Yom Ha'atzmaut Celebration & The Troupe

Join us for a good ol’ fashioned Yom Ha’azmaut party: we’re talking inflatable hammers, bamba, corn on the cob, and Goldstar Beer all capped off with a screening of the cult classic Israeli film The Troupe, from 2014 WJFF Visionary Award Honoree Avi Nesher. 

This offbeat musical directed by Avi Nesher (his first film) follows a dozen members of the military entertainment troupe, whose mission is to entertain the Israeli Army following the Six Day War in 1967. Although the performers are not at the frontline, they too suffered tensions, learning to get along, making and breaking romances - all while competing to become the best performer in the troupe and to receive coveted television coverage. The Troupe was a controversial success when first released in Israel. Though tame by today's standards, the film was a satire on the sacred cow – the Israel Defence Force. 

But it has continued to gain momentum and is now regarded as one of the most beloved and favorite Independence Day movies' of all time. Many of the young actors featured in the film eventually obtained that coveted media exposure their film characters were searching for – Gidi Gov and Meir Fenigstein both became major Israeli rock stars as members of Kaveret (known as Poogy outside the country), with Gov going on to be a successful actor and TV host. 

Gali Atari won the Eurovision Song Contest for Israel in 1979 with the song 'Hallelujah,’ Dovale Glickman became a successful comedian, Gilat Ankori a television soap-star ('Ramat Aviv Gimmel'). And, of course, Nesher himself went on to become one of Israel's most influential and successful directors. 

Ticket includes Israeli snacks and the film; beer available for purchase.