The Israel Film Fund hasannounced that it is boarding a raft of new projects. The Fund will pump morethan $300,000 into $5m drama Kishta,by director Dover Koshashvili and producers Marek Rozenbaum and EdgardTenenbaum.

Meanwhile, the Fund hasalready committed $400,000 to Lebanon, produced by Einat Bikel and executive produced by France-based AlainGirard of Arsam International. The drama tells the story of a soldier in theLebanon war. The project is based on the real-life experiences of directorSamuel Maoz.

Also creating a buzz in theCannes market is another new Israel Film Fund-backed feature, Zion And HisBrothers, to be directed by newcomerEran Meirav and produced by Assaf Amir of Norma Productions (the outfit behindNir Bergman's award-winning Broken Wings.)

MK2 is in advancednegotiations to join the film, which already has financing from the WorldCinema Fund in Berlin. Ronit Elkabetz headlines the cast. Shooting on theFrench-Israeli co-production, about a two children who accidentally killanother boy, is due to shoot in the autumn.

Intriguingly, festivalfavourite Amos Kollek is now Israel-bound. The flamboyant director, son ofJerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek, has been working in the US in recent years. He isto return to his homeland to write and direct Restless, produced by Israeli outfit Hamon Productions aswell as US, Canadian and Belgian partners. It's about an Israeli man who hasbeen living in the US for 15 years and the son he left behind.

According to statisticsrecently released by the Fund, foreign investment in Israeli co-production hasshot up by 25% between 2004 and 2005. Meanwhile, Israeli movies are being seenabroad in ever increasing numbers. 'For us, this is a realbreakthrough,' commented Katriel Schory, executive director of the IsraelFilm Fund. 'This is a real indication that we're very active on theinternational scene.'

In recent years, suchIsraeli titles as Walk On Waterand Ushpizin have sold widelyinternationally.

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