Film About Special Need People Wins Best Film in JIFCES 2018

(Semarang, 03/20/2018) WishMakers, produced and directed by Cheryl Halpern from the USA, won the Best Film Award at the Java International Film & Culture Festival (JIFCES) 2018. Cheryl Halpern, who attended the festival, walked to the podium, in the Kraton Amarta Bumi Palace, Semarang, to receive the esteemed award and acknowledgement. Mrs. Halpern, said that she was honored to accept the award not just on behalf of herself but also on behalf of the individuals with special needs working in the Tulip Winery.  She is proud to be able to share their story with audiences around the world.

WishMakers is a beautiful documentary that celebrates the Golden Rule of treating others with the same tolerance and affection with which you yourself would want to be treated.  These are the values that are practiced every day in the Tulip Winery. The winery was established by the Yitzchaki Family in a residential adult special needs community, the Village of Hope, located in Israel's Jezreel Valley.  It fosters a caring environment while providing employment, dignity, and purpose for the residents. In addition to the satisfaction of producing world-class wines, they find additional joy and self-worth in dedicating profit from the sale of the WishMaker wine to grant wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Following its release in 2016, WishMakers has won numerous international awards. This inspiring documentary has been screened in all continents, except Antarctica.   Cheryl hopes to visit the scientists working there and provide a special screening for them as well.  She explained, “The best part of attending screenings has been meeting the people who are in the audience and listening to their reaction to the documentary.  The individuals who stories are being told reach out from the screen and touch the viewers in a meaningful way, regardless of age, gender, ethnic and language diversity.”  Cheryl, who was recently inaugurated as the member of the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Tallo, added, “I hope that the global screenings will continue and will inspire everyone who watches the film to acknowledge each other with respect and to walk down a path to a more peaceful tomorrow.”

WishMakers was chosen out of 456 films from all over the world. Java International Film & Culture Festival is an international film festival that focuses on promoting films as a mean to reflect culture and civilization and support independent filmmakers.

Java International Film & Culture Festival worked together with the kingdoms of Nusantara Association (Madukara), and the Awards Ceremony was held at the Kingdom of Amarta Bumi Palace, Central Java. The sacred and prestigious ceremony was crowded by the VIP and guests, and attended by many kings and queens: King of Amarta Bumi, Sri Anglung Prabu Punta Djajanagara Cakrabumi Girinata, Queen of Amarta Bumi, Kanjeng Ratu Dinar Retno Djenoli; King of Tallo, Makassar, H. A. A. Rauf Maro. Karaeng Rewa, Queen of Tallo, Makassar; Fatma Irwani, the Sultan, the Queen and the Prince of Indrapura, Sumatera Barat, King of Borneo Selayar, Prince of War from Indrapura, King and Queen of Puri Pemecutan Bali, Queen of Petuanan Tanah Rata Kokoda, Princess of Aceh Tamiang, King of  Aceh Darussalam, King, Queen, and Prince of Pamekasan, King and Queen of  Gorontalo, King of Sukapura, Prince of Kanoman Cirebon, Prince of Sumenep, King of Batak Seribu Raja. Onarungu. P. Samosir, Prince of  Surakarta, and Prince of Bangkalan. The event was also attended by special guest, Hutomo Mandala Putra, philanthropist and son of the second president of Indonesia, and Admiral Tedjo Edhi, the Indonesian Coordinating Minister of Politics, Law and Security.