Sderot Cinematheque Opens 25th Festival With New Support Program

Filmmakers in Sderot and the western Negev gain access to a new support program starting November 1. The Cinema of the South Festival marks its 25th anniversary at the Sderot Cinematheque from November 1 to November 5. The event was founded by the School of Audio and Visual Arts at Sapir Academic College.

The festival launches Negba, an incubator designed for young filmmakers from the south. The program aims to provide structured support for new creators in the region. This initiative coincides with the festival's quarter-century milestone.

The opening evening features a discussion with Hanan Savyon and Guy Amir about their Netflix series, Bros. The event includes the world premiere of the first two episodes of the show's second season. The series follows two Beitar Jerusalem fans who operate a pub in Jerusalem.

Advance screenings include Motherland, a KAN comedy-drama directed by Yael Hedaya. The cast includes Dana Ivgy, Sasson Gabay, and Alma Zack. Audiences will also view Whose Daughter Are You?, a KAN documentary series about Mizrahi women in Israel. The series is directed by Efrat Shalom Danon and Keren Shayo, with production by Osnat Trabelsi.

The festival closes with a preview of What Was She Thinking? by Iris Zaki. The film addresses the choice to remain childless in Israeli society. Zaki heads the school's master's degree program. The closing ceremony includes a tribute to editor Nili Feller, who has won two Ophir Awards. The tribute features four films she edited and a master class with Ari Folman and Dani Rosenberg.

Returning Sapir graduates present new works, including Heart of Gold by Efrat Corem and 100 Gates by Shir Houri Abu. Sderot filmmaker Tal Avitan shows Carlos Outside the Lines, a film about a soccer coach in Kiryat Gat. Eight winning films from previous festivals will also be screened.

Regional programming includes Sketches of the Soul, a collection of five shorts by western Negev filmmakers about life since October 7. The festival also premieres My Beloved Gourama by Sami Shalom Chetrit, which follows his father's life in Morocco and Israel. Swiss director Thomas Imbach presents two films and leads a master class in cooperation with the Swiss Embassy.