Sderot Film Fest Marks Quarter Century

The Sderot Cinematheque prepares for the 25th edition of the Cinema of the South Festival from November 1 to 5. The event runs on the campus of Sapir Academic College, where the festival was originally established by the School of Audio and Visual Arts. Organizers aim to center the creative output of Sderot and the western Negev region. This focus includes new projects examining daily life during the three years following the October 7 Hamas-led attacks.

Hanan Savyon and Guy Amir open the festival by discussing their Netflix series "Bros." The show follows two Beitar Jerusalem fans who manage a pub together while facing personal and professional crises. Viewers will see the world premiere of the first two episodes of the second season during the opening night. The series serves as the initial hook for a program that blends television debuts with international cinema.

Advance screenings feature several KAN productions. "Motherland," a comedy-drama directed by Yael Hedaya, stars Dana Ivgy, Sasson Gabay, and Alma Zack. The lineup also includes "Whose Daughter Are You?", a documentary series on Mizrahi women created by Efrat Shalom Danon and Keren Shayo. The team behind the popular series "The Pshute" will join a session, with director Dan Messer and creators Bar Elmaliach Donzov, Chen Rotman, and Oshrit Sarusi attending.

Iris Zaki closes the festival with the preview of her film "What Was She Thinking?". The movie explores the choice to remain childless within Israeli society. Zaki, who heads the school's master's degree program, also pays tribute to editor Nili Feller. Feller, a two-time Ophir Award recipient, is honored through a screening of four of her films, a master class, and meetings with figures like Ari Folman and Dani Rosenberg.

Alumni of the Sapir program showcase new work during the week. Efrat Corem presents "Heart of Gold," featuring Chen Amsalem, Menashe Noy, and Israel Atias. Shir Houri Abu shows the documentary "100 Gates," while Sderot filmmaker Tal Avitan screens "Carlos Outside the Lines." The latter follows a children's soccer coach in Kiryat Gat. Eight previous award-winning films from the festival's history will also be shown.

Regional programming includes "Sketches of the Soul," a set of five short films by western Negev directors about post-October 7 life. Sami Shalom Chetrit premieres "My Beloved Gourama," which traces his father's history in Morocco and Israel. Swiss director Thomas Imbach, working with the Swiss Embassy, presents two films and leads a master class. The closing ceremony launches Negba, a new incubator designed to support young filmmakers from the south.