The opening evening of the 35th Annual William and Irene Weinberg Family Baltimore Jewish Film Festival features a special screening and concert event in celebration of Israel's special birthday.
The Israeli hybrid docu-narrative film Exodus 91 recounts the experiences of diplomat Asher Naim, who led Operation Solomon, the diplomatic and military mission to bring thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel in the midst of Ethiopia's brutal civil war. The film will be followed by a short performance and remarks from celebrated Ethiopian-Israeli singer-songwriter, AvevA, known for fusing traditional Ethiopian sounds with her soul-pop melodies, producing a unique style with universal appeal.
Special Guest Speaker: Gideon Naim
Gideon Naim, son of Asher Naim, whose story is recounted in the film, will also be in attendance to share a few words about his father’s important work and introduce guest vocalist AvevA.
About the Film Exodus 91
Docudrama | Israel | 2023 | 90 minutes | Dir: Micah Smith
Hebrew, Amharic, English, with English subtitles
Asher Naim is an Israeli diplomat caught between worlds and facing a crisis of faith in himself and his country. A North-African Jew himself, Asher sent to Ethiopia to negotiate the escape of 15,000 Ethiopian Jews from a country collapsing under famine and civil war. Working with his Ethiopian-Israeli colleagues who, themselves, immigrated to Israel a decade earlier, Asher and his partners begin to question if the Israeli government is serious or using the operation as part of an elaborate publicity stunt. With rebel forces closing in on the capital, Asher’s faith in his mission is put to the test as he navigates the treacherous world of bureaucracy and politics in Ethiopia, Israel, and the US.
Exodus 91 takes viewers behind the scenes – and behind the spin – of Operation Solomon, the diplomatic and military mission to bring thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel in the midst of Ethiopia’s brutal civil war. The feature-length film explores challenging questions of racism, white saviour-ism, homeland, cultural identity, the politics of immigration, and the hardships of these immigrants, and those that followed them, to this day.
A genre-blending documentary-narrative hybrid that tells a compelling story while deconstructing storytelling itself, the film weaves together narrative filmmaking, archival footage and documentary interviews — some of which are real and some of which are staged — to give a rich filmic experience. Exodus 91 challenges us to consider the interplay of truth and fiction in storytelling, whether it be on the screen, in diplomacy, or in building national and religious identity. More at exodus91.com.
About the Musical Artist AvevA
Aveva Dese, an Ethiopian-Israeli singer-songwriter who fuses traditional Ethiopian sounds & groove with her soul-pop melodies, producing a unique style with universal appeal. As a first generation to immigrants from Ethiopia, AvevA brings a fascinating life story into her music. She sings about society, freedom, and love, creating an inspiring and empowering experience. Aveva second album, In My Thoughts, was released in March 2019 and has received great reviews in the Israeli music scene. AvevA brings her own unique cultural flare to the table with her own style: a mix of powerful texts (in both English and Amharic) and traditional Ethiopian sounds. Originally discovered on the Israeli version of The Voice, Aveva has displayed her universal appeal on tours with Idan Raichel and with her original music at festivals across Israel, Europe and North America. More at goldenland.com/aveva
Event sponsored by North Oaks. Presented as part of the JCC's Israel at 75 Celebration