Cinema South Festival Concludes 25th Edition in Sderot with Major Awards
The 25th Cinema South Festival concluded in Sderot, distributing over 850,000 shekels in prizes and grants. Yuval Aharoni's 'Phototaxis' and Idan Rafael's 'Mother Tongue' took top honors.
The 25th Cinema South Festival concluded on Thursday in Sderot, marking a milestone quarter-century of independent filmmaking with over 850,000 shekels awarded in prizes and grants. Founded by the Sapir Academic College's School of Audio and Visual Arts, the five-day cultural event featured screenings, creator panels, and competitions highlighting emerging cinematic voices.
Festival Winners and Standout Films
In the Miriam Hochman Short Film Competition, Yuval Aharoni's "Phototaxis" took home the top prize of 10,000 shekels, awarded by the Israel Cinema Federation. The jury praised its sharp direction and tension, noting how it encapsulates the pressures of Israeli society. Omri Sader Inspector's "Erased (07-02-24)" secured second place with a 5,000-shekel development grant from the Makor Foundation, while a special mention went to Paz Bernstein's "Wider".
The New Cinema South Competition saw Idan Rafael's "Mother Tongue" win the 5,000-shekel Mika Elon Award for best feature film. Rafael also claimed an editing award for Doron Ben Nathan's "What I Know". Meanwhile, Yuval Kahlon's documentary "Ready to Die" won best documentary with a 5,000-shekel grant sponsored by Partner Communications, alongside the Audience Favorite award. Tamir Spiegelman's "Bell's Leaves" received the best animation award, sponsored by the family of the late Ruth Pehari.
Production Grants and Future Projects
A central highlight was the distribution of 750,000 shekels in production grants by the Negev Cinema Fund. The "Southern Line" incubator selected two projects: "Ghoul" by Youssef Abu Madiam and Yonatan Dumosh, and "Liat Kaplan and Raz Merhav's" project. Additionally, the "Moving Film" incubator, blending cinema and dance, awarded the project "Brtukan" by Tai Morris, Daga Peder, and Tzipi Nir.
The "Pitch Doc South" initiative honored documentary projects tackling the heavy emotional tolls of conflict. Maayan Alexandon from Tel Aviv University won 30,000 shekels from the Gesher Multicultural Film Fund for "Don't Change", while Yacov Tzim from Bezalel received 15,000 shekels from Keshet 12 for "We Remain". Keshet 12 also distributed student production awards to Sapir student works including "Move, Eat, Love", "Weak Character", and "Blind Spot". Further professional accolades were awarded across cinematography, editing, screenplay, and sound design, celebrating the resilience and creativity of regional storytellers.
