Between 1994 and 1998 Avivi created (withYoav Kutner, Ami Amir, Arik Bernstein and Gabriel Bibliowicz) a comprehensive 12-part documentary series about the history of Israeli rock music,“Sof Onat Hatapuzim” ("End of the Orange Season").[4]In 2006 Avivi produced two documentary films:Bekummernis (with Ido Sela) andThe Cahana Sisters (with Amir Harel and Gilad Melzer).[5][6] In 2008 Avivi produced (with Yael Biron and Dror Nahum) a documentary aboutEhud Banai and The Refugees -On The Move.[7] In 2011 Avivi founded Vice Versa Films, a production house forfeature films,short films andTV series.
Since 2016 Avivi is the Artistic Consultant of Solidarity International Human Rights Film Festival, Tel Aviv.[8] The fourth edition of Solidarity Festival took place in April 2016 at theTel Aviv Cinematheque.
The fifth edition of the festival took place in May 2017. The opening night film was "The Unknown Girl" directed by theDardenne Brothers . The lineup included documentaries, including "Speed Sisters" and narrative films including "Junction 48".
In 2009, Avivi, with Micky Laron, foundedEPOS, an annual event based atTel Aviv Museum of Art. Avivi was the Festival Director till 2015. In its inaugural year, the festival guests were Ben Lewis,Sheila Hayman and Rene Letzgus.[9] In 2010EPOS 2 guests werePercy Adlon, Galina Eevtushenko, Lionel Guedj,Yony Leyser, Tom Magill, Sam McClean, Sergey Ovcharov,Tony Palmer, Viktoria Petranyi, Kathie Russo,Helma Sanders-Brahms, andLucy Walker.[10]EPOS 3 took place in 2012, and some of its films were also shown in Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beit She'an. The festival included a musical tribute toDave Brubeck by his son, Darius Brubeck, after a screening of a documentary film byClint Eastwood about the greatjazz pianist. Among the festival's guests were Arantxa Aguirre,John Bridcut,Kevin Hood,Lech Majewski, Agnes Sos, Iwan Schumacher,Philipp Stölzl and Wiktoria Szymanska.EPOS 4 took place in 2013, with additional screenings of its films in various venues in Israel. The opening film of the festival was 'Yossi Banai – A Farewell Album', In addition to the film screenings, the festival hosted cultural and musical events. "Imagination at Work", a new exhibition byHarun Farocki, who was the festival's guest, opened at Tel Aviv Museum of Art during the festival. The premiere of "The Composer's Cut", a new concert ofJonathan Bar Giora, closed EPOS 4. EPOS 5, a 10-day extended edition of the festival, took place in 2014. The opening night film was "Mafriah ha-yonim" ("Farewell Baghdad), directed by Nissim Dayan.
Ron Arad - Not Without White Gloves. Director: Avida Livny; a documentary that focuses on a year in the life ofRon Arad, the world-renowned artist, industrial designer, and architect, as he develops, creates, and exhibits hisinstallations and art works in Jerusalem, Venice, Groningen, London, Holon and Tel Aviv. The premiere of the film took place atDocaviv – Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival.
A Night With No Dawn. Director: Sara Bozakov; a 21-minute short narrative film about a night in the life of five asylum seekers from Sudan, who are on their way to be imprisoned in the Holot Detention facility near the Israel-Egypt border. The premiere took place at theTel Aviv International Student Film Festival, and the film was given the "Best Film" award in the Israeli Competition.[11]
2016
Freedom Runners (Original title: Ratsim Lahofesh). Director: David Wachsmann; a 50-minute documentary about a high school teacher that founds a running team for his students, African refugees and asylum seekers, who live in southTel Aviv. The international premiere of the film took place at Woodstock Film Festival.[12]
The Ambassador's Wife (Original title: Eshet Hashagrir). Director: Dina Zvi-Riklis; a 40-minute drama based on a screenplay and story by Alma Ganihar, starringEster Rada as the wife of an Eritrean Ambassador who must flee her country and find refuge in south Tel Aviv. WithYehezkel Lazarov. The Israeli premiere screening of the film took place at Haifa Film Festival.[13]
Jihad Now (Original title: Jihad Akhshav). Directors: Anna Somershaf andHenrique Cymerman; a 4-hour series presented by Henrique Cymerman about GlobalJihad, from the formation ofal-Qaeda to theEuropean migrant crisis and the fight againstISIS. The series was nominated for the Israel Filmmakers Documentary Forum award.[14]
2014
Never Turn Your Back on Sparks (Original title: Leolam Beikvot Sparks). Director: Pini Schatz;[15] a documentary comedy about fans of the "coolest underrated rock band in the world":Sparks.[16]
East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem (Hebrew title: Mizrah Yerushalayim / Maarav Yerushalayim). Directors: Henrique Cymerman and Erez Miller; an award-winning feature-length documentary about aDavid Broza project that was recorded during 8 days and nights in a Palestinian studio inSheikh Jarrah with a band consisting of Jewish and Arab musicians. WithSteve Earle andMira Awad. The film was acquired for world distribution byFilm Movement and can be seen worldwide onNetflix.[17]
2013
Not Your Life (Original title: Lo Ha-Hayim Shelakh; Working title: Gora). Director: Tal Shefi; a documentary that focuses on life choices and their meaning for the director and her daughter, a half-Nepalese-half Israeli girl, who grows up inGoa.
2012
Chicken Soup with Knives (Original title:Merak Of Im Sakinim; Working title:This is Not a Holocaust Film). Director: Leora Eisenstein; a documentary about the filmmaker's investigative journey with her sister toLviv, her family's hometown beforeWorld War II.
2011
Looking for Moshe Guez (Original title:Le'an Ne'elam Moshe Guez). Director: Avida Livny; a documentary about the filmmaker's search for the Israeli director Moshe Guez and his rarely seenfeature film,The Angel was a Devil.[18]
Running Movie (Original title:Seret Ratz). Director: Omer Peled; a documentary about the Israeli long-distance runnerSeteng Ayele (AKA Haile Satayin), the oldest marathon runner in the2008 Summer Olympic inBeijing and his efforts to compete at the age of 55, in the2012 Summer Olympics inLondon.[19]
2008
On the Move (Original title:Hayav Lazuz). Director: Avida Livny; a film about courage, friendship androck and roll, aboutEhud Banai and Yossi Elephant, about the Israeli rock band "The Refugees", and especially about the passion for doing the right thing.
2006
The Cahana Sisters (Original title:Haahayot Cahana). Director: Gilad Melzer; a group portrait and dramatic life journey of four sisters who had survived the death camps together during theHolocaust.
Bekummernis. Director: Ido Sela; a personal documentary about the director's visit to kibbutzKfar HaNassi - a magical childhood landscape that turns into a scene of crime.
1998
End of the Orange Season (Original title:Sof Onat Hatapuzim); an in-depth 12-part documentary series that explores the story ofIsraeli rock music from the 1960s to the 1990s.
