Katzhen

Last updated

Katzhen is a 2005 film directed by Guy Michael. It is considered as a modern-day Israeli Oliver Twist . The film tells the story of Katzhen, a young boy who, faced with the loss of his mother and an incapable father, chooses to steer his own path in life. Roaming throughout Israel in a quest for affection and the solidity of a warm family life, Katzhen finds it in unexpected places.

Plot

Katzhen, is left without a stable family structure upon the death of his mother. After his mother's funeral, the young boy finds himself shuttled from one unfit home to another. Caught in a tug of war between his cold aunt and his promiscuous and suicidal uncle – neither of which, knows how to raise a child. He is eventually sent off from this first stopping point to a kibbutz, where more loneliness and cruelty await him. Katzhen is forced to take charge of his own destiny but isn't quite capable enough to do so.

Katzhen is distant from other boys, seeming to exist in a world of his own. Despite the many hardships he faces, he never complains, and he rarely cries. Instead, his eyes absorb everything around him, trying to make sense of the scenes of death, sex, and violence that he witnesses. Rootless and insecure, but with a strong spirit and stoic attitude that speak to a maturity well beyond his young age, the little boy boldly tries to take control of his own destiny and find his place in the world.

Related Research Articles

The Search is a 1948 American film directed by Fred Zinnemann that tells the story of a young Auschwitz survivor and his mother who search for each other across post-World War II Europe. It stars Montgomery Clift, Ivan Jandl, Jarmila Novotná and Aline MacMahon.

<i>The Books of Magic</i>

The Books of Magic is the title of a four-issue English-language comic book mini-series written by Neil Gaiman, published by DC Comics, and later an ongoing series under the imprint Vertigo. Since its original publication, the mini-series has also been published in a single-volume collection under the Vertigo imprint with an introduction by author Roger Zelazny. It tells the story of a young boy who has the potential to become the world's greatest magician.

<i>1109"01 September 11</i> 2002 anthology film by 11 different directors

11'09"1 September 11 is a 2002 international film composed of 11 contributions from different filmmakers, each from a different country. Each gave their own vision of the events in New York City during the September 11 attacks, in a short film of 11 minutes, 9 seconds, and one frame. The original concept and production of the film was by French producer Alain Brigand. It has been released internationally with several different titles, depending on the language. It is listed in the Internet Movie Database as 11'09"01 - September 11, while in French, it is known as 11 minutes 9 secondes 1 image and in Persian as 11-e-Septambr.

Jewish humor Wit and humor in Jewish culture

The tradition of humor in Judaism dates back to the Torah and the Midrash from the ancient Middle East, but generally refers to the more recent stream of verbal and often anecdotal humor of Ashkenazi Jews which took root in the United States over the last hundred years, including in secular Jewish culture. European Jewish humor in its early form developed in the Jewish community of the Holy Roman Empire, with theological satire becoming a traditional way of clandestinely opposing Christianization.

Ben Savage American actor

Bennett Joseph Savage is an American actor. He played the lead role of Cory Matthews on the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World (1993–2000) and its Disney Channel sequel Girl Meets World (2014–2017).

<i>Destiny</i> (1921 film) 1921 film by Fritz Lang

Destiny is a 1921 silent German Expressionist fantasy romance film directed by Fritz Lang and inspired by the Indian folktale of Savitri. The film follows a woman desperate to reunite with her dead lover. It also follows three other tragic romances, set in a Middle Eastern city; in Venice, Italy; and in the Chinese Empire.

Timothy Hunter Comics character

Timothy Hunter is a fictional character, a comic book sorcerer published by DC Comics. He first appeared in The Books of Magic #1, and was created by Neil Gaiman and John Bolton.

<i>El Muerto</i> (2007 film) 2007 film by Brian Cox

El Muerto is a live-action independent film adaptation of the comic book series, El Muerto: The Aztec Zombie created by Javier Hernandez. The film was written and directed by Brian Cox with Javier Hernandez serving as Associate-Producer. It stars Wilmer Valderrama, Angie Cepeda, Joel David Moore, Billy Drago, Tony Plana, Michael Parks, María Conchita Alonso and Tony Amendola. The film follows the story of Diego de la Muerte, a 21-year-old Mexican-American who is abducted, sacrificed, and sent back to the land of the living by the Aztec gods of death and destiny to fulfill an ancient prophecy. The official premiere was held on March 1, 2007 at the Latino Film Festival in San Diego, California with a straight-to-DVD release slated for September 18, 2007 followed by subsequent screenings in New York City and San Diego. The official site address (www.elmuertomovie.com) has since been re-directed to a MySpace film account. The film is rated PG-13 for violence and some disturbing images. El Muerto has gone on to win the Best Feature Film Award at the first annual Whittier Film Festival in 2008.

