The 42nd Haifa International Film Festival began screenings on Friday, September 25 and will run through Saturday, October 3. The formal opening event is scheduled for Saturday evening at the Haifa Auditorium.
Avi Nesher's Our Loves is the opening film. According to the festival schedule, the reception begins at 6:30 p.m., the ceremony at 8 p.m. and the film screening at 8:30 p.m.
What is screening on the first day
The September 25 program includes films from around the world at the Rapaport hall and the Cinematheque, including Francois Ozon's The Stranger, A Girl Unknown and a screening of Barbra Streisand's Yentl.
The festival has added several screenings because of demand, including another A Girl Unknown screening on opening day and an additional screening of Our Loves on September 30. Visitors should check the official schedule before traveling because additions and technical changes are posted online.
The opening film and ceremony
Our Loves runs 117 minutes and is in Hebrew, Arabic and Moroccan Arabic. The festival lists Hebrew and English subtitles. It is being shown as part of the festival's official opening event.
The central event gives Israeli cinema a prominent place within a broad international program. Held during the Sukkot period, the Haifa festival has become one of Israel's largest annual film events.
What to know before going
Screenings take place in several halls and venues, so ticket holders should check the exact hall and time on each booking rather than relying only on the film title. Some films screen more than once and may have different subtitle combinations.
For anyone targeting a specific film, the official date based schedule is the most reliable source. The festival also posts added screenings, replacements and technical notices, making the online program the best reference while the event is underway.
