The 37th edition of the Israel Film Festival once again proved why it remains one of Los Angeles’ most important cultural meeting points. Spanning generations, genres, and voices, the festival offers not only a panoramic view of contemporary Israeli cinema, but also something more intimate: deeply human stories that travel effortlessly across borders.
I attended one of the festival’s recent screenings at the Ahrya Theatre, where My One and Only had its West Coast premiere. Directed by David Tauber, the film unfolds within a strictly religious Jewish environment in Israel, following a young woman who, shortly after giving birth, becomes convinced that the man who returned home is no longer her husband — even though he looks and sounds exactly the same.
On the surface, My One and Only is deeply rooted in a specific cultural and religious context. The film offers a rare, close-up look into the daily rhythms, values, and unspoken rules of Israel’s religious Jewish communities — a world that is rarely portrayed with such nuance and restraint. Yet what makes the film resonate far beyond that context is its emotional core. At heart, this is a story about intimacy, alienation, and the fragile trust that holds relationships together. The question it asks is universal: what happens when the person closest to us suddenly feels like a stranger?
That universality was palpable in the audience. Despite the cultural specificity, the silence in the theatre spoke volumes — moments of recognition rippled through the room. Marriage, motherhood, emotional distance, and identity are experiences that transcend faith, geography, and tradition, and My One and Only handles them with a quiet, unsettling precision.
Following the screening, the reception offered another layer of insight. During an informal conversation, director David Tauber shared a behind-the-scenes detail that delighted many in attendance: the film’s original score was recorded in Hungary with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. The collaboration adds a subtle, cinematic richness to the film — an international resonance that mirrors the story’s own emotional reach.
The evening captured the essence of the Israel Film Festival itself. Beyond red carpets and premieres, the festival functions as a bridge — between cultures, histories, and lived experiences. By presenting films like My One and Only alongside a diverse lineup of features and discussions, the festival reminds us that cinema’s greatest strength lies in its ability to make the unfamiliar deeply relatable.
In a city saturated with content, the Israel Film Festival continues to stand out by offering stories that linger — quietly, thoughtfully — long after the lights come up.
– Virág Vida –
