bella before Jerusalem’s prestigious dove beauty pageant.
Beneath its wild, over-the-top antics, Bella cleverly uses its feathered fugitive as a playful metaphor for the Middle East’s divisions and the fragile hopes for reconciliation. Bursting with infectious energy and cross-cultural humor, the film delivers outrageous laughs alongside a surprisingly heartfelt reflection on unity and understanding.
Sponsor: Vered Israel Centre, SJCC, JFO, Embassy of Israel, Zelikovitz Centre, CICF