News of the Muse

ilm series begins for periphery towns.

By NATHAN BURSTEIN, AP, JP STAFF
Film series begins for periphery towns "Docu-Israel in the Community," a joint initiative of the Second Broadcast Authority and the New Fund for Film and Television, has kicked off a series of documentary screenings and discussion panels looking at life in the country's "periphery" towns. Historically impoverished communities including Lod and Kiryat Malachi will play host to the program, with documentary filmmakers and their subjects visiting the towns and discussing the challenges they face with local residents. The project follows similar programs that have been held in Ashkelon and Yeroham and began late last month. Other towns included on the program's schedule include Or Akiva, Migdal Ha'emek and Ma'alot-Tarshiha, with films to be screened including Tom Barkai and Yigal Mor's You Will Live, But in Israel. - Nathan Burstein Spears falls asleep in Vegas nightclub Britney Spears finally appears to be acting like a new mom. The pop princess, who recently made headlines for a rash of less-than-motherly partying, fell asleep in a Las Vegas nightclub early Monday shortly after leading the New Year's Eve countdown, her manager said. "By about one o'clock, she was just done, so we took her out," Spears' manager, Larry Rudolph, said. "She was not drunk. She was just tired and falling asleep." Rudolph denied reports circulating on gossip Web sites that Spears, 25, collapsed shortly after midnight and was carried out by bodyguards. Rudolph said Spears walked out of the club and did not seek medical attention. Spears was traveling with her two sons, 3-month-old Jayden James and 1-year-old Sean Preston. She filed for divorce in November from her husband of two years, Kevin Federline. - AP Irish festival to kick off in Tel Aviv The Murphy's Irish Festival is set to open Thursday for the seventh consecutive year at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, with a program featuring a variety of films, dance performances and music by homegrown and visiting Irish artists. Co-sponsored by the city of Tel Aviv and the Irish embassy, the festival runs four nights and will also pay tribute to 20th century Irish literature. Israeli musicians slated to perform include Nurit Galron and pop artist Din Din Aviv. - JP Staff