In 1869, John McGregor, a Scottish explorer, arrives in Palestine to explore the Jordan River. In the summer of 2011, Effi and Amir, Israelis who have been living in Europe for the past decade, set out to retrace McGregor’s steps, from the river source to the Sea of Galilee. Against the backdrop of a mythical landscape overflowing with Israeli vacationers, they take us along on a journey down the river’s path. At the same time local and foreign, they gradually transform from traveler-explorers to ‘explored travelers’ – as the people they meet along the way unabashedly confront them about their relationship with the land they had left. The flow of encounters, invaded landscapes and spontaneous dialogues behind the camera raise questions of kinship and ownership, proximity and distance, and expose the biographical and ideological filters that condition our connection to a place.
Production: CVB
Co-production: CBA
With the support of the Centre du Cinéma et de l’audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles et VOO (TV-NET- TEL).
2015:
Festival 2 Valenciennes, France, 03/15
Festival ACME, France, 11/15
2014:
Festival Intinérances, Alès, France, 04/14
Jewish Motifs International Film Festival, Poland, 04/14
Bande à Part, France, 04/14
Indielisboa Film Festival, Portugal, 04/14 – Mention d’Honneur de la section Pouls du Monde
Festival Panoramic, Saint Brieuc, France, 05/14
Festival de Cinéma de la ville de Québec, Canada, 09/14
Milano Film Festival, Italy, 09/14
Festival International du Film Ethnographique Jean Rouch, Paris, France, 11/14
Festival RISC, Marseille, France, 11/14
2013:
Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, Czech Republic, 10/13
Filmer à tout prix, Belgium, 11/13 – Prix des auteurs de la SCAM
Jerusalem Film Festival, Israel, 12/13
Indielisboa Film Festival (Portugal) – Mention d’Honneur de la section Pouls du Monde 2014
Filmer à tout prix (Belgium) – Prix des auteurs de la SCAM 2013
