It’s a summer tradition in Jerusalem: at the end of July, when the weather in this ancient city built over seven hills is cooler and drier than in the rest of Israel, people come from all over the country to watch some of the films that will be in everybody’s conversations for month to come. Quality is never an issue here, perhaps because this film festival that this year celebrates its 35th anniversary does not request mandatory premieres. In fact, many of the international programming comes straight from Cannes and Sundance, including films as Gaspar Noé, Climax, an instant success in the French Riviera which sold out every screening here in which very few dare to leave, a good testament of the passion of filmgoers who attend JIFF.

With most of the screenings taking place in the huge building of the local Cinematheque, built by founder Lia van Leer in 1981 in the Valley of Hinnom just across the walls of the Old City, the festival generates a sense of community that is hard to find in other film events around the world. People gather in the garden between screenings to chat, stop for a coffee or a quick meal in the restaurant and sometimes venture into the other two cinemas that held screenings and are located not too far away.

This year, an Israeli film, Eliran Malka’s The Unorthodox, opened the festival in the adjacent Sultan’s Pool, an old water basin transformed into a big amphitheater. Lior Ashkenazi, one of the biggest stars of local cinema, and the leading actor in last year impressive Foxtrot, was the master of ceremonies, and was in charge to introduce Yuli Rand, another revered Israeli star who left the stage for good in 2004 to dedicate his life to religion and who just came back into acting with the opening film, a much-anticipated event for the local crowd. Certainly, the job of Rand is impressive in his return, playing an Orthodox printer who decides to try his hand at politics to fight corruption among the community’s representatives, generating an unexpected seismic change that could put him in the path of being elected for Congress. With plenty of humor, a lot of charisma and a fact-based script, the film was a good choice to start the festival, especially since in comparison with previous years, only seven Israeli films were selected to participate in the prestigious Haggiag competition, while in 2004 there were 14.

In 2007, The Band’s Visit won four awards here, and this year, far, far away, it was adapted as a Broadway musical, sweeping the Tony awards with 10 wins. Among the new Israeli films shown in Jerusalem, Redemption, about a former rock star who left everything to become religious, but who is forced to return to the stage for financial reasons, was well received, continuing a good track after Moshe Folkenflik won the Best Actor award at Karlovy Vary last month. Working Woman, directed by Michael Aviad, was also one of the best-reviewed films with its very current story of a real estate mogul who pressures her new employee (Liron Ben Shlush) into giving him sexual favors.

Several films heading for Toronto and award season were also screened here, including Gus Van Sant’s Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot, Paul Dano’s debut as a director, Wildlife, Spike Lee’s BlackKklansman and Richard Eyre’s The Children Act. The festival will close next Sunday in another high note, a screening of the esteemed animated film by Wes Anderson, Isle of Dogs, which will be shown for the first time in Israel several months after its American release.