Feature Films

"BALLAD OF THE WEEPING SPRING" (Ha'Balada La'Aviv Haboche)

2012,  105 minutes

Screenplay and Director: Benny Torati

Producers: Chaim Sharir, Moshe and Leon Edri

Actors: Uri Gavriel, Dudu Tassa, Nir Levi. Adar Gold, Ishtar (acting and singing), Igal Afika, Dikla, Galit Giat, Shimon Mimran, Uri Klausner, Arnon Tsadok, Miriam Tusia Cohen

A tribute to the eastern music that arrived in Israel with immigrants from Caucasia and Persia and the Arab countries, the music from which the current Middle Eastern music was born.

A young man, Amram, appears in the home of legendary "tar" [lute] player Yosef Tawilla, twenty years after the car accident in which two members of the band "Turkish Ensemble" were killed, his beloved was fatally injured and the band dispersed. Tawilla who was driving at the time of the accident served a number of years in prison.

Amram, the son of Araham Mufradi tells Tawilla that his father is dying and hands him the score for the weeping Spring Symphony. Tawilla understands that his band mate and partner, Mufradi, is asking him to hear the music they wrote together many years ago, before he departs this world, a musical piece that has never before been played. That same night, Tawilla comes to the decision to agree to his dying friend's last request. In order to play the piece, he has to find the best musicians who play on primary acoustic instruments (tar, oud, Comanche, Ney flute) so that the piece can be played as written. Tawilla and Amram set off on a journey filled with obstacles in places where time has stopped. As the proceed on their journey, more and more amazing musicians join them, players and signers of the grass roots eastern music. Amram will find love while Tawilla will have to confront his past.

The music for the film was written by Mark Eliahu, international Comanche player, and with him perform and play renowned musicians of eastern music such as Peretz Elijahu, Gil Ron, Amir Shaser and others who perform ancient music that was passed from generation to generation, from master to student, in the Middle East of yore and central Asia – Persia, Caucasia, Iraq, Egypt and even some Spanish influences.

The film won four Israeli Academy awards.

Produced with the assistance of the Israeli Film Fund, United Films and Keshet Broadcastin