Sderot Film Festival Marks Quarter Century With New Support Hub

The Cinema of the South Festival begins its 25th year of operation on November 1 at the Sderot Cinematheque. The five-day event concludes on November 5 and centers on the film industry in the southern region of Israel. The program includes television premieres, international screenings, and master classes with directors.

The festival was established by the School of Audio and Visual Arts at Sapir Academic College. This year’s lineup specifically highlights filmmakers from Sderot and the western Negev. Several new works examine life in the three years following the October 7 Hamas-led attacks. The opening night features a discussion with Hanan Savyon and Guy Amir about their Netflix series "Bros." The event will also screen the world premiere of the first two episodes of the show's second season.

Advance screenings include "Motherland," a comedy-drama directed by Yael Hedaya for KAN. The cast includes Dana Ivgy, Sasson Gabay, and Alma Zack. Audiences will also view "Whose Daughter Are You?," a documentary series directed by Efrat Shalom Danon and Keren Shayo. Produced by Osnat Trabelsi, the series focuses on Mizrahi women in Israel. A separate session will host the creative team behind the KAN series "The Pshute." Director Dan Messer and creators Bar Elmaliach Donzov, Chen Rotman, and Oshrit Sarusi will attend that meeting.

The festival closes with a preview of Iris Zaki’s film "What Was She Thinking?" The movie explores the choice not to have children within Israeli society. Zaki currently heads the master’s degree program at the college. The closing event also honors editor Nili Feller, a two-time Ophir Award winner. The tribute includes screenings of four films she edited and a master class. Filmmakers Ari Folman and Dani Rosenberg will participate in the discussions.

Recent graduates from Sapir College will present new projects. Efrat Corem will screen "Heart of Gold," which stars Chen Amsalem, Menashe Noy, and Israel Atias. Shir Houri Abu will show the documentary "100 Gates." Tal Avitan, a filmmaker from Sderot, will present "Carlos Outside the Lines," a story about a soccer coach in Kiryat Gat. Eight winning films from previous festival years will also be shown.

Regional programming includes "Sketches of the Soul," a collection of five short films by creators from the western Negev. These works depict life after the October 7 attacks. The festival will also premiere "My Beloved Gourama" by Sami Shalom Chetrit. The film follows the life of his father in Morocco and Israel. Swiss director Thomas Imbach will present two films and lead a master class in cooperation with the Swiss Embassy.

The closing ceremony will launch Negba, a new incubator designed for young filmmakers from the south. More details about the event are available on the Sapir Academic College website.