Nachman, an ultra-Orthodox “Macher,” and his friend Shaie solicit donations for Shaie who is very ill. The rules are clear: all incomes are divided equally. Chavi, Nachman’s girlfriend, who Nachman introduces as his daughter, joins the two on their night trip in the old blue Volvo. The night turns into an existential journey between Orthodox Bnei-Brak and secular Tel Aviv, between life and death, between despair and consolation.
Driver
A Film by: Yehonatan Indursky
(Israel, 2017, 92 min, Hebrew, English subtitles, Cast: Moshe Folkenflik,Manuel Elkaslassy Vardi).
Nahman Ruzumni lives on the fringes of the ultra-orthodox community in Bnei Berak. As a "Driver" he takes beggars to wealthy people's homes, and helps them find the right way to tell their story in order to inspire philanthropy. For his services he gets a cut of the money, and records their stories in his notebook. He spends the rest of his nights in makeshift casinos and dining halls where the more questionable members of this pious society spend their nights.
But when his wife leaves suddenly, Ruzumni is faced with the responsibility of his nine year old daughter. Now Ruzumni takes his daughter on his nightly journey, exposing her for the first time to his world. Getting to know his daughter Ruzumni remembers the only story he could never tell…his own. Together in the dark alleys of Bnei Barak they each find, even if for a short moment, their lost childhoods.
FESTIVALS & SCREENINGS
• UK JFF Best Debut Feature Film 2018
• Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival 2017 - First Features Competition
• Pittsburgh JFF 2018
• Washington JFF 2018
• Cleveland JFF 2018
• JIFF Australia 2018
• Silicone Valley JFF 2018
• Boston JFF 2018
• BYU 2018
• Fort Lauderdale IFF 2018
• Brigham Young University 2018
• Baton Rouge JFF 2019
• Palm Springs JFF 2019
• Bratislava JFF 2019
• Orange County JFF 2019
• Vienna Jewish Film Club 2019
• YESH Zurich 2019
• UK JFF 2019
• St. Augustine JFF 2019
• Toronto JFF 2019
• Budapest JFF 2019
• Kinemathek Hamburg 2020