Sderot Film Festival Opens Nov. 1 With New Fund for Five Local Creators

The Sderot Cinematheque opens its 25th annual Cinema of the South festival on November 1.

The five-day event, running through November 5, marks a milestone for the program founded by the School of Audio and Visual Arts at Sapir Academic College. This year’s lineup focuses on regional creators, specifically those documenting life in the western Negev during the three years following the October 7 Hamas-led attacks.

The opening night features a discussion with Hanan Savyon and Guy Amir, creators of the Netflix series "Bros." They will discuss the show’s premise, which centers on two childhood friends and Beitar Jerusalem supporters managing a pub while facing personal crises. The session is followed by the world premiere of the first two episodes of the series’ second season.

Advance screenings include "Motherland," a KAN comedy-drama directed by Yael Hedaya and starring Dana Ivgy, Sasson Gabay, and Alma Zack. Audiences will also view "Whose Daughter Are You?," a KAN documentary series about Mizrahi women directed by Efrat Shalom Danon and Keren Shayo. The team behind the KAN series "The Pshute" will appear in a dedicated session.

Returning graduates from Sapir Academic College will present new projects. Efrat Corem screens "Heart of Gold," starring Chen Amsalem, Menashe Noy, and Israel Atias. Sderot filmmaker Tal Avitan presents "Carlos Outside the Lines," a film about a children’s soccer coach in Kiryat Gat. Regional programming includes "Sketches of the Soul," a collection of five short films by western Negev directors examining post-October 7 life, and the premiere of Sami Shalom Chetrit’s "My Beloved Gourama."

The festival closes with a preview of Iris Zaki’s "What Was She Thinking?" and a tribute to editor Nili Feller, a two-time Ophir Award winner. The tribute includes a master class and screenings of four films she edited. Swiss director Thomas Imbach will lead a master class in cooperation with the Swiss Embassy.

The closing ceremony will officially launch Negba, a new incubator designed to support young filmmakers from the south. The program will provide mentorship and production assistance to emerging local talent.