<i>Left Luggage</i> (film) 1998 Dutch film

Left Luggage is a 1998 Dutch film directed by Jeroen Krabbé.

<i>Live and Become</i> 2005 French film

Live and Become is a 2005 French drama film about an Ethiopian Christian boy who disguises himself as an Ethiopian Jew to escape famine and emigrates to Israel. It was directed by Romanian-born Radu Mihăileanu. It won awards at the Berlin and Vancouver film festivals among others.

<i>Los ricos también lloran</i>

Los ricos también lloran is a popular telenovela produced in Mexico in 1979, starring Verónica Castro, Rogelio Guerra and Rocío Banquells. Castro also sang the theme Aprendí a Llorar, a song written by Lolita de la Colina. The telenovela was produced by Valentín Pimstein and Carlos Romero, it was directed by Rafael Banquells. The story was written by Inés Rodena and adapted by Valeria Philips.

<i>Caravan 841</i> 2001 film by Zion Rubin

Caravan 841 is a 2001 Israeli film made by Zion Rubin that follows Moshe, a little Jewish boy from Ethiopia who was sent to Israel to escape from his war-torn homeland. While Moshe waits for his mother to meet him in Israel, life gives him one disappointment after the another, but he works through them with the help of a strict Rabbi and a saxophone player who owns a night club.

<i>The Whos Tommy</i> Rock musical

The Who's Tommy is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Pete Townshend and a book by Townshend and Des McAnuff. It is based on the 1969 rock opera Tommy by The Who.

<i>Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?</i> 1989 South Korean film

Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? (1989) is a South Korean film written, produced and directed by Bae Yong-kyun, a professor at Dongguk University in Seoul. Known principally as a painter, Bae spent seven years making this film with one camera and editing it by hand. The film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. It was the first South Korean film to receive a theater release in the United States. The US distributor Milestone Films premiered the film in New York City on September 24, 1993 and then expanded to over 30 cities.

Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz was an American surfer and physician, who gave up practicing medicine for a living and decided to become a professional surfer. In 1972, he founded a surf camp run by his family, where campers could live alongside and surf with members of the Paskowitz family. He and his family have been referred to as the "First Family of Surfing".

Children of Jerusalem is a series of 7 documentary films directed by Beverly Shaffer, a Canadian filmmaker, between 1991 and 1996. The series show the life in Jerusalem from the distinct points of view of the municipality's children of various cultural, economic, social and religious backgrounds.

Phobia 2 is a 2009 Thai anthology horror film consisting of five shorts: "Novice" directed by Paween Purijitpanya, "Ward" by Visute Poolvoralaks, "Backpackers" by Songyos Sugmakanan, "Salvage" by Parkpoom Wongpoom, and "In the End" by Banjong Pisanthanakun. It is the sequel to the 2008 anthology horror film 4bia.

<i>Ajami</i> (film) 2009 film

Ajami is a 2009 Israeli Arab drama film. Its plot is set in the Ajami neighborhood of Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel.

<i>A Jewish Girl in Shanghai</i> 2010 Chinese animated family film

A Jewish Girl in Shanghai is a 2010 Chinese animated family film written by Wu Lin and based on his graphic novel of the same name. It is directed by Wang Genfa and Zhang Zhenhui, and voiced by Cui Jie, Zhao Jing and Ma Shaohua.

<i>A Tale of Love and Darkness</i> (film) 2015 film

A Tale of Love and Darkness is a 2015 drama film written and directed by Natalie Portman in her directorial feature debut. Based on the memoir of the same name by Israeli author Amos Oz, it takes place in Jerusalem in the last years of Mandatory Palestine and the first years of independent Israel. It stars Amir Tessler as Oz, and Gilad Kahana and Portman as his parents. It was screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and in the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.

References