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A lost film by Israeli B-movie director Sam Firstenberg gets a new lifeĀ 

JL;DR SUMMARY Sam Firstenberg, the Israeli-born director known for his cult B-movies such as "American Ninja" and "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo," is experiencing a renewed interest in his work due to the upcoming screening of his obscure film "Riverbend." A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Cultural DiversityB MoviesQuentin TarantinoFilm RestorationIsraeli DirectorsSam FirstenbergRiverbend1989 Action DramaAlama DrafthouseMichael J. Dennis

Places mentioned

Jerusalem, Israel
"Its a career rooted in the long afternoons a young Firstenberg spent at Smadar, the movie theater in Jerusalems German Colony neighborhood."
Los Angeles, California, United States
"He still lives in Los Angeles, although he continues to speak with a distinctly Israeli accent."
Texas, United States
"Firstenberg came to direct Riverbend after he was approached by a group of private investors from Texas - a pair of married couples, one white and one Black - who werent experienced in the movie business."
South Africa
"Dennis got in touch with Firstenberg and, during the pandemic, tracked down a 35-millimeter copy of the film in South Africa."

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Cairo Item ID 80629
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2026-04-23 05:30:56 UTC
Curated 2026-04-23 08:30:43 UTC