HOLY LAND HARDBALL is the definitive story of the unlikely group of players and executives who attempted to create Israel’s first professional baseball league in the summer of 2007. The award-winning documentary is an engaging account of Boston bagel maker Larry Baras’ dream. He recruited 120 diverse ballplayers for the IBL, with tryouts in Massachusetts, Dominican Republic, and the Holy Land itself. Team managers are former Jewish major leaguers, all with Chicago connections – Ken Holtzman and Art Shamsky, former CHICAGO CUBS, and Ron Blomberg, who played with the CHICAGO WHITE SOX. Baras and his recruits have the challenging task of drawing the Israeli people to a sport they’ve never had in 5,767 years. The opening game of Israel’s baseball league was in Petach Tikvah, Chicago’s sister city. An entertaining documentary, showing a side of Israel far from the news headlines – one of peace, normalcy and discovering the joys of the great American pastime. Directed and Written by: Brett Rapkin and Erik Kesten

Sunday, November 1, 2009
1 p.m.
AMC 600
600 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago

Sunday, November 8, 2009
3 p.m.
Wilmette Theatre
1122 Central. Wilmette

TICKETS $10.00
Available through theater boxes offices and online
AMC600 www.fandango.com Wilmette Theatre www.wilmettetheatre.com

HOLY LAND HARDBALL SISTER CITIES (PDF)

Check CFIC website for complete schedule, updates, film synopses, trailers and special guests www.chicagofestivalofisraelicinema.